A Tennessee man who called himself a “serial killer” in court and is already serving two life sentences for killing his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child has received an additional 159 years in prison for three other murders.
Joshua Dotson learned of his extended sentence after pleading guilty to the murders of Divieon Parker, Renita Bennett, and Reginald Anderson. The additional years will run consecutively with his prior convictions, bringing his total sentence to 261 years behind bars for five murders.
Dotson was previously convicted in August for the murders of his former girlfriend, Jamesha Covson, and her unborn child, resulting in two consecutive life sentences totaling 102 years.
Authorities stated that Parker was killed on November 17, 2019, in a Memphis market parking lot. Anderson and Bennett were shot on May 24, 2020, near a park in Memphis. Covson was killed on June 12, 2020. Dotson was placed on the state’s most wanted list and arrested days later.
During his trial, Dotson took the stand in his defense, where he shockingly referred to himself as a “serial killer” and confessed to the three additional murders. He reportedly exclaimed, “I am Michael Myers,” in reference to the fictional character from the Halloween horror films.
The judge sentenced Dotson to 51 years for each murder conviction, ordering the terms to be served consecutively. During the sentencing, the judge referred to Covson’s murder as “one of the saddest situations I’ve seen in my career” and stated, “You will never show remorse for the loss you’ve brought. The jury got it right.”
According to investigators, in the early hours of June 12, 2020, Dotson and Covson were at her home in Memphis when they argued over a social media post and her pregnancy. Covson attempted to remove herself from the confrontation by closing a door, but Dotson fired a shot through it. Although the first shot missed, he later returned and fired multiple rounds into the closed door, fatally wounding Covson and her unborn child.
Authorities responded to the scene hours later after receiving reports of a shooting. Covson was found with multiple gunshot wounds and transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Doctors confirmed she was approximately five to six months pregnant, and the unborn child did not survive.
Witnesses reported seeing Dotson with a gun at the time of the shooting, and ten individuals testified against him during the trial.
Investigators also noted that just two hours after Covson’s murder, Dotson posted a memorial for her on social media, telling her to “Fly high” in what authorities believe was an attempt to distance himself from the crime.
