John Jefferson
Josh Johns and Jessica Johns (GoFundMe).
A Florida man shot his daughter-in-law and her husband before turning the gun on himself — all while the couple’s two young children were asleep in their house.
Panama City police posted a report on their Facebook page describing a harrowing family argument that turned deadly. According to police, Newell Mock, 67, had a heated argument with his wife Rhonda Mock, 65, on the night of Dec. 13. The fight became increasingly intense, and Newell Mock eventually “armed himself with a handgun,” which prompted Rhonda Mock to run out of their home, police said. Newell Mock then drove to the home of his wife’s daughter, Jessica Johns and her husband, Josh Johns, both 40. Mock “forcefully entered the residence” and fired on the couple, “striking each of them several times.”
The attack took place while the Johns’ 5-year-old and 7-year-old children were asleep in the house. Both children were unharmed.
Calls about the shooting came in to 911 and police arrived on the scene to find Mock sitting on the front porch of the house with the gun in his hand. Police attempted to “de-escalate” the situation, but Mock “refused to engage in dialogue.” Despite efforts to stop him, Mock fatally shot himself.
Inside, Joshua Johns was found dead while Jessica Johns was alive but “critically injured.” She was cared for at the scene and brought to the hospital while officers and a volunteer chaplain stayed with the children until their family could be reached.
An investigation was commenced into a possible motive for the shooting. So far, no specific details have been released by investigators concerning the nature of the argument between Mock and his wife or the reason he went to the Johns’ house to shoot them. Panama City Police Chief Mark Smith said during a press conference on Dec. 16 that Newell took his wife’s car and her phone when he drove to the Johns’ house. He stated that there was a possibility that he was under the influence of alcohol when he committed his fatal act, which he called “a targeted attack.”
Smith also said that he believed the target of Mock’s anger was his wife, but when she fled, he turned his rage toward her daughter and her family.
“His anger was really directed at his wife,” Smith stated, “but when he couldn’t expel that anger towards her, he decided to hurt her family, in order to hurt her.”
He said the children had been told about what happened the morning after, on Dec. 14.
Molly Vise, a sister-in-law to Joshua Johns, started a GoFundMe page to raise funds for medical bills, funeral expenses, and other household needs while Jessica Johns recovers. It has raised over $95,000, far exceeding its $8,000 goal.
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