Memphis Man Who Called Himself a ‘Serial Killer’ Sentenced to 261 Years in Prison

A Memphis man who once compared himself to the fictional murderer Michael Myers is now set to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Joshua Dotson, 25, has been sentenced to 261 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, adding to his previous convictions for killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend and her unborn child. West Tennessee prosecutors announced the sentencing Friday following a hearing in Shelby County Circuit Court.

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy confirmed Dotson admitted to the murders of Division Parker, Renita Bennett, and Reginald Anderson. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of felony reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. A judge handed him 159 years for those crimes, which will be stacked onto the 102-year sentence he was already serving.

More: 23-Year-Old Texas Tourist Shot Dead at Father’s Home While on Holiday from the UK
More: Luxury Honeymoon Turns Deadly as Tennessee Newlywed Brutally Kills Wife in Hotel Bathroom

The killing spree spanned several months. Bennett and Anderson were both shot and killed on May 24, 2020, according to the U.S. Marshals Office for the Western District of Tennessee. A few months earlier, 18-year-old Parker was found fatally shot at the South Memphis Market on Nov. 17, 2019.

Dotson’s most notorious crime came on June 12, 2020, when he shot and killed his former girlfriend, 19-year-old Jamesha Covson, and their unborn child inside a home in southeast Memphis. He was convicted of those murders in August 2024 and sentenced to 102 years in October 2024.

During his trial, Dotson stunned the courtroom by taking the stand in his own defense, casually referring to himself as a “serial killer” and likening himself to the infamous slasher villain Michael Myers. Prosecutors said he even tried to discredit Covson, calling her a “sex worker” and claiming she knew about his past murders—an argument he bizarrely used to justify killing her.

More: Heartbroken Dad Relives Horror as Baby Girl Dies After Being Hit by Driver
More: Woman Kills 21-Year-Old Sister by Injecting Her with 15 Bags of Heroin and Fentanyl with Help from Victim’s Boyfriend

In response to the sentencing, Assistant District Attorney Regina Lucreziano, who prosecuted the case alongside Chief Prosecutor Lessie Rainey, said, “After five years, we are pleased to finally have justice for Dotson’s multiple victims. While no amount of time in prison will bring the victims back to their loved ones, we are content that he will never be a threat to our community again.”

Mulroy echoed that sentiment, assuring the public that Dotson would never walk free again.

“We are confident that he will never be a threat to our community again,” Mulroy said.

With his latest sentencing, Dotson is now serving a total of 261 years behind bars—essentially a life sentence with no chance of release.

For You:

• 23-Year-Old Texas Tourist Shot Dead at Father’s Home While on Holiday from the UK
• Luxury Honeymoon Turns Deadly as Tennessee Newlywed Brutally Kills Wife in Hotel Bathroom
• Heartbroken Dad Relives Horror as Baby Girl Dies After Being Hit by Driver
• Woman Kills 21-Year-Old Sister by Injecting Her with 15 Bags of Heroin and Fentanyl with Help from Victim’s Boyfriend
• 26-Year-Old Dad Convicted of Baby’s Murder Dies Mysteriously Just Hours After Release
• Teen Couple Allegedly Kills Grandma After She Refuses to Let Boyfriend Stay Over