In the early morning hours of June 15, 2018, in Memphis, Tennessee, 18-year-old Joshua Isaiah Strong, a recent high school graduate, was fatally shot while sitting in a car outside of Gabby's Salon, a barbershop located on Hillshire Drive. Employees inside the salon heard the gunshots and rushed out to find the young man gravely wounded. Despite their efforts to perform CPR, Joshua was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after authorities arrived.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:45 a.m.
Joshua was remembered as a kind-hearted individual who was deeply cherished by his family and friends. He had recently graduated from Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro and was the third of four children. Those who knew him described him as a well-mannered and nice young man.
Initially, investigators had no suspects in the shooting but were working to gather surveillance footage from nearby businesses. Witnesses reported seeing a male in a white t-shirt walking around Joshua's vehicle at the time of the shooting. The investigation progressed, and based on tips received by the police, authorities identified 24-year-old Cortney Walton as a suspect.
Walton was later taken into custody in connection with an unrelated incident and was subsequently charged with first-degree murder for the death of Joshua Strong. Following his arrest, he was booked into the Shelby County Jail. The Memphis Police Department continued to build a case against Walton, as the community mourned the loss of a young life taken too soon.
