The communities of Union County and Alachua County, Florida, are reeling after a tragic and deeply disturbing series of events that unfolded Tuesday, culminating in a deadly shooting and apparent murder-suicide following a multi-county manhunt and interstate standoff.
According to law enforcement officials, Jason Holton is accused of fatally shooting Candace Pons Joseph, his nearly ex-wife, along with a second adult woman, before fleeing the scene and later taking his own life. Deputies with the Union County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of gunfire near Southwest County Road 241 in the Providence area at approximately 4:30 p.m., where both women were found deceased from what appeared to be gunshot wounds.
Neighbors reported that Holton and Joseph had been experiencing ongoing marital difficulties. The couple shared three children, whose lives have now been irrevocably altered by this devastating loss. As investigators work to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident, the focus remains on the victims and the families left behind.
After the shootings, authorities say Holton fled the area in a black Ford F-150. Deputies were able to maintain telephone contact with him as he left the neighborhood, prompting a statewide alert and the involvement of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Later that evening, Holton’s vehicle was located traveling southbound on Interstate 75 in Alachua County, near Paynes Prairie. In an effort to bring the situation to a safe conclusion, law enforcement executed a PIT maneuver to stop the truck. When officers approached the vehicle, Holton was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the sheriff’s department.
During the search, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office temporarily closed I-75 South near Paynes Prairie, citing the presence of an armed and dangerous suspect. Traffic monitoring services suspended live feeds as the situation unfolded, underscoring the seriousness of the threat and the scale of the response.
The multi-agency investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have stated that additional details, including the confirmed identity of the second victim, will be released as they become available.
In a brief statement, the Union County Sheriff’s Office expressed condolences, saying, “Prayers for all the victims and their families.” As the investigation continues, communities across the region are left mourning a senseless act of violence, grappling with grief, and reflecting on the profound human cost of domestic and gun-related tragedies.
At the center of this tragedy are lives lost, children left without a parent, and families forever changed—an enduring reminder of the far-reaching impact of violence on families and communities alike.