PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The man facing two charges of first-degree murder in the Saturday morning deaths of week-long newlyweds from gunshot wounds is the former husband of the woman, according to the arrest report released Monday.
Sony Josaphat, 46, of Palm Beach County, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of first-degree murder. During his first appearance Sunday morning, he was ordered held in the Palm Beach County jail without bond. His next court date is 10:30 a.m. Jan. 8.
Josaphat fled the scene but turned himself in to deputies at the Palm Beach County jail, saying "he had just killed" the pair, according to the arrest report.
At 8:36 a.m., deputies responded to a shooting in the 12000 block of Summit Run Circle, west of South Military Trail, near West Palm Beach.
The man and woman, who were lying on the sidewalk outside the home, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the arrest report.
Several family and church members were outside the house after the shooting
A woman at the scene who said she was the victim's sister spoke to WPTV reporter Briana Nespral.
Josaphat was divorced on Nov. 22 from the victim, according to a clerk record.
During interviews with people who lived at the home, detectives learned he had not lived at the residence in over a year "but randomly shows up from time to time and has a history of being controlling."
According to a witness, the couple were outside installing exterior cameras at the home and one of them was getting groceries from the trunk of her car. The suspect was seen walking south through the yard.
He has parked his car across the street, according to the report.
The suspect greeted the couple and "after a few moments, Sony pulled out a pistol and shot" them, detectives said.
Josaphat's adult daughter called 911 to report that her father shot her mother and her step-father.
In questioning at the jail, the suspect said the woman "has been disrespecting him and blocked his calls."
Josaphat said he left his apartment at 1179 Benoist Farms Road near West Palm Beach, to the victims' home to take his daughter to breakfast at the home. "He said anger took over him," according to the arrest report. He told detectives he shot them and his daughter witnessed it.
"Sony said he knew what he did was wrong and has never done anything like this," according to the report.
A woman at the scene who said she was the victim's sister spoke to WPTV's Nespral. She said her sister, 45, was married on her birthday one week ago on Dec. 2.
In the arrest report, the suspect said he learned on that date "(deleted) Sony said this filled him with anger and he hasn't been able to sleep." That matches the date of the wedding.
"She has never been as happy as she was now," the sister said.
The victim moved from Haiti 25 years ago and worked her way up to becoming a nurse practitioner, her sister told WPTV. The man was a pastor.
She said three of the woman's children were inside the house during the shooting, including one adult who witnessed it.
