Jason Holton Alachua County Shooting: Suspect Dies After Killing Ex-Wife in Murder-Suicide

Following a multi-county manhunt and stand-off along Interstate 75, law enforcement sources report that a man shot and killed his soon-to-be ex-wife and another woman before killing himself Tuesday evening.

Authorities say the Union County Sheriff's Office named the suspect as Jason Holton, who fatally shot Candace Pons Joseph, his soon-to-be ex-wife, and a second adult woman. Deputies said two women were discovered deceased from seemingly gunshot wounds close to Southwest County Road 241 in Providence around 4:30 p.m.

  

Neighbors said Holton and Joseph had been in marital problems continuously. Three kids belonged to the couple.

Investigators claimed Holton left the scene in a black Ford F-150 following the killings. As he departed the scene, deputies were able to contact him by phone, which caused a state-wide alert. The hunt was joined by several organizations, among others the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Highway Patrol.

Later on, officials discovered the southbound vehicle near Paynes Prairie on I-75 in Alachua County. Law enforcement stopped the truck with a PIT maneuver in an effort to take Holton into custody.

  

According to the sheriff's office, Holton was discovered dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound as officers neared the car.

Earlier in the incident, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office had shut down I-75 South near Paynes Prairie as deputies worked to apprehend what they described as an “armed” and “dangerous” suspect. FL 511 then deleted live traffic feeds from the neighborhood as the situation progressed.

The multi-agency inquiry is still in progress. As they become known, officials stated, further information including verification of the second victim's identity will be made public.

  

The Union County Sheriff's Office stated, "prayers for all the victims and their families."

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