Franz Joseph and James Joseph {BSO}.
By Ryan Yousefi
A man and his stepfather were arrested for crimes connected to a robbery and stabbing incident that led to a victim being rushed to the hospital with multiple stab wounds.
In the early hours of May 24, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a robbery and stabbing near the 4100 block of Lakeside Drive.
According to the arrest report, deputies that arrived on the scene made contact with a man named James Joseph, 23, of Tamarac, who identified himself as the suspect, and James’ stepfather, Frantz Joseph, 43, of Tamarac, who would later be charged with crimes as well.
During an investigation into what had taken place, it was revealed that an initial physical altercation between James and the victim took place on the east side of the apartment building. During the scuffle, a witness told BSO deputies that James managed to snatch the victim’s necklace before fleeing.
The report states that the victim managed to contact his brother, who arrived at the scene with two additional friends. As the confrontation intensified on the west side of the apartment building, the victim’s stepfather, Frantz, joined the altercation armed with a knife.
According to witnesses and the BSO arrest report, faced with the sight of the weapon, the victim’s brother and his friends stopped fighting and fled the scene.
While others fled, the victim and James allegedly continued their physical altercation on the ground. At this point, Frantz intervened, stabbing the victim twice in the back, ultimately stopping the fight.
With the victim lying in pain, James and his stepfather retreated into their apartment, presumably with the victim’s belongings.
Upon the arrival of Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies, James and Frantz were apprehended based on the identification provided by the victim and three witnesses.
Meanwhile, the victim was transported by the Tamarac Fire Department paramedics to Broward General Hospital for medical treatment.
The report indicates multiple detectives arrived and conducted a full investigation of the scene, including a search of James’s apartment.
During the search, a cell phone belonging to the victim was discovered in the master bedroom, hidden beneath a towel in a clothes hamper. Additionally, a black balaclava mask was found on a bed in one of the bedrooms, while a dirt-covered T-shirt was found on top of a pile of clothes.
Both of these items were vital in the investigation as they matched the descriptions provided by witnesses, further corroborating the victim’s claims.
After a prolonged investigation that included interviews with witnesses and a search of the suspect’s home, James and Frantz Joseph were arrested and transported to the Broward County Main Jail.
James faced robbery charges, while Frantz was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and was later released after posting a $20,000 bond.
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