A week after a pastor and his wife were married, the newlyweds were fatally shot outside their home in West Palm Beach, Fla. On Monday, Sony Josaphat, the ex-husband of the female victim, was arrested in connection with the murders, according to Palm Beach County court records. 

Josaphat, 46, faces two potential charges of first-degree murder for the deaths of Kerlande and Marcelline Racine. He allegedly shot the couple on Saturday morning, according to court records.

When police responded to the scene, they found the couple on the sidewalk outside their home and pronounced them dead, according to the records. They immediately investigated the shooting as a double homicide. They also soon identified a person of interest, who was revealed this week to be Josaphat, the records said.

Police assured residents there is no ongoing threat to the local community, the statement said.

Witnesses told police that before the shooting, one victim was outside installing security cameras while the other was getting groceries from the car, according to the court records. Josaphat reportedly parked his car across the street from the couple and greeted them. After a few moments, he then pulled out a pistol and shot them, police said.

Following the incident, Josaphat reportedly fled the scene. He later turned himself in to local police and then admitted to his crime, the records said.

Josaphat’s divorce with his ex-wife had been finalized just a few months prior to the shooting, according to court records. After being arrested, Josaphat reportedly told detectives his ex-wife had “been disrespecting him and blocked his calls” and “anger took over him.”

“Sony said he knew what he did was wrong and has never done anything like this,” the arrest report stated. 

He said he initially went to the newlyweds’ home Saturday morning to bring breakfast to the daughter he shared with Marcelline Racine. His daughter witnessed her father shooting her mother and step-father, the records said. She then called 911.  

Josaphat previously lived at the residence where the newlywed couple was slain. While he had not lived there in over a year, he would periodically show up at the home and allegedly had a history of being “controlling,” the records said.

Josaphat appeared in court this Sunday, where he was ordered to remain in custody in the Palm Beach County jail without bond, WPTV reported. He was appointed a public defender and is set to next appear in court on Jan. 8. 

Victims Kerlande and Marcelline Racine were both Haitian immigrants, according to WPTV. Kerlande served as a pastor and Marcelline worked as a long-time nurse practitioner.

Marcelline’s sister, who asked to not be identified, told WPTV that Marcelline had gotten married on her birthday, Dec. 2. “She has never been as happy as she was now,” the sister said.

The sister reported three of Marcelline’s children were inside the house during the shooting and witnessed the tragedy.

Nearby neighbors said the double homicide was a shock.

“I heard what sounded like gunshots, but I thought people were just working on someone’s roof so I ignored it and went into the house,” Neighbor Dicter Pineda told WPTV. “Then later when I went back outside, that’s when I saw all the police activity out here.” 

Another neighbor, Deanne Germeil added that normally their local community is quiet and peaceful. 

“It’s pretty quiet and we don’t have too many things over here so I don’t know how this happened,” Germeil said. “This is horrific, it’s terrible and I don’t know how to describe this.”

Freelance journalist Liz Lykins writes for WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today, Ministry Watch, and other publications.