WEST PALM BEACH, Florida – In a shocking and devastating event, a newlywed couple in West Palm Beach, Florida, was killed in a double homicide. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident, and a person of interest has been apprehended. The tragic deaths have left the community reeling as they grapple with the unanswered questions surrounding the motive for this heinous crime.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting on Saturday morning in West Palm Beach, where they discovered the bodies of a man and a woman with gunshot wounds at a residence. Although the authorities were initially talking to a person of interest, they have since arrested Sony Josaphat, a 46-year-old who previously lived at the home, on two counts of first-degree murder.
Josaphat appeared in court and was denied bond while being assigned a public defender. Due to the invocation of Marsy’s Law, the names of the victims have been withheld from the public. The couple had only been married for one week before their lives were tragically cut short, leaving their loved ones heartbroken and shattered.
Investigation into the incident has revealed that it was a targeted domestic violence attack. Josaphat’s daughter witnessed the shooting and immediately called 911. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found the daughter and her brother inside the home, while the victims lay lifeless on the sidewalk outside the front door.
Although Josaphat had not been living at the residence for over a year, he would periodically show up and had a history of exhibiting controlling behavior. However, details about the exact relationship between Josaphat and the victims have been redacted from the criminal probable cause affidavit.
According to the affidavit, on the day of the shooting, Josaphat was seen walking through the yard of the home before approaching the victims and opening fire. In a chilling admission, he told a deputy that he felt overwhelmed with anger when he noticed a surveillance camera being installed near the front door. He casually exchanged morning greetings with the victims before shooting them multiple times.
Once his ammunition ran out, Josaphat contacted his pastor and confessed to his horrifying actions. He then drove to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office headquarters, calmly entered the main detention center courthouse, and surrendered, confessing that he had just executed the victims.
Court documents reveal that Josaphat had no prior record of domestic violence with the victims, and no drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident. The shocking nature of this targeted attack has left the community in shock, and law enforcement is urging the public to keep the victims and their grieving family in their thoughts during this heart-wrenching time.