HERNANDO, Miss.–The man who escaped DeSoto County custody and who is still missing did not have outside help, said Sheriff Thomas Tuggle, who spoke with reporters Wednesday about how Joshua Zimmerman was able to get away.
“Everything worked out for this individual. The notion that he had help, that’s false. The notion that he had an extra set of clothes, that’s false,” said Tuggle.
The sheriff did not answer many questions, citing the on-going investigation and search for Zimmerman, who was arrested by Southaven Police on charges of carjacking and attempted murder.
“He exploited, I guess you say, a soft spot at the courthouse,” said Tuggle. He was unwilling to elaborate on how the security breach occurred in detail, but said it had been corrected.
He added that Zimmerman had on pajamas and a t-shirt and was wearing shower shoes, which are standard issue at the jail.
“Je found an individual that was back behind one of the gas stations. He’s a charismatic guy. Je asked this guy and said hey, I just got in a fight with my wife, can you give me a ride to Walmart? This guy said, I’m going to Memphis. He said, that’s even better.”
Tuggle would not say explicitly whether Zimmerman was shackled, but did say that inmates have access to the internet and career criminals such as Zimmerman spend time studying how to defeat “the handcuff system”.
Tuggle wouldn’t answer questions about where Zimmerman might be, but did urge him to turn himself in and added that he may begin making inmates where a speedo for underwear, since what the man had on did not attract enough attention for people to look up and realize something was awry.
