A man with charges for murder and armed robbery was apprehended on Wednesday morning after an intense standoff lasting over 15 hours at a restaurant in Chicago, according to officials.

Joshua Zimmerman, aged 30, had escaped from the DeSoto County courthouse in northwest Mississippi while expecting a hearing on June 14, as stated by the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. At that time, he was held on attempted murder and armed robbery charges, indicated by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Additionally, Zimmerman was pending extradition back to Houston, Texas, for a murder charge, per the U.S. Marshals Service. After evading capture for more than two months, Zimmerman was located at a seafood restaurant in west Chicago.

According to Justin Smith, chief deputy of the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, Zimmerman barricaded himself inside the restaurant, leading to the scene being surrounded by the SWAT team. He was taken into custody by the Chicago police around 7:20 a.m. on Wednesday.

Authorities confirmed that Zimmerman had no hostages and was arrested without any incidents.

DeSoto County Sheriff Thomas E. Tuggle expressed gratitude to the community for their assistance during the search for Zimmerman and acknowledged the cooperation of various departments involved in his apprehension.

“Our team is already on the ground in Chicago, ready to begin the next phase of our investigation,” Sheriff Tuggle stated on Wednesday. “The robust law enforcement partnerships and networks we have developed with agencies nationwide were vital in facilitating Zimmerman’s capture.”

Zimmerman Allegedly Worked at the Chicago Restaurant

Zimmerman was held at the DeSoto County Adult Detention Center when he managed to escape the courthouse on June 14, while facing charges related to attempted murder, among others.

Officials indicated that Zimmerman left the courthouse easily and received assistance from a “good Samaritan,” who drove him to Memphis, where he was out of sight for a while, as reported by the Memphis Commercial Appeal, part of the YSL News Network. The U.S. Marshals Service classified Zimmerman as “armed and dangerous.”

A bounty of up to $20,000 was offered by the U.S. Marshals Service and the DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office for information leading to Zimmerman’s capture.

On Tuesday, U.S. Marshals Service agents found Zimmerman at a seafood restaurant in west Chicago, where they believe he had been employed.

During the arrest attempt, Zimmerman is said to have “retreated into the ceiling and barricaded himself,” according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Chicago police noted that Zimmerman will appear in court on Thursday, facing two counts for fleeing law enforcement to evade arrest or prosecution, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Court Documents Reveal Numerous Felony Charges

Prior to his escape in June, Zimmerman faced multiple felony charges from the Southaven Police Department. Court records from DeSoto County indicate that he was arrested on September 29, 2023, in Southaven, Mississippi, for armed robbery and attempted murder, among other offenses.

The DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office has also revealed that Zimmerman is wanted for murder in Texas and has been absconding in Connecticut.

Zimmerman was charged with murder by the Houston Police Department last October, as per KRIV’s report. He is accused of shooting and killing 23-year-old Keyanna Mercer on September 2, 2023, inside a motel room in Houston.

Investigation efforts showed that Mercer and Zimmerman, using the alias Vincent Guerino Juliano, had booked the motel room together, according to KTRK-TV. Witnesses claimed to have heard screams followed by a gunshot coming from the room.

After the incident, Zimmerman was spotted leaving alone, as reported by KRIV and KTRK-TV. Authorities noted that he was scheduled for extradition to Harris County, Texas, following his arrest in Mississippi on separate felony charges.

Contributing: Jacob Wilt, Memphis Commercial Appeal