A newlywed couple was fatally shot Saturday morning in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to the sheriff’s office.
The couple had enjoyed their wedding the week before their deaths, NBC News reported Monday.
In a social media post Saturday at 10:32 a.m., the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said officials were investigating a double shooting/homicide:
Today, at 8:36 am, deputies responded to a shooting that occurred in the 12000 block of Summit Run Circle, West Palm Beach. Upon arrival deputies located an adult male and female deceased from gunshot wounds. A person of interest has been identified and there is NO threat to the community.
Detectives from the Violent Crimes Division are on scene investigating this double shooting as a double homicide. Detectives are in the process of getting a search warrant to investigate further. Detectives are also in the process of interviewing the “person of interest”.
PBSO Detectives Investigate a DOUBLE SHOOTING/HOMICIDE that occurred in the 12000 block of Summit Run Circle,…
Posted by PBSO – Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, December 9, 2023
The agency announced Monday that officials arrested Sony Josaphat, 46, on two counts of first-degree murder.
Relatives of the couple invoked Marsy’s law which meant their names would not be revealed to the public.
An image shows the suspect in the case:
After a thorough investigation into this weekend's double homicide, our Detectives have interviewed and arrested the '…
Posted by PBSO – Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on Monday, December 11, 2023
The suspect used to live at the residence where the shooting took place, the NBC report said, noting officials say the shooting was a targeted domestic violence incident:
Josaphat’s daughter had called 911 Saturday morning and reported that she saw her father shoot the newlyweds, the document states. When deputies arrived, they found the daughter and her brother at the home and the victims lying on the sidewalk outside the front door.
…
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.
The suspect later told officials he became angry when he noticed a surveillance camera being installed outside the home.
Josaphat approached the couple and greeted them before he allegedly shot the couple with his Glock 17.
Per the NBC report, the suspect then called his pastor and confessed before going to the sheriff’s office and surrendering himself to officials.
A WPTV report shows a photo of the couple. Click here to watch the clip.
Meanwhile, community members were shocked when they heard about the shooting.
“It’s pretty quiet and we don’t have too many things over here, so I don’t know how this happened,” said one neighbor who attended church with the couple.
Josaphat reportedly did not have a history of domestic violence or a restraining order involving the victims in the case.
