Two men arrested in connection with the 2008 double murder in Taunton

FALL RIVER (WBSM) – Two men have been charged and arrested with murder in connection with a double homicide in Taunton in 2008.

The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office announced today that 38-year-old Steven Fordham of Taunton were arrested last night and 36-year-old Kaylen Scott of Worcester were arrested early this morning in connection with the murders of Kevin Vargas and Shawn Vargas.

Both were arrested by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said both men were indicted yesterday afternoon following a lengthy grand jury investigation led by District Attorney Homicide Chief Dennis Collins. Both are charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

The double murder occurred on February 24, 2008, when Shawn and Kevin Vargas were shot to death in Kevin’s apartment at 729 Somerset Avenue around 2 p.m. while his four-year-old and two-year-old sons were inside the apartment.

Both defendants will be arraigned on the new charges in Fall River Superior Court later this morning.

“I want to thank all of the investigators, especially Lt. Christopher Dumont of the State Police and the Chief of our Homicide Unit Dennis Collins for their persistence and efforts in continuing to investigate this case,” said District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III. “I also want to thank the families of the victims for their patience over the past 16 years. We look forward to trying this case in court.”