Mississippi
Suspect in woman's 2023 murder in Houston escapes courthouse in Mississippi, authorities say
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A man charged with murdering a woman in Houston in 2023 walked out of the doors of a courthouse in Mississippi on Friday and is now on the run, according to authorities.
Joshua Zimmerman, 30, is accused of killing 23-year-old Keyanna Mercer at the Red Carpet Inn at 6868 Hornwood on Sept. 2, 2023.
He was captured on Sept. 29, 2023, by officers with the Southaven Police Department in Mississippi on separate felony charges, including attempted murder, armed robbery, felon in possession of a firearm, and a charge in relation to the theft of a car.
Houston police said he would eventually be extradited back to Harris County.
On Friday, De Soto County District Attorney Matthew Barton said Zimmerman was being brought to the courthouse for a hearing with several other inmates.
As Zimmerman and the other inmates walked up the stairs toward the courtroom in jail uniforms and ankle and wrist shackles, Zimmerman was able to leave the single-file line without anyone noticing. Barton said Zimmerman went through an unlocked door into another hallway, where he completely changed clothes and removed his shackles.
Surveillance video captured portions of Zimmerman’s escape. He is seen leaving the courthouse in khaki pants, a white shirt, and a khaki headpiece.
Barton said he was not given an explanation for how this could have happened. He said Zimmerman is a career criminal who needs to be caught immediately.
U.S. Marshals are involved in the search for Zimmerman, who has ties in Memphis and Connecticut.
In the Houston case, people in neighboring rooms and employees of the motel reported to police that there had been violent fights happening between Zimmerman and Mercer prior to her death. Mercer was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in the doorway of the room. Charging documents note that Zimmerman’s possessions had been left behind, but he was gone.
Charging documents specifically said that Mercer’s whereabouts were being tracked by law enforcement out of Connecticut because she was believed to be traveling with a known fugitive who was using multiple fake identities.
Zimmerman had been convicted in Connecticut in 2018 of criminal possession of a firearm.
A $10,000 reward is being offered for his capture. Those with information are asked to call 1-800-336-0102.
For more on this story, follow Mycah Hatfield on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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Mississippi
Mississippi lawmakers face pressure to counter looming federal cuts to health care after punting this session
Wicker: Mississippi powered Artemis II
Published 4:00 pm Monday, April 20, 2026
For nine days this month, space travel captivated the world. Families gathered around their screens as four astronauts strapped into the Integrity spacecraft docked at the Kennedy Space Center. As the launch countdown ended, four Mississippi-tested RS-45 engines ignited, and the ground shook. Seven seconds later, the Integrity had liftoff. For six intense minutes, the RS-45 engines rocketed the crew into high Earth orbit, sending them on their historic lunar flyby mission.
Mississippi should take a bow. The four RS-45 engines were tested at our very own Stennis Space Center, where Mississippians have been ensuring the quality of rocket engines since the Apollo program. For eight years, engineers, safety managers, and logistics specialists from the state have tested the engines that powered the Integrity and will power future Artemis launches. Their work paid off, and the launch was a marvel of engineering. NASA leadership made special mention of the rocket engine burn, calling it “flawless.”
One Mississippian in particular helped make the mission a success. Hernando native Matthew Ramsey handled a great deal of responsibility as the mission manager for Artemis II. The Mississippi State University graduate helped set the focus for the mission and equip the astronauts and staff for the job. Matthew also served as the deputy of the Mission Management Team, the group of NASA staff that comes together just days before a launch. The team assumes the risks of the mission ahead, and they make tough calls during flight if challenges arise.
As the Artemis II journey progressed, the world could not stop watching. Our social media feeds were full of photos and videos beamed down from the heavens. They captured humorous situations, such as the astronauts adjusting to life without gravity or testing their plumbing skills.
We also witnessed moments of majesty. On the fifth day, the Integrity began using the Moon’s gravity to slingshot our astronauts back home. That trajectory led the crew around the Moon, farther from Earth than any humans have ever gone. As the explorers looked upon outer space, they captured stunning images. Among the most remarkable is Earthset, in which Commander Reid Wiseman photographed Earth as it appeared to fall below the horizon of the moon.
When their spacecraft returned to Earth’s atmosphere, the crew was traveling nearly 35 times faster than the speed of sound. Ten minutes later, a series of parachutes began opening. Eventually, the spacecraft’s speed fell to 20 miles per hour, and the crew splashed down into the Pacific Ocean.
Mississippi was once again there to assist. The astronauts were greeted by the USS John P. Murtha, a U.S. military vessel built in the Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula. The ship’s amphibious design was suited to welcome the space travelers home—equipped with a helicopter pad, medical facilities, and the communications system needed to locate and recover the astronauts safely. Crucially, the USS Murtha was built with a well deck, a sea-based garage that stored the Integrity on the journey to shore.
Artemis II was a resounding success, paving the way for planned future flights. When the Artemis program returns humans to the moon, Mississippi will be there every step of the way.
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