Two men arrested for double murder in Taunton in 2008

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

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

The two men were each arrested by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney's Office.

The prosecutor's office said the two men were indicted yesterday afternoon after a lengthy grand jury investigation led by the head of the district attorney's homicide unit, Dennis Collins. They are each charged with two counts of murder.

The double homicide occurred on February 24, 2008, when around 2 p.m., Shawn and Kevin Vargas were fatally shot in Kevin's apartment at 729 Somerset Avenue, with his four- and two-year-old sons in the apartment.

Both defendants will be arraigned in Fall River Superior Court this morning to answer to the new indictments.

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