MEMPHIS, Tenn. — UPDATE 10/14/2020 - (SHELBY COUNTY D.A. NEWS RELEASE) - A 21-year-old man was indicted Tuesday in the South Memphis shooting deaths this summer of his girlfriend and her unborn child, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.
A grand jury indicted defendant Joshua Dotson on two counts of first-degree murder in the case.
The shooting occurred on June 12, 2020, at the victim’s residence in the 1200 block of Quinn Avenue near Bellevue Boulevard and South Parkway East. Investigators said Dotson became angry with his girlfriend, Jamesha Covson, 19, fired a gunshot through her closed door, and then forced his way in and continued the argument.
Dotson then left the scene, but police were called to the residence a few hours later. According to witnesses, Dotson had returned and shot Covson in the house; police found her with several gunshot wounds. She was taken to a hospital where she and her unborn child were pronounced dead.
Witnesses identified Dotson as the person responsible. He was arrested six days later.
The case is being handled by Asst. Dist. Atty. Marianne Bell of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Unit which handles cases of homicide and domestic assault committed by intimate partners. The DVU prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 10 and in Criminal Court Division 5.
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UPDATE 6/18/2020 - Joshua Dotson was captured earlier this afternoon at an apartment at the 2300 block of Seifried in Nashville TN. He was taken into custody without incident.
His capture was a collaboration between the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force Memphis Office, the Memphis Police Department Homicide Squad, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Highway Police SWAT team, the Nashville Metropolitan Police and the Nashville U.S. Marshals Office.
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6/17/2020 - The U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force needs the help of the public in locating a fugitive from justice.
Joshua Dotson is wanted for the following arrest warrants out of Shelby County: three counts of First Degree Murder, two counts of Possession of a Firearm during a Dangerous Felony, and two counts of Attempted First Degree Murder. The details of the underlying crimes are as follows:
On May 24 Reginald Anderson was shot to death in the parking lot of 1300 Bellevue. Renita Bennett was shot multiple times but survived.
On June 12 Jamesha Covson was shot to death at a residence at the 1200 block of Quinn. Covson was the girlfriend of Joshua Dotson. She was several months pregnant at the time of her murder.
Please note the suspect’s prominent facial tattoos.
This fugitive has been made a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Top Ten fugitive.
Joshua Dotson is considered armed and dangerous. The public is advised to avoid contact with him and to call 731 571 0280 or 901 601 1575 with any information on this fugitive. The following rewards are being offered for information leading to his arrest: Crimestoppers up to $500-$1,000, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation up to $2,500 and the U.S. Marshals Service up to $10,000.
“The U.S. Marshals Service is making it a top priority to bring Joshua Dotson to justice for this shocking and horrible crime” said U.S. Marshal Jeff Holt.
