Jason Thomas Scott (suspect)
An indictment was handed down Tuesday for murders in Prince George’s County, Maryland. A grand jury indicted Jason Thomas Scott, 27, of Upper Marlboro with two counts of murder, two of first-degree burglary and three gun related charges. Scott is officially charged in the murders of Delores Renee Dewitt, 41, and her daughter Ebony, 19. Investigators expect formal charges to be brought down for other homicides in the area as well. Other jurisdictions are also investigating to see if Scott is responsible for crimes and murders in their areas. Currently Scott is being held behind bars and will be arraigned within the next couple of days.
This is a case that caught my interest from the start, and one that’s been on my mind ever since. It baffled me that two mothers and two daughters could be murdered in the same neighborhood, only blocks away, and the cases weren’t somehow connected. The murders occurred within weeks of one another. In addition, in the same neighborhood at least 40 burglaries had been committed.
The Upper Marlboro, Maryland neighborhood where the alleged murders took place isn’t far from one of my homes, and is just miles outside of Washington, D.C. Shortly after the crimes occurred, I visited the neighborhood and spoke to residents. I was also the first journalist allowed inside the home where two of the murders took place.
BACKGROUND: It all began on January 26, 2009. Investigators told me Karissa Lofton, 16, called 9-1-1 just after 2 a.m. and told the dispatcher her mom was shot inside their home on Southall Drive. When police arrived on location, they not only found Karen Antoinette Lofton, 25, shot inside her room, but Karissa was shot and left for dead as well. I have personally been inside the bedroom where Karen and Karissa were both shot to death. I can also tell you the family had a security system downstairs and a motion detector near the front entrance. It was cut off shortly after the suspect entered the home.
In an odd twist, less than two months later on March 15, 2009, a car fire was reported to 9-1-1 just blocks away from the Lofton home. At first glance, it appeared to be just a car, but when Prince George’s County firefighters arrived on the scene, and extinguished the flames they found two bodies inside. Autopsies were performed and police identified the bodies as Delores Renee Dewitt, 41, and her daughter, Ebony Dewitt, 19.
Karen and Karissa Lofton (top) Delores and Ebony Dewitt (bottom)
CASE SIMILARITIES:
• Both mothers and daughters are close in age
• Both murders happened just blocks away from each other in a middle class suburban neighborhood
• Both crime scenes are located in cul-de-sacs
• The murders both happened on Mondays in the early morning hours
• In this neighborhood, police confirmed to me that there have been 40 burglaries since October 2008
Scott is a graduate of the University of Maryland, and worked for UPS for nine years in Maryland.
Investigators believe Scott is also responsible for the murder of Vilma Butler, 47, who was killed and her home was set on fire two years ago. The lot is now vacant.
There is a chance this suspect has committed more murders and crimes across the country. If you have any information, please contact Prince George’s County Police (301) 772-4420
Tags: alleged, DeWitt, gun related charges, homicides, indicted, Jason Thomas Scott, Lofton, maryland, prince george's county, serial killer
