New evidence proves Zimmerman used a key to open his wrist and ankle shackles when he escaped
By Mark Bullock | September 3, 2024 | Investigative Journalist
HERNANDO, MS. (TVMO) - Within hours of dangerous criminal Joshua Zimmerman’s escape from DeSoto County Courthouse on June 14, 2024, questions surfaced that focused on how Zimmerman was able to unlock his wrist and ankle shackles. It was some 5 days after the escape that information surfaced from the DeSoto County Sheriff Thomas Tuggle II, which eluded to how Zimmerman removed his shackles.
According to the information issued by Sheriff Tuggle during the only press conference he has given about the incident on June 19, 2024. Sheriff Tuggle claimed that Zimmerman was like so many seasoned criminals, who spend hours and months learning how to defeat handcuff locks.
However, while Sheriff Tuggle never gave an exact answer as to how Zimmerman unlocked the shackles, he never gave any impression that Zimmerman used a key. Instead, he implied by his answer that Zimmerman had found another way to open the shackles, which did not require a key.
Shortly after Sheriff Tuggle gave this interview, TVMO Community News were the first and only media outlet to present information that Zimmerman was not like other seasoned criminals, because despite Zimmerman being on the wrong side of the law for countless years, Zimmerman was unable to pick locks or use shims to open shackles.
TVMO also pointed out that if Zimmerman was now capable of opening shackle locks without a key, the only place he could have learned this new skill, was during his 260 days of incarceration at the DeSoto County Adult Detention Facility, prior to his escape.
Now, though, TVMO Community News can reveal that the only answer is that someone must have given Zimmerman a handcuff key, either on the morning of his escape or sometime prior to his scheduled court appearance. Becuase while filming a new documentary that focuses on the Zimmerman escape and is going to air on TVMO Media in October 2024, our production did a deeper dive than most, and come up with some shocking results.
Our production team obtained a set of belly chains and ankle cuffs exactly the same as the ones used by DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office for inmate transport, and we came up with some very shocking results.
Understanding Belly Chains and Ankle Shackles
When inmates are transported to court, they are fitted with a tight fitting belly chain and ankle shackles, and items are designed to limit the movements of the inmate.
Hairpin/Lock Shim
When the production team tried to use a hairpin to open the locks on the shackles, it was quickly found that with the belly chain giving a person a limited range of motion, it was nearly impossible to open the shackles with such an item.
Also, when the time factor was considered, if Zimmerman could have found away to get a better range of motion to access the lock or slide the hairpin down the locking mechanism, based on the footage of him from the courthouse on the day of the escape, there was not enough time for him to use a hairpin.
Key
When the time factor and range of motion is considered, based on the TVMO findings the only way Zimmerman could have opened the shackles was with a key.
Other Findings
It was also determined by the production team that the padlock used to secure Zimmerman’s and the other inmates belly chains, are secured with a standard padlock and 210 key. Also, after Hunt found Zimmerman’s discarded items in the attic space, no belly chain was found. This shows that Zimmerman had Zimmerman been able to pick locks, he would have also removed his belly chain, when in fact he did not.