Jury selection begins in 2021 murder of Tampa nursing student
TAMPA, Fla. - Jury selection is set to begin this morning in the trial for a man accused of shooting and killing a nursing student in Tampa over two years ago.
Savannah Mathis
Vakarvery Scott is accused of shooting up a car in Tampa on December 1, 2021, killing 21-year-old Savannah Mathis, and injuring her sister.
READ: Family reveals toll of gun violence in Tampa after aspiring nurse's shooting death
Tampa Police believe the slaying may have been a case of mistaken identity.
Mathis, a bright, young nursing student at Hillsborough Community College, was driving with her younger sister just two blocks from Julian B Lane Park, on Grace Street near Delaware Avenue, when their car was hit with a barrage of bullets.
Scott and Alfonso Evans were arrested and charged in connection with the shooting.
According to arrest documents, when police arrived, they saw a man walking out of a nearby alleyway. That man, 29-year-old Evans, was carrying a gun that was later determined to be the same kind of weapon used to shoot at Mathis’ car.
Savannah Mathis
Evans was arrested that night and charged with throwing a deadly missile into a vehicle. He was released on bond a short time later.
READ: ‘You must pay for what you did’: Accused killer admits to pulling trigger, court documents show
Nearly 20 days after the shooting, police announced the arrest of another man, 20-year-old Scott, in connection with Savannah’s death. Scott was charged with shooting into the vehicle, first-degree murder with a firearm, and first-degree attempted murder.
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Court documents show Scott admitted to the shooting but claimed he was returning gunfire after someone in another car shot at him first. Police say video evidence from the scene does not support that.
Last month, as Savannah’s family celebrated what should have been her 24th birthday, her mom, LaMaria Smith, told FOX 13 she has mixed feelings heading into the trial of her daughter’s alleged killer.
READ: Mother of slain Tampa nursing student marks 24th birthday
"Mentally, I’m not really prepared. I know in trial you see a lot. You hear a lot because they have to prove him guilty," said Smith. "I'm just praying to God that he gives me strength for that week.
"This is something that haunts us every single day of our lives and these kids need to put these guns down because they don't realize what they're doing to families. It might last for you for five minutes, but this is a lifetime thing that we have to deal with."