James Appollonio, a 54-year-old man, was fatally shot in Delray Beach, Florida, on February 3, 2025. The incident occurred shortly after midnight in front of a residence on Southwest 22nd Avenue. Authorities responded to reports of a shooting and discovered Appollonio lying in the grass swale near the intersection of Southwest 12th Court and Southwest 22nd Avenue. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest.
Officers attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators later identified 28-year-old Janel Tassy as the suspect in the shooting. Tassy was charged with premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm. According to police reports, surveillance footage showed Tassy exiting a residence in the Rainbow Homes community while armed with a handgun. He then searched for Appollonio, who had been observed ringing the doorbell and rummaging through the mailbox of a home belonging to Tassy’s relative. A 911 call had been placed earlier that night by a resident of the home, reporting an unknown man at the front door who may have been armed.
Authorities described Appollonio as homeless at the time of his death. Hours before the fatal shooting, officers had made contact with him in reference to reports of a man peering into cars at a different location several miles away. After interviewing him, they released him, noting that he was wearing different clothing at the time.
Tassy refused to appear in court for a hearing on February 13, 2025, at the Palm Beach County Jail. Circuit Judge Donald Hafele ordered that he be held without bail. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting, and anyone with information has been urged to contact the Delray Beach Police Department.
