Germantown police responded just after 11 a.m. Feb. 15 to a house in the 300 block of North Main Street on a report of a deceased person. Officers found a man on the basement floor with a gunshot wound to his head, according to court documents. Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger identified the man as 29-year-old Joshua Shortt.
Investigators found two 9mm bullets in the basement wall and a shell casing underneath the victim, according to an affidavit. They also determined a red 2001 Honda CR-V was missing, along with a pellet gun, a small safe with about $2,000 in cash and some illegal narcotics.
Dayton police spotted the Honda later that evening at a gas station on East Third Street. The driver managed to flee, but police identified him as Debord using security camera footage, according to court documents.
The next day, Germantown police received a call about a neighbor at a Dayton apartment cleaning out a red Honda CR-V the caller reportedly saw in the news. The caller said the neighbor’s trash was full and at the curb for pick up, according to the affidavit. Police responded to the apartment and found three bottles of cleaners, a T-shirt with possible blood stains, a tire cover for a Honda CR-V and a restaurant receipt.
Officers received a search warrant for the apartment and discovered a Crown Royal bag with drugs inside, as well as burned documents that belonged to the victim in a fire pit near the front door, according to court records.
While Dayton officers were surveilling the apartment, they pulled over a vehicle they saw exiting the residence. The driver reportedly told police he had been staying with Debord at a hotel where he kept a gun.
During a search of the hotel room, investigators found the pellet gun that was missing from the victim’s home, according to court records.
On Feb. 18, Germantown detectives interviewed Debord after he was arrested by his parole office. Debord admitted he was at the North Main Street home on Feb. 13 with the victim. He said he was upstairs when he heard five gunshots, according to an affidavit. He reportedly said he found the victim choking on his own blood in the basement and left the home.
Two inmates at the Montgomery County Jail in March reported having information on a Germantown murder. Both told Germantown detectives Debord admitted to shooting the victim multiple times, according to court records.
“Inmate 2 said that Debord was bragging and telling this story to all who would listen inside the jail and that Debord was acting as if this was no big deal,” an affidavit read.
Charges were filed Tuesday against Debord in municipal court. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Wednesday, according to court records. Debord is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $900,000 bond.
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