James Appollonio, 54, was fatally shot in Delray Beach, Florida, shortly after midnight on February 3, 2025. Officers found him lying in the grass swale near the intersection of Southwest 12th Court and Southwest 22nd Avenue with a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest; life-saving measures were attempted but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators identified 28-year-old Janel Tassy as the suspect and charged Tassy with premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm. Police say surveillance footage shows Tassy leaving a residence in the Rainbow Homes community armed with a handgun and then searching for Appollonio, who had been seen ringing a doorbell and rummaging through a mailbox at a home belonging to a relative of Tassy. A homeowner had placed a 911 call earlier reporting an unknown man at the front door who might have been armed.

Authorities described Appollonio as homeless. Hours before the shooting, officers had contacted him in relation to reports of a man peering into cars several miles away; after an interview he was released wearing different clothing. Tassy refused to appear for a hearing on February 13, 2025, and a judge ordered Tassy held without bail. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Delray Beach Police Department.