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Continuance Granted In Federal Trial For Walnut Hill Man With Alleged Manifesto, Killing Spree Target List
November 13, 2025
A continuance was granted this week in federal court for a Walnut Hill man who accidentally shot himself near Walnut Hill in July.
Joshua Dean Hardy, 26, was indicted in federal court for two counts of unlawful possession of firearm under the National Firearms Act (NFA), namely two unregistered and unserialized silencers and a destructive device, and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Local charges against Hardy were dropped after the federal charges were filed.
He was set for trial on Monday at the federal courthouse in Pensacola, but a motion to continue was granted. Hardy is now set for trial on December 15.
Hardy’s attorney, Randall Lockhart, requested the continuance to “review and finalize plea documentation with Mr. Hardy”, according to court documents.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho ordered Hardy held without bond until trial because there are “no conditions of release that would reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community.” He remains in the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Federal court documents state that investigators found documents including a multipage document titled ‘Manifesto’ on his laptop.
“This is it, this is my final words of this whole ordeal,” is how the document begins, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, along with a list of names, some of which are names of known family members.
The document then says “All of these [expletive] pukes seek to destroy my ass in my prime then i’ll give them what they want, it isn’t the so called hidden names like they want but a tombstone like i told them**”**, according to investigators.
“Later in the document, it goes on to explain that he is going to begin his killing spree and identifies the ‘targets’,” court records state.
He had been charged locally with three counts of making and/or possession of a destructive device, use of a firearm during a felony, and possession of a firearm with the serial number removed.
Hardy accidentally shot himself shortly after 3 a.m. on July 23 while walking in the woods on family property at 5000 Sandy Hollow Road, just off West Highway 4. His grandmother told deputies that she received a call about 3:15 a.m. from Hardy**, stating he** had tripped while walking on their property with his rifle and he had shot himself in the leg. She picked him up and drove him to Atmore Community Hospital.
At the emergency room in Atmore, Hardy told deputies that he often walks their 22-acre property because he does not like people there, the report states. He said he stepped in a hole and dropped his rifle, accidentally grabbing it as it fell by the trigger and shot himself. He was adamant that he was not shooting at anyone and had no intent of harming himself.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Hardy suffered a serious gunshot wound that shattered his tibia and fibula and nearly took his left big toe.
Comments
One Response to “Continuance Granted In Federal Trial For Walnut Hill Man With Alleged Manifesto, Killing Spree Target List”
Florida State Mental Hospital otherwise known as “Chattahoochee” is the ideal place for this dude. His entire family and basically anyone who crosses his crazy path are in danger, as well. Grandma, take off the blinders!