Josh Gillis, 36, was found dead inside a burning vehicle at the intersection of Arnold Road and Branch Road in Tifton on the evening of Friday, July 24, 2026. First responders extinguished the fire and investigators determined Gillis had sustained multiple gunshot wounds; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Tift County Sheriff’s Office identified three people in connection with the killing. Authorities arrested 41-year-old Robert Louis Brown, already in custody on unrelated charges, and 25-year-old Aiyah Foster. Brown faces Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Second Degree Arson, Conspiracy to Commit a Crime, Improper Disposal of Human Remains, Tampering with Evidence, and weapons-related counts; Foster is charged with Conspiracy to Commit a Crime, Tampering with Evidence, Improper Disposal of Human Remains, and Second Degree Arson. Warrants were also issued for 33-year-old Derrick Lamar Britt Jr. on charges that include Malice Murder, Felony Murder, and Aggravated Assault; he remained at large.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is compiling the case for the Tift County District Attorney’s Office and the investigation remains active. If anyone has information about Josh Gillis or the whereabouts of Derrick Britt Jr., please contact law enforcement.