Suvechha Sarkar
Joseph Edward Ross, fondly known as Joe, was a kindhearted young man with a promising life ahead of him. However, the community of Pensacola, Florida, and his family members were left completely shocked in January 2015, when he was brutally shot. What followed was a swift investigation, revealing one of his acquaintances as the killer. A&E’s ‘Interrogation Raw: Stone Cold Murder’ and Investigation Discovery’s ‘Signs Of A Psychopath: He Went Boom’ offer an in-depth look at the circumstances surrounding his death and the interrogation that helped bring the killer to justice. It also features interviews with his loved ones and the officials who worked tirelessly to solve the case.
Joseph Ross Was Walking Through a Parking Lot When He Was Shot
Tammy Soley and Paul Ross were overcome with joy when they welcomed their son, Joseph Edward Ross, into the world on December 19, 1988, in Pensacola, Florida. He grew up in a loving household alongside his sister, Jamie, and brother, Johnathan Ross. He was also a favorite grandchild of Bonnie Ross, Joe, and Lynn Soley. From his childhood, he was a compassionate person who possessed an affinity for helping people. Joseph was a talented musician who could always be seen with his guitar and harmonica. Not only was he an amazing cook, but according to his mother, he was also a gifted writer.
Tammy explained that Joseph’s talent in writing motivated him to one day pursue higher education in the field of Journalism. However, his promising life came to a tragic end on January 11, 2015, when he went to a Corner Store at 3818 North Ninth Avenue in Pensacola, Florida. Around 8 pm, authorities received a 911 call seeking help for a young man who was shot near the store. When officials arrived at the scene, they found the man lying in a dark parking lot area behind the store with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest.
Joseph was identified from his identification card inside his wallet. Since he was still alive, he was rushed to a local hospital. Officials noted that he had no weapons on him, which meant that the attack was completely one-sided. Furthermore, they could not find any shell casing, reportedly indicating that he was shot with a revolver. They could only find blood where he was shot, and there was an absence of any additional blood marks or blood spatter. Unfortunately, Joseph succumbed to his injuries on the same day in the hospital.
Witness Accounts and a Red Pickup Truck Led the Detectives to the Killer
Investigators first questioned the people in the crowd who were present at the scene. One of the witnesses informed them that Joseph reportedly walked through the parking lot while speaking on his phone and arguing. Shortly after, a red Dodge pickup truck arrived at the parking lot, which was followed by the gunshots. The witness reportedly described the car’s driver as a “black male” and informed them that he observed a silhouette of another person sitting inside. Police then checked the CCTV footage of the store, but unfortunately, only the ones set up inside were in working condition, which captured Joseph buying certain items before leaving. When detectives questioned his brother, Johnathan, about whether he knew anything about a red pickup truck, he reportedly informed them that his friend, Nicholas Nehring, AKA Nick, owned a similar vehicle.
Johnathan also stated that Nicholas always hung out with a black person, Jerryl Lovelace. Investigators discovered that Nicholas was a small-time drug dealer, and he often had arguments with Joseph. They further learned from Johnathan that Nicholas always carried a .30 caliber or a 9mm gun. In the early hours of January 12, 2015, the police surveillance team staked out at Nicholas’ home when they saw his red pickup truck pull out of the driveway. The car was surrounded immediately, and they arrested him and Jerryl. They found guns like AR-15s, an M14, a shotgun, and even a revolver in the vehicle. When they were brought in, detectives first interrogated Jerryl, who admitted that he didn’t own guns, but Nicholas did. Although he initially denied knowing anything, he eventually confessed under pressure that he saw Nicholas pull up his jacket and shoot Joseph.
Jerryl also denied knowing anything about the murder beforehand, but he was reportedly identified as the getaway driver. When officials next questioned Nicholas, he initially denied the presence of his vehicle at the scene and then claimed that the car wasn’t in his possession. However, shortly after, he confessed that when they pulled into the parking lot, Joseph allegedly put his hand down on the waistband, which made him feel threatened, and hence, he shot him. He also claimed that the entire incident happened because a drug deal went wrong. By the end of the interrogation, Nicholas confessed that he shot Joseph, owing to the past tension between them. Although officials did not charge Jerryl with accessory to murder because they believed he would be a valuable key witness, they charged Nick with first-degree premeditated murder.
Nicholas Nehring is Currently Serving His Time at a Florida Prison
The jury trial of Nicholas for the murder of Joseph began in June 2016. During the trial, the prosecution presented strong pieces of evidence, which were none other than his own confession and statements during the police interrogation, witness accounts, especially the ones from Jerryl, the recovered firearms from his vehicle, and the connection between him and Joseph. On the other hand, the defense reportedly claimed that Nicholas lied to the police to protect the real killer. Ultimately, the jury found him guilty of first-degree premeditated murder. On June 30, 2016, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. As of writing, Nick is incarcerated at Santa Rosa Correctional Institution Annex, located in Milton, Florida.
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