Militia member reportedly kills man, then self
An antigovernment extremist has reportedly been pushed over the edge into domestic violence with deadly consequences.
On June 30, 2018, at about 2:35 a.m., deputies assigned to the responded to a residence in Camden, Michigan, for an alleged breaking and entering in progress. While en route to the residence, the emergency call was changed to 鈥渟hots fired.鈥�
Upon arrival, deputies found a white male, later identified as , lying unresponsive on the floor inside the residence. Heathcoe, age 23, of Grand Bay, Alabama, had been shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead by emergency services personnel at the scene.
Investigators interviewed witness who lived with Heathcoe. She reported that her ex-husband, , age 25, of Camden, Michigan, was responsible for shooting Heathcoe.
Prior to the shooting, Joshua Miller had arrived unexpectedly at the residence and began arguing with his ex-wife. Heathcoe attempted to intervene and was shot by Joshua Miller. The shooter then fled the scene in a black Mazda 5.
Local authorities immediately issued a 鈥淏e on the Lookout鈥� bulletin for Joshua Miller, who was characterized as 鈥渁rmed and dangerous鈥� and 鈥渨anted for homicide.鈥� The bulletin stated that Joshua Miller was likely armed with an AR-15 type assault rifle and that other firearms were missing from the residence. It also mentioned that Miller may be affiliated with a local group based near Fort Wayne, Indiana, called the 鈥淩oughnecks.鈥�
At 5:46 a.m., Hillsdale County Central Dispatch received another emergency call about a suspicious black SUV parked near Abbott Road. The caller stated he had also observed a white male unresponsive in the driver鈥檚 seat. The SUV was believed to have left the roadway, hit some trees, drove through the caller鈥檚 yard, and ended in an adjacent field. The site was located a short distance away from the murder scene.
Deputies discovered Joshua Miller unresponsive in the driver鈥檚 seat of the Mazda. He appeared to have died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Emergency personnel were called to the accident, but were unable to revive the subject. Joshua Miller was officially pronounced dead at 6:29 a.m.
Hatewatch has confirmed Joshua Miller鈥檚 affiliation with the militia movement, via Miller鈥檚 Facebook postings. A photo posted by one of Joshua Miller鈥檚 close friends appears to show Miller and his friend posing with other members of the militia group. Further, Miller may have participated in a smaller militia group in Michigan (e.g. the Roughnecks) comprised of himself and two friends, according to Miller鈥檚 Facebook photos.
鈥淕etting the proper training and the know how to do something,鈥� said Joshua Miller in a Facebook post explaining why he joined a local militia.
鈥淵es, I own an AR-15 and several other semi-automatic weapons, high-capacity magazines, a full set of tactical gear, and many other things,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淥wning these things doesn鈥檛 make me a bad guy.鈥�
Miller further elaborated on his gun ownership, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of how I save lives by having those tools. 鈥hat鈥檚 how I chase off the monsters and demons in this world,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I keep the things that normally go bump in the night quiet.
鈥淓very time a mass shooting happens, my Facebook feed gets filled with posts about more strict gun laws,鈥� Miller wrote. 鈥淕uns are just tools and will only ever do what I want them to do.鈥�
Contrary to his social media statements, Joshua Miller did not 鈥渟ave lives鈥� by possessing his firearms. He apparently murdered someone, then ended his own life using them. Although this act of murder/suicide didn鈥檛 directly involve Miller鈥檚 militia activities, it certainly provided the mindset and capability to kill. This incident is just the latest event in a string of extremist-related domestic violence attacks over the past year.
听
听
听
