Florida man drives himself to jail after killing newlyweds outside their home, deputies say: 'Anger took over'

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PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man drove himself to jail and turned himself in after he allegedly shot and killed a newlywed couple outside their home over the weekend, deputies said. 

Sony Josaphat was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder with a firearm after the incident that unfolded on Saturday, according to an affidavit from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office obtained by FOX 35. 

On Saturday morning, Josaphat's daughter called 911 to report that her father had shot two people, according to the affidavit. When deputies arrived, they found a man and woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the sidewalk outside the front door. 

Deputies established a crime scene and asked anyone inside the home to exit. They conducted interviews with those who lived inside the home, whose identities were not disclosed in the affidavit.

Photo: Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office

It was brought to light that the man and woman Josaphat allegedly shot and killed recently got married, according to the affidavit. It was also revealed that Josaphat used to live at the home where the incident happened, but hasn't for over a year. He still "shows up from time to time," however, and reportedly has a history of being "controlling" and "asking probative questions" about the woman who lives there. 

Marsy's Law is in play, meaning police haven't released the victims' names to the public. The affidavit, although redacted, said that Josaphat and the woman inside the home had a history that culminated with an event on October 5, 2023. On that day, Palm Beach County court records show Josaphat's divorce case was closed. That woman also remarried recently, according to records. 

Josaphat had plans that morning to take his daughter to breakfast, he told deputies in a post-Miranda interview, according to the affidavit. When he arrived at the home in question, he said he saw someone installing a surveillance camera by the front door and "anger took over him." 

It remains unclear if the daughter lived at the house where the incident happened. 

As Josaphat approached the home, he told deputies he put his loaded 17-round pistol magazine into his Glock 17 and chambered a bullet, according to the affidavit. 

At this time, a woman was getting groceries from the trunk of her car and bringing them inside, the affidavit said. Josaphat reportedly asked her a question that went unanswered as she continued to walk toward her front door with groceries. 

Josaphat said he said "good morning" to them, and they replied "good morning" back, deputies said. That's when he allegedly pulled out a pistol and shot them – and after they were both shot, he allegedly continued to shoot multiple times. Josaphat told deputies he shot one of them in the upper torso and head, while he shot the other multiple times, according to the affidavit. 

He said his daughter witnessed the entire shooting, the affidavit said. 

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Josaphat then fled the scene and called his pastor, telling him that he shot and killed the couple, according to the affidavit. He then drove himself straight to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office headquarters, entered the main detention center courthouse and surrendered to deputies, the affidavit said. 

He reportedly told deputies that he had just killed two people. Deputies detained him and secured his car, where the murder weapon was found, according to the affidavit. 

As for the events leading up to the alleged shooting, Josaphat also said the woman was "disrespecting him and blocked his phone calls," according to the affidavit. He also found something out about her that "filled him with anger and he hasn't been able to sleep," deputies said. Josaphat added "he knew what he did was wrong and has never done anything like this," adding that the couple was not armed during the shooting, according to the affidavit. 

Josaphat remains at the Palm Beach County Main Detention Center without bond.