A Black Florida woman couldn’t enjoy more than a week of life with her newly-wed husband before a man allegedly took both their lives. What’s worse is that police believe the motive behind the killing was personal, as family members identified the suspect as the woman’s ex-boyfriend.
Sony Josaphat, 46, is accused of shooting and killing a 45-year-old woman and a man who were both found dead at a home near West Palm Beach Saturday, deputies said. The affidavit, per NBC, said Josaphat’s daughter called the police to report that she witnessed the shooting. When the police arrived, they found the couple lying dead on the sidewalk in front of Josaphat’s daughter and her brother.
Josaphat used to live at the home where the shooting occurred but hasn’t for the past year. The report reads that he popped up at the house from time to time and had a history of being “controlling.”
Police say the day of the shooting, Josaphat saw the couple installing a surveillance camera.
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According to the affidavit, the day of the shooting, Josaphat was seen walking through the yard of the home before he approached the victims and opened fire.
“He walked up to [redacted] and said, ‘Good morning.’ They said ‘Good morning’ back to him. Sony then shot [redacted] in the upper torso and head. He then shot [redacted] several times,” the affidavit said.
Even after they were shot, he kept shooting with his Glock 17, the affidavit said. When he left in his car, he noticed his Glock magazine was empty, called his pastor and confessed what he had done, according to the document.
He then drove to Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office headquarters, entered the main detention center courthouse and surrendered, declaring that he had just killed the victims.
The authorities said the shooting was a targeted domestic violence incident. Details as to what the relationship was between the victims and Josaphat have not been disclosed by the department.
However, it was the victim’s sister who told WPTV the woman had just gotten married the week prior to the killing. She said she’d moved from Haiti and was on her way toward becoming a nurse practitioner; her new husband was a pastor.
“She has never been as happy as she was now,” she said, via WPTV.
Josaphat is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and is due in court again after the New Year.