A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to 100 years in prison for his part as the triggerman in a violent 2023 ambush in Marsh Bend, in which a victim was lured with the promise of sexual favors.
Sumter County Judge Charles L. Helm imposed the century-long sentence on Joshua Aaron Timmons. In September, a jury found Timmons guilty of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, robbery with a firearm, aggravated battery with a firearm, felon possession of a firearm, grand theft, tampering with a witness, and conveyance burglary.
The accusations relate from an incident on Jan. 13, 2023, planned by Timmons’ then-girlfriend, Gracie Madison Lemke, 23, of Wildwood. According to police papers, Lemke utilized Facebook Messenger to entice the victim to 4141 County Road 510 in Adamsville with the promise of “sexual favors,” mentioning that a female friend would also be available.
When the victim arrived, the two women immediately demanded money. Timmons, who is 6 feet 1 inch tall, then sprang from a nearby forested area, showed a handgun, and struck the victim with it. Timmons forcibly restrained the man while Lemke and the other women looked through his car for items.
The victim eventually broke free from Timmons’ grip. As he ran away, the convicted felon shot him in the back. The gunshot exited from the man’s midsection.
The victim fled to a nearby house for help but received no response. Meanwhile, Lemke, the other woman, and Timmons left in Lemke’s 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer, tossing the victim’s stolen cell phone out the window as they drove away.
The injured man ultimately returned to his car and drove to another house with a light turned on, where the owners quickly dialed 911. He was airlifted to a hospital and required emergency surgery, but he remained alert enough to brief authorities about the ambush.
The suspects stopped for gas before driving to 305 Terry St. in Wildwood, where Lemke and Timmons lived. When Sumter County Sheriff’s Office officers arrived at the home, they discovered Timmons attempting to destroy the clothing he wore during the shooting.
After pleading no contest to her role in the plot, Lemke was sentenced to ten years in state prison in April.
Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson, whose office prosecuted the case, welcomed Timmons’ severe sentence this week.
“The defendant’s actions demonstrated a clear and deliberate disregard for human life,” Gladson stated. “This sentence holds him accountable for the gravity of his conduct and reinforces that acts of deadly violence will be met with the full force of the law.”
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