Man Indicted in Homicide at Dixie Queen

Dec. 10, 2020 – A customer at an ice cream store who sprayed the business with gunfire following an argument over his order has been indicted on first-degree murder charges for the death of an employee, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

A grand jury also indicted defendant Joshua Holmes, 20, on two counts each of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and employment of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony.

The incident occurred around midday on May 24 this year at the Dixie Queen at 1181 S. Bellevue Blvd. where Holmes got into an argument with an employee who took his order.

Investigators said Holmes went to his car as if to leave, but quickly returned to the order window with a rifle and fired several shots into the store. Employee Cautious Smith, 20, who was a cook, was struck and killed.

The shooting was captured on surveillance video.

Holmes was developed as a suspect and was arrested on Sept. 1 this year. He is being held in the Shelby County Jail.

The case is being handled by Felony Asst. Jimmy Thomas of the District Attorney’s Vertical Team 1 which prosecutes cases in General Sessions Division 7 and in Criminal Court Division 1.