I've been with my wife for 28 years. We were together since we were babies. >> Your daughters have lost their mother. >> Yeah. >> And father gone, just like that. >> The thing is, officer, I know what I did is wrong. >> This is 46-year-old Sony Josephat, and police just arrived at his ex-wife's home to find her dead, killed by Sony in front of their own sons and daughters. >> My mom got shot. >> HANDS, HANDS, HANDS, COME OUTSIDE. >> MY MOM ISN'T EVEN A WEEK INTO HER MARRIAGE, NOT EVEN A WEEK. NO! >> BUT on this day, Marceline Racine isn't Sony's only victim. Years of jealousy, anger, and regret [music] have now led him to killing her new husband, too, because if he couldn't have Marceline, then no one could. >> You threw me out like a piece of trash after 28 years together for someone who just meet. The thing is, officer, I know what I did is wrong. I'm not a bad guy. >> It was a sunny morning on the Florida coast, and three children stood by in their home waiting for their father to pick them up for a breakfast date together. In the wake of their parents' divorce, it was supposed to be a peaceful day, a happy day, but it turned out to be the exact opposite. [music] Within 5 minutes of her dad's arrival, she called 911 begging for help. Through tears, she told police the horrible reality. Her mother, who we will be calling Maria, and stepfather, who we will be calling John, had been shot. >> All right, so we got to get You guys going this way? The house is this way? Okay. Yeah. All right, who's going to go up on the shield? Who's got the shield there? Here. Yeah. Right there? Yeah. Hey, here, take the shield. Grab the shield. Hey, hey, I got Hey, hey, let Hold on, hold on. >> Police knew bits and pieces of what happened from the daughter's frantic 911 call. When her father, Sony Josephat, arrived to pick them up for breakfast, he had shot her mother, Maria, and her mother's new husband, John, with Sony's children standing nearby, watching in [music] horror. At this point, police have no idea if Sony is still in the home, or worse, if he's holding his children captive. >> Let me see your hands. >> What are we looking for? >> Where'd you hear from? Where? >> Hey, watch out for the tree. >> Come here. >> [clears throat] >> Come out. Right here. Hands. >> Who's the house? >> Is that a door open? >> No. >> The door was open in the back of the house. >> Police work to clear the home, but every step closer to the front door is another step towards a potential killer. It isn't until they see the Josephat children waiting in the doorway that they can move forward with less fear, because it seemed that their killer had fled. But with so little to lose, they wonder who else Sony is willing to put in danger. >> Hands if you have them over there. >> Got hands. You got hands. >> Hands. HANDS. HANDS. >> HANDS. HANDS. COME OUTSIDE. >> PICK UP. PICK UP. WE GOT >> GIVE ME YOUR HANDS. COME OUTSIDE. >> HANDS. [laughter] HANDS. HANDS. COME OUTSIDE. >> IT'S OKAY. IT'S OKAY. >> HEY, IT'S OKAY. >> I KNOW. I know. It's okay. >> It's okay. >> Come outside. >> I know. I know. >> Come here. Come here. >> It's okay. COME OUT. >> JERRY, OVER THERE. OVER THERE. >> GET HIM OVER THERE. >> [screaming] >> WINDOW. WINDOW. >> DONALD G. >> HEY, WHO WAS THAT? >> MY DAD. >> WHAT'S YOUR dad's name? >> HE'S IN YOUR HOUSE. >> WHAT'S YOUR DAD'S NAME? COME ON, HELP us out. >> IS SONNY JOSEPHAT. >> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TWO OR THREE. HIS LAST NAME IS GOING to be Sonny Joseph. >> Josephat. The woman to my dad is his ex-wife. And then the man is the is is my mom's husband. >> After 28 years of marriage, the children's mother, Maria, separated from Sonny Josephat [music] and chose to raise their three children by herself. Just 1 week prior to the shooting, she remarried a local pastor, John, and began a life with him. Maria's sister described that she had never seen Maria happier. Sonny didn't take kindly to Maria remarrying, despite the fact that the two hadn't been romantically involved in over 2 years. Her marriage to John enraged him, and his kids got to see that anger on full display more than once. And if you enjoy killers like this realize they're not winning an Oscar, subscribe and check out our Spotify, where we upload podcasts every week. >> [screaming] >> He's crazy. >> Why don't you take that away? >> [laughter] >> He was He was choking my mom. He called me this morning. He said he was standing by the house cuz he wanted to take us to breakfast. >> Yeah. >> And he saw that my car my car was right there. And he only saw that car in the driveway. So then he saw Daddy. He saw him. >> The kids had a rocky relationship with their father in the wake of the divorce. Behind closed doors, he was controlling, flew into fits of rage, and generally made daily life a struggle. But, wanting to keep a relationship with him, his kids agreed to get breakfast with him that morning. They were completely unaware that he had something sinister planned. >> Where's my mom? WHERE'S MY DAD? >> I got to text you dad's cell phone number and the address where he lives at. This is mom and step mom and step dad. Dad came here. >> [laughter] >> I'm sending a unit over there to get eyes on the Bonheur Drive address to see if maybe the car's there. Okay, but I sent you the number for the suspect. Here. >> I need somebody here with the family. Bring them over here. >> Here. What's your name? Crazy. What kind of gun did he shoot him with? DID YOU SEE? >> [laughter] >> WERE THEY ARGUING BEFORE OR DID HE JUST PULL UP AND START SHOOTING? >> NO, I think he JUST PULLED UP. >> OKAY, THAT'S FINE. WERE THEY ARGUING EARLIER ABOUT ANYTHING? >> I MEAN, they have like a couple arguments. >> The dad is The dad's the shooter. So, this is mom and step This is mom and the new husband. According to the kid, they've been arguing in 38 and the dad pulls up while they're outside and he starts popping rounds. >> The Josephats' daughters and son were present at the scene, and one of them witnessed their mother and stepfather being shot. It happened without a fight, without screaming, without warning. In an instant, their mother was gone in front of their very eyes. But unbeknownst to them, justice was already on the horizon. A few miles away, their father turned himself in. After the shooting, he drove straight to the police department, where he disclosed what he had done and went down without a fight. With ample witness testimony against him, police are curious to see what exactly Sony will say to justify his actions. And to their shock, he doesn't hesitate to tell them every grim detail, because in his mind, his actions were justified. >> What happened? I've been married I've been with my wife for 28 years. Okay? We were together since we were babies. So, I'm 46 years old old. If I've been together for 28 years, you can imagine how how long we've been together. We spent our life together. So, we have two kids. Um but uh the relationship we had family issue in the relationship. >> Okay. >> [clears throat] >> We buy that house uh together. We have been working hard so hard together to to get our lives together, right? Um we are at a point where we had family issues. We separated for a bit, and then she sent me he sent me a divorce paper. And I'm okay. But uh in the meantime, I was trying to see if we can get back together, because I said we have kids. I understand we have issue, I have my problem, we have your problem, but let's sit to see how how can we fix things, you know, to keep living our life. And then she did not want Yeah, she did not want that. So, and then um she had a lawyer, strong lawyer. And then we got to a point where we had to split everything 50/50 because we have we had a house here, you know, and then she was fighting to have the house for the kids. We were like, "Okay, I get to a point where I say, 'Okay, that's not not a problem. We have two kids already. They they're in the house already.'" I give you the the house was for the kids. And then we have another one here you do, but you know, that's not that much. Okay. [clears throat] And then uh the divorce finalized on October, I think, 5th. >> [clears throat] >> I can say Yeah, it it it >> October. October of this year? >> This year, yeah. Uh 1 month and a couple days >> [snorts] >> the only thing I heard 1 month after divorce get finalized, she's going to get married. She got married last Saturday. >> She got married on >> Last Saturday, December 2nd. And then as a matter of fact, not only she get married, um she's moving with her husband in the house that we buy for the kids. >> The couple had been on the rocks for several years before their separation. >> [music] >> And way back in 2021, Sony actually moved out of their shared home. For at least 2 years at the time of the murders, the two hadn't been a couple, but by all accounts, their relationship had been crumbling long before that. Yet, Sony acts as if the divorce, which was finalized after over a year of paperwork and arguments, came out of nowhere. >> And then she blocked me And the phone I cannot talk to her, whatever. She did not want to talk to me whatsoever. Okay? But if she wanted to talk to me, I was going to tell her, "Listen, we spent our life together. I was we we worked so hard together to get our life together. I walked out with the divorce empty-handed. Nothing. She had everything. Uh retirement plan, you know, her her lawyer fight to give to give her to to to give to her the money we were working together to get that retirement plan. So, that was the family things. She get all that. She get the house. She get everything. I walked out with the divorce empty-handed. I said, "I have no problem, but I have three kids with you." She said, "Okay. If you happy, my kids going to be happy. I don't have any problem with that. Okay?" The thing is, officer, I know I know what I did is wrong. I know it is. But I was fighting with it. I'm not a bad guy. If you want me, we're not going to see him. I never involved in no thing, you know. I never touch a gun whatsoever, you know. And then Yeah, you want to say something? >> No, I was saying you you've been nothing but respectful to me, and you seem like a nice person. >> Yeah. And then if she wanted to talk to me about that situation, I was going to tell her, "Listen, you free to get married. No problem. We can we can we could not get the family together. You We want to get married, fine. But remember, I decided to leave that house for my kids, not for you and your husband to live in. This is so disrespectful. You cannot do that. Right. You know? >> Disrespectful. >> You cannot do that. You understand? So, and then I was fighting with the idea. I did not want to do that. I was fighting with with the with the idea. Fighting. I could not sleep, you know. >> The idea of >> The idea of doing whatever I just what I just did, you know. I did not want to do that. Truly, you know. But um I get to a point where I could not get it because first of all, she's going to live in the house with my two kids. I don't know who that guy is whatsoever. I never heard about that guy, you know. But, what was in my mind if 1 month later you you you get divorced 1 month later, you decide to marry the guy that relationship was there. >> Sure. It was there when you guys were there. >> You understand what I mean? >> Absolutely. >> there. Nobody going to meet the guy today to somebody today you get married to to tomorrow. >> And I've been through a divorce. Okay. My ex-wife got everything, too. >> Yeah. >> So, I understand your feelings. >> You threw me like a piece of trash after 28 years together for someone you just meet. >> Yeah. >> You don't even know who that guy is. >> Right. >> This is not fair. What about our kids? >> Sure. >> You understand what I mean? And then when I get there today, I see her and her husband standing in front of the house of the house. They put a camera in front of the house on the side. Meaning that putting camera means that anytime I get closer [clears throat] to the house to talk to my to my to my kids, they want to to see me. Why you want to see me? I didn't You You see what I mean? And then all of these put me out of the kingdom in my heart. >> Out of anger, yeah. >> Out of anger. >> Yeah. >> And then when I get uh first of all, I would I went there to took my my kids to breakfast. >> Breakfast? >> Yes. I called my daughter, the second one, and then tell her, "Hey, um I want to take you to to breakfast this morning." But, and then I say, "Okay, but I don't see your car. Maybe your mom has your car." And then I And then I left. And I say, "Okay, I'm coming back so just if I can take you guys. That was the idea. Take them to to breakfast. But I still had my gun up on me because now he she has a a man. I don't know who that man is. I don't know if if that man knows me or not. I don't know what what that man >> How long you had the gun? >> Huh? >> How long you had the gun? >> Um couple months ago. First of all, I buy the gun not not not for that because I'm a I'm a student of law enforcement. >> Oh, okay. >> I'm a student. >> Okay. >> I buy the gun to practice my shooting. >> Okay. >> I'm currently at the at Palm Beach State College in law enforcement to become a a cop. So I bought my gun to to practice. >> Okay, you didn't bring the gun anticipating a confrontation with the new husband and your >> No, no, no, no. I didn't I I didn't know if I didn't I didn't know if they they were outside. >> Okay. But when you saw them >> When I saw them, as a man, you you you can understand everything get back in in your in your in your head. And then I was hoping even though she got married to give me a call. >> So you you were hoping to still rekindle? >> Huh? >> You were you were hoping to to still get back with her at that time? >> Yeah, I I was I was hoping until even though she got married to give me a little call. Hey, honey. And then I I know it's hurt. >> Right. >> But I got married. >> Right. >> You understand what I mean? I got married. So do do what you got to do. I I I'm going to do what what I have to do. So stop stuff like this, you know? So >> Um So is is would say your anger >> Mhm? >> took over you? Your anger? >> My anger? >> Your anger? >> Yeah, my anger because me and my wife we come from so far away. >> Yeah. >> To get to where where we are today. So so far away. Babies. >> Yeah. >> We we were together since we didn't even know what we were doing. >> Oh. >> Until we we got here. >> [clears throat] >> We can always separate. That's fine. But at least for the time that we spent together. And then I'm I'm your I'm your babies. >> Yeah. Right. >> Get married so quick. It is so disrespectful. >> Oh, absolutely. >> For me and for my kids. You don't show me any respect at all. You don't even remember what I've been through for you to be who you are today. >> Oh. Um >> And then I'm sorry. And then if you knew for sure you you were going to get married, right? You know, because [clears throat] you know you you didn't make it together. You didn't make it together. >> Right. >> [snorts] >> Give me something >> [clears throat] >> to keep living my life. We have stuff together. Let's separate then. >> Right, like property and >> Property. >> Belongings. >> Retirement. >> Things. >> When you choose to give me the house and Haiti. I don't even Haiti. >> According to Sony's own kids, he had been stalking Maria for several months. He allegedly downloaded content onto her phone so he could follow her and would monitor the home from the nearby street. On top of showing up and knocking on the door unannounced countless times, he couldn't let go of a relationship that was crumbling because of his own actions. >> Yeah, when I went there this morning to try to get to to to to take my my kids >> Mhm. >> to breakfast. First of all, I I see her and her husband standing by the house. She tried to set up camera. You know, I'm really You know, and then that happened. I'm sorry for it. It's nasty. It's not good whatsoever. I should not do that, you know. >> But I guess I'll say the biggest thing is that you understand that you know, it's it's a bad thing that you did, right? >> It is so bad. >> Um it's not like you took enjoyment out of that, right? You didn't enjoy doing that, right? >> No, I never do something I did before. How can Can you enjoy something that you never did? >> I know, but you know, there's >> Yeah, exactly. >> People don't enjoy doing it. Okay. Um so, walk me through that. You see him installing the camera. >> Yeah. >> Um then what do you do? What's the next step? >> You mean I saw them installing the camera? You mean I see them? First of all, this is the first time I see the guy. >> Yeah. >> I never see him whatsoever. I was trying to stay away, you know, and then I heard you were getting married. I know Well, I I >> [clears throat] >> I did not try to do those certain things about them because we're not together anymore for whatsoever. We we were done way at this time. >> Sure. >> First of all, you need to understand that um I don't have healing time to heal. >> Right. >> You get married, fine. [snorts] But stay with your with your husband. Let me Let Give me time to breathe to heal to get it together. >> Were you sitting in the car when you saw him doing the security? >> Yeah, I was I was I was I was I was approaching the the the the the house. >> Okay. Where Where is your gun? Is it like in your Do you have a holster for your gun? >> No, no, I did not have a holster. I had a holster. The The The gun was in the case in the case in my in my car. I was going to go to the range yesterday. I was planning this morning to go there again to start to keep practicing because I did not because I did not pass the the shooting test. >> Oh, okay. >> And by the shooting test, to abide again to keep practicing that way. I did until of of February again, we go to take that test again practicing that way again. >> So, you don't have like, you know, like a holster that goes in like your waist or nothing like that. >> No, No, no, no. did not have a holster. >> So, it's in your case? >> It's was in in in inside my case. >> Walk me through. What What do you What steps do you take? Do you Do you take it out of the case? Do you hold it? Do you put it in your pocket? >> Yes, I take it out of the case and then I I I put it in my pocket and then and then I put it right there. >> Okay, did you like You know how you rack around? >> and rack. Yeah. >> Okay, you do that and then you put it in your front? >> Yes, I put it in No, no, I Yeah, I did I do that when when I see them I'm like, "Okay." "Wow." And then Yeah, tap [clears throat] and rack and get it ready and then put it put it in in >> And then what do you do? >> Yeah. And then I shoot them. >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> Yeah. >> So, when you're walking up, do you say anything to them? >> I didn't say anything. I started to say "Good morning." >> "Good morning." >> Yeah, I just said "Good good morning." >> And then That's it? Did they Did they say stuff back to you? >> They just said "Good morning" back to me. And then I look at the First of all, I look at the guy. >> Mhm. >> I look at him. I said [clears throat] "Good morning." And then everything got back to my head. Yeah. >> So, So, you take it out? >> I took it out, yeah. And I started shooting. >> Who Who did you shoot first? >> I did the guy. I shot the guy first. Yeah. >> Do you remember where you shot him? >> Things like this sometimes you don't really remember. This Sorry. You don't really remember every step because you you are selling your shot. You understand what I mean? So, as I shoot the guy >> Do you remember like a like a general area [clears throat] of his body? Was it his legs? His midsection? His chest? >> and head, too. Yeah. >> Midsection and head? >> Yeah. >> Does he say anything as he's being shot? Does he What does he do? >> I don't remember. I did just one for Yeah. >> And then Do you remember So, you you shoot him. Do you remember turning where where So, they're standing by the front door? >> And yeah, yeah, in the front door, yeah. >> So, he's >> He's in inside the >> here and and your ex your ex-wife isn't nearby? Where is she at? >> She was next next next to to her husband. >> Okay. And do you I mean, can you describe after him, do you turn to her? Do you say anything to >> No, they they they they do a close. >> Okay. >> So, they get like side by side, you know, watching her husband inside and camera so comfortable. You understand? So, inside the camera so You you understand? And then she was doing stuff to to to put me to that situation. You understand what I mean? >> Sony has a way of taking the blame, but not really. In his mind, it's his ex-wife's fault that he was put in this position because she had the nerve to leave him and get remarried. One other point of contention seems to be his belief that he is the one who deserves the home. When in reality, Maria was the breadwinner. On top of having a master's degree and raising the children, she worked tirelessly as a nurse practitioner and earned a good living for herself and the family. >> But you you you remember shooting them? >> Yeah, yeah. I I shot both of them. They both were down. >> And she didn't say anything? >> No. She didn't say anything. I think they died. >> Yeah. >> I think so, yeah. >> They are. >> They are, yeah. >> So, um do you remember your daughters being there? Did they come out? Did they say anything to you? >> Yeah, my daughter was was was uh was there, but she's trying to get inside. So, yeah. >> Was she outside though when this happened? >> She was she was taking some stuff in the in in the in the car. >> So, she saw what >> She saw, yeah. >> If any of his concern was truly about the kids, he wouldn't have exposed them to the horror of witnessing their mother's death. >> So, we have detectives interviewing like your children and uh I think there was maybe a neighbor or something that might have witnessed what happened. Um It has anyone anyone any associates of you ever told you that to spy on her or to do any type of you know like covert surveillance or anything on her? >> Can you repeat repeat that question? >> Have you has anyone you know any of your friends um not promoted but like encouraged you to maybe spy on her? Do you understand like with binoculars or >> You mean that to do what I did and call you to do that? That's what you mean? >> Well no like to prior to today like did you ever did you ever do any spying on her you know like set up across the street with binoculars? Anybody ever influence you to do that or recommend doing that? Um have you did did you do anything like that prior to today? >> No. Okay. As a matter of fact I never I never see her. >> Okay. >> Yeah and and and I never see her so >> Okay. Did you call a clergy member when you left? >> I got who? >> Did you call somebody after you left? >> After I left. >> After you left after the shooting? >> Yes the only person I called was my was was the my my pastor. >> And what did you what did you tell him? >> I said to my pastor I'm sorry for what I just did. >> Mhm. >> Um I know he's nasty he's not good I shouldn't do that. But I was fighting with try not to do it but I end up doing it. And he's like he was shocked. What? Come on. >> So how long ago did you start having these feelings of you wanted to to do what you did to her, right? These thoughts of killing her? >> I did I never had a thought of killing her. >> Okay. >> But uh I had a lot of anger inside of me. And my anger brought me far away since the first day I met her. >> Okay. >> What we went through. >> Right. >> You know. To be what we we had to be. What we had to do to get there. >> Sure. >> And then everything. But but I never had that thought. >> Of what killed >> No. No. >> Was that thought the first time it came was that >> The minute I see the guy in front of her yeah. The minute I see the guy in front of the house with with her. But I don't know if he that was the >> Do you Do you remember how many times that you >> I should have. >> Should >> I don't I don't remember. >> The Glock 17, right? >> 17, yeah. >> How many is How many is that in all the magazine? >> 17. >> 17 in there? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Did you After you left did you put it like back in your waistband? >> in in my Yeah. >> Did you On your way to the sheriff's office did you inspect it? Did you remove any of the bullets out of the gun or anything like that? >> It was empty. There was no >> Oh, it was completely empty? >> It was It was no more no more. >> Do you have any questions for me, sir? >> Um and to you know, to be uh straight up with you um I obviously understand that. >> Hm? >> You You understand that what you did you got to answer to it. Meaning you're going to go to jail. >> Yeah. >> You understand that, right? >> Yeah, I do. >> Okay. >> And then I'm going to tell >> Um and based on what we talked about it's it's a murder charge. Um and it's most likely probably going to be first degree, okay? >> Okay. >> All right. So, how this will go is we'll we'll sit you back in a room and I've got some paperwork to do. Okay. I have detectives still on the scene processing the scene and everything. Um and yeah, and then we'll we'll get you where you need to be. It's unfortunate that we're meeting like this. Um but you know, the I understand the anger, you know. But obviously you can't do what you did and I think you know that. >> Yeah. >> Um and because you did what you did now you have to answer for what you did, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Any questions for me? >> Any questions on what I'm having prison today? >> I'm sorry? >> I don't prison today. Is it I don't I don't know how long I'm going to be in in prison. >> [sighs] >> So that's on down the road. It It could vary. Um just depends. You could be spending your rest of your life in prison. You understand that? >> [clears throat] >> When you do something like that um you know, two people >> Yeah. >> have lost their lives. Your daughters have lost their mother. >> Yeah. >> And father. >> Yeah. >> Gone. Just like that. >> Yeah. >> In a matter of seconds. So it's a tragedy. Okay? It's just unfortunate you seem like a nice guy. You're in the academy. I wish that maybe you could have talked to somebody about your anger instead of letting it take over you today, which it did. It's very unfortunate. Cuz like I said, you've now just thrown your life away. >> Yeah. >> And your children will never be the same ever again. >> Yeah. >> Especially if they witnessed it, right? >> Mhm. >> So it's a tragedy. It's been very unfortunate. Okay? So and it's a process. This is just the beginning. Okay? You'll be processed in the jail and from there there's court proceedings that will occur and then eventually trial, sentencing. So My role is first step and then it's the court system after. Okay? >> Yeah. >> All [snorts] right, so >> Ultimately, Sony Josephat was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his ex-wife and her new husband. In the aftermath, his children have vowed not to visit or speak with him while he's behind bars. Our thoughts are with them on their journey towards healing as well as their extended family who are mourning a horrific loss. Thank you for tuning in. Besides subscribing to help us make more videos exactly like this one, you can also listen to all of our crime podcasts over on Spotify. And before you go, check out one of the craziest cases I've ever covered right here or one of my newest uploads right here.