On a tragic Sunday afternoon, February 24, 2008, the lives of two brothers were cut short in a violent encounter in Taunton, Massachusetts. Shawn Vargas, a 21-year-old White male, and his 23-year-old brother, Kevin Vargas, were found shot to death in Kevin's apartment on Somerset Avenue. The shocking discovery was made after police responded to reports of gunshots around 2:00 p.m.
Inside the apartment, unharmed but having witnessed the horrific event, were Kevin's two young sons, ages two and four.
Investigators soon came to believe that the brothers were the victims of a targeted attack stemming from a drug deal that escalated into a deadly robbery. For years, the case remained a painful open wound for the Vargas family, who longed for answers and justice. Shawn's own daughter was born just months after he was killed, never having the chance to meet her father. The case saw some movement in 2016 when Keith Cox and Matthew Lander were indicted in connection with the murders. However, the path to justice was not straightforward. In May 2021, Keith Cox pleaded guilty to manslaughter and armed robbery, but a jury acquitted Matthew Lander of murder charges later that year.
For more than 16 years, the family held onto hope that everyone responsible for the deaths of Shawn and Kevin would be held accountable. Their persistence and the diligent work of investigators finally led to a significant breakthrough in June 2024. After a lengthy grand jury investigation, two men, Steven Fordham and Kaylen Scott, were arrested and charged with two counts of murder each. Authorities believe they played a central role in the botched robbery that ended in the tragic deaths of the two young brothers. Following their arrests, both Fordham and Scott pleaded not guilty and are being held without bail as they await trial. The arrests brought a renewed sense of hope for the Vargas family, who have patiently waited for over a decade for this measure of closure.
