In the early morning hours of September 6, 2020, Joshua Douglas Williams, a 21-year-old male, was found deceased in his mobile home on Deckard School Road in Rineyville, Kentucky. Authorities had received a call at approximately 2:30 a.m. about a man who was injured and not breathing. Upon their arrival, they discovered Williams had been fatally shot.
The Hardin County Sheriff's Office immediately launched a homicide investigation into Williams's death.
At the time, Sheriff John Ward stated that they did not have a lot of information to go on. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting is ongoing, and as of late 2025, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the case.
On the same day that Joshua Williams was killed, another fatal shooting occurred in the neighboring city of Elizabethtown. In that incident, which took place about six hours after Williams was found, a 23-year-old man, Jowone Doleman of Danville, was killed, and a woman from Hardin County was injured. While the Elizabethtown Police Department described their case as a 'targeted crime,' it remains unclear if the two shootings are related.
The community was left seeking answers and justice for the young man whose life was cut short. Joshua Williams was remembered as a highly intelligent, loving, and kind individual who was loyal to those close to him. He had graduated from Job Corps in 2018 with a focus on cement/masonry and enjoyed writing music and poetry, cooking, and spending time with his family and friends.
