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Federal Sentencing Delayed For Walnut Hill Man With Manifesto, Killing Spree Target List
February 27, 2026
Federal sentencing for a Walnut Hill man who accidentally shot himself in July has been delayed. His sentencing was previously set for Thursday.
Joshua Dean Hardy, 26, pleaded guilty last year in federal court to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm under the National Firearms Act (NFA), specifically 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 entered the guilty plea to all federal charges before his scheduled trial began.
Hardy’s attorney, Randall Lockhart, asked for at least a 30-day delay on grounds that details were scarce in a draft pre-sentencing report, and he was seeking mental health records and results of a psychological evaluation. The prosecution did not oppose the motion.
Sentencing has now been set for early April. 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,” are how the document begins, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, along with a list of names, some of which are 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.
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