In the early morning hours of Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 37-year-old Joshua Lee May was found in a grassy area near 9th and Summit Streets in Beatrice, Nebraska, suffering from three gunshot wounds. Officers say he was conscious when they arrived but was taken by ambulance to Beatrice Community Hospital, where he died a short time later. Investigators believe the shooting occurred about a block south of where May was found and that he walked some distance before collapsing.

Police arrested 31-year-old Justis Barnhouse of Beatrice later that day after a multi-agency effort tracked him to a vehicle near Waverly. A handgun was recovered at the scene and a woman was in the vehicle. Barnhouse was charged with second-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit a felony, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; he was ordered held without bond. He was already out on bond on separate assault-related charges at the time of the shooting.

Joshua May, originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is remembered by family and friends for his kind heart and loyalty. Does anyone have information about Joshua’s movements in Beatrice on April 21 or who may have witnessed the shooting?