Joshua David Lindauer, a 33-year-old male from Jacksonville, NC, tragically passed away on March 7, 2017. Born on May 4, 1983, in Baltimore City, MD, Joshua was the son of Brian David Lindauer and Vicki Layne Hendrickson Rappa. He was affectionately known as 'Sarge'.
The circumstances surrounding Joshua's death were deeply distressing. On the day of the incident, Joshua was involved in an argument with Shawn Sturdivant. The altercation escalated when Sturdivant retrieved a gun and pointed it at Joshua's forehead. Despite Joshua's attempt to de-escalate the situation by suggesting they fight 'like men,' Sturdivant fired a .22 revolver at Joshua's face, killing him instantly.
Witnesses, including Lysander Burnette and Aaron Rosenbaum, testified to the events leading up to and following the shooting.
Following the incident, Sturdivant attempted to flee the scene and took measures to conceal his involvement, such as burning his shirt and asking others how to remove gunshot residue from his hands. He also lied to the police on multiple occasions, claiming he had not shot or argued with Joshua.
The legal proceedings that followed saw Sturdivant charged with first-degree murder and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. The jury convicted him on all charges, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the murder and an additional 19 to 32 months for possession of a firearm by a felon.
