Jason Thomas Scott

Case record: Jason Thomas Scott

Background

Jason Thomas Scott was a man dubbed as the "mother-daughter killer" after killing five women in Prince George's County. He was convicted in a series of home invasions and was described in connection with the sexual assault of a minor. He worked with an accomplice in many of these crimes and used an information database where he worked at UPS to access records and identify victims. His case involved murders, home invasions, burglaries, and armed robberies.

ATF Special Agent David Cheplak said:

"I think the scariest thing about him was that he took his craft seriously. It was almost as if it was his profession. He studied. He would watch TV shows that focused on criminal forensics whether it was scripted television shows or reality based shows in which they talked about how police conduct their investigations. And he used that information to help him in his criminal endeavors whether it was hiding his DNA by always wearing gloves, or turning off his cell phone and going so far as taking out the battery because he though that perhaps the police might be able to trace where his cell phone was at the time of any of these crimes,"

The narrative also described investigators and federal agents coming to know Scott through his details, including conduct described as hiding DNA and using his knowledge of investigations to confuse detectives and to deceive an FBI profiler.

The offence

Federal home invasions, burglaries, and armed home invasion robberies

Scott committed residential burglaries and armed home invasion robberies in Prince George's County. In testimony presented during his three-week trial, Scott was described as having admitted that he committed 28 specific residential burglaries and nine armed home invasion robberies, including one home invasion during which Scott sexually assaulted a minor and took pornographic pictures of her. The evidence described Scott targeting homes by selecting homes, observing occupants and vehicles, checking addresses using internet searches and a database at the Landover UPS facility where Scott worked, cutting phone lines to disable alarm systems, and gaining entry through unlocked windows or by smashing glass windows and doors.

The evidence described him as wearing dark clothing, a black balaclava mask, and black Nike gloves, and carrying a black North Face backpack with a flashlight and various burglary tools. It also described his use of a scanner with an earpiece to monitor police communications and police activity in the immediate area. During home invasions, Scott carried a handgun and wore a holster. The evidence listed items stolen as money; computers and computer accessories; flat screen televisions; firearms; safes; debit and credit cards; cell phones; and vehicles.

The evidence further described approximately 25 residential burglaries committed with Marcus Dermanellian Hunter, and occasionally using a vacant residential home in the 1100 block of Drumsheugh Lane in Upper Marlboro to divide stolen items with Hunter. Scott was convicted of charges relating to four residential home invasion robberies.

Specific home invasion robbery incidents described at trial

On September 23, 2008, Scott and Hunter broke a sliding glass door of a home in Upper Marlboro. Once inside the residence, Scott, armed with a handgun, extensively beat and dragged a female victim through the house. Scott forcibly dragged the victim to a downstairs area where Hunter was holding the victim's husband at gunpoint. After obtaining two ATM cards, Hunter left the residence and withdrew money from their accounts at a nearby ATM machine. Scott remained in the residence and held the victims at gunpoint. When Hunter returned, Scott and Hunter stole a 2007 Cadillac Escalade.

On April 3, 2009, Scott and Hunter entered a home in Bowie, Maryland, through an unlocked basement window. Scott and Hunter found a husband and wife sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their youngest child. At gunpoint, Scott ordered the family, including their three children and a visiting cousin, into the children’s room. After obtaining ATM and debit cards, Scott demanded the pin numbers from his victims and sent Hunter to withdraw money from their accounts at nearby ATM machines. Once Hunter returned, Scott still held the victims at gunpoint. Scott and Hunter stole various items, including a 2004 Mercedes S-500.

On May 23, 2009, Scott and Terence Alexander Cooke broke into another home in Upper Marlboro after breaking a basement window. Once inside, Scott repeatedly kicked and beat a juvenile female at gunpoint while pulling her from the upstairs hallway into a bathroom. Scott and Cooke also ordered the juvenile's mother into the same bathroom, and then stole property including a handgun and a 2004 Lexus LS430.

On May 26, 2009, Scott and Hunter broke into a federally licensed gun business in Woodbine, Maryland. Scott researched the dealer using the Choice Point database at the Landover UPS facility where he worked part-time. Scott and Hunter stole 39 firearms including semi-automatic rifles, two machine guns, several handguns, and six silencers. Testimony showed that on June 17, 2009, in the parking lot of the Landover UPS facility, Scott sold four of the firearms stolen from the firearms dealer to an individual cooperating with federal agents.

Scott specifically targeted a 17-year-old minor in Fort Washington, Maryland, on June 13, 2009, by throwing a cinder block through the rear patio door. Once he gained entry, Scott held a 12-year-old girl at gunpoint with a handgun. When the child’s mother, 17-year-old sister, and five-year-old brother arrived, Scott ordered them into a bedroom at gunpoint. Scott then ordered the 17-year-old female into a separate bedroom. Scott brandished a firearm, ordered her to undress, and placed a pillowcase over her head. Once the minor female was nude, Scott touched the girl and forced her to pose while he photographed and videotaped her.

On July 1, 2009, law enforcement personnel searched Scott’s residence and car and arrested him on firearms charges. The series of search warrants recovered evidence from Scott’s bedroom and car that included 16 stolen firearms, a North Face backpack, balaclava ski masks, Nike gloves, burglary tools, police radio frequency scanners, computers, computer storage devices, ammunition, holsters, and video and digital cameras. The photographs and video of the young victim were found on storage media in his bedroom.

Murders involving mother and daughter Delores and Ebony Dewitt

Scott was charged in Prince George’s County Circuit Court with murdering Delores Dewitt and her daughter Ebony. Their bodies were discovered in March 2009 in a burning car in Largo, Maryland.

Scott entered an Alford plea for the murders of Delores Dewitt and her daughter Ebony. With the Alford plea, prosecutors dropped charges in three other killings in exchange for the plea, including:

• the January 2009 shooting deaths of Karen Lofton, 45, and her daughter, 16-year-old Karissa;
• the June 2008 killing of Vilma Butler, 46, who was fatally shot before her Bowie home was set on fire.

CBS affiliate WUSA reported that Scott entered the Alford plea and that he was sentenced immediately to 85 years in prison for the strangulations of 42-year-old Delores Dewitt and her 20-year-old daughter, Ebony, in March 2009. The Alford plea acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict without Scott admitting guilt.

State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said:

"We have removed, we believe, a ruthless killer from the streets,"

Investigation and arrest

ATF investigation and UPS-related information

ATF Special Agent David Cheplak described the forensic and investigation-related tactics attributed to Scott, including wearing gloves and turning off his cell phone or taking out the battery. Cheplak and other agents for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives investigated the firearms store burglary and later developed evidence tied back to Scott.

The narrative described that Scott used his part-time job at a UPS facility to access records of and identify victims. It also described that he case homes and neighborhoods for days and, when he struck, he used a break-in kit to pop out small windows and cut phone lines, a scanner to monitor police while the crime was in progress, and flex cuffs.

The narrative described one victim, Shirley Groomes. Groomes said:

"I just began to pray and quote the scripture, all of the ones that talk about protection and that kind of thing. One of them told me to shut up and be quiet but I figured, if I am gonna die, I may as well die quoting scriptures."

Another description attributed to Groomes stated:

"When you have absolutely no control over a situation, when you're totally helpless, it is kind of hard to describe but it's a bad place to be in,"

ATF agents also described how Scott was caught after a federal informant purchased a gun from him, resulting in a search warrant that uncovered evidence in his numerous crimes.

Gun store burglary in Woodbine

The narrative described a burglary of JC Arms in Woodbine, located right next to busy train tracks. It described that Scott broke into JC Arms timed between the dark of night and the rumbling of a passing train.

Jay Chenoweth, the owner of JC Arms, said:

"Murder. Criminal. Just total evil."

Chenoweth said:

"I went to work for night work. Had a good night at work, was happy as could be and that one phone call went from one extreme to the other and it just started a three year nightmare that I just couldn't wake up from."

He also said:

"It just went further and further down hill as we got into this over the last three years. It started off with the loss of the actual inventory and the loss of security to possibly the loss of my freedom,"

ATF Special Agent John Cooney said:

"It was just deep inside the guns themselves. We seized the evidence, we purchased some evidence and we followed the trail where the evidence led us. That led us from a gun store burglary, to home invasions, to murders to carjackings to just a real violent criminal,"

In addition to guns, ATF said it found tools including the burglary kit, flex cuffs, a police scanner with ear buds, and what law enforcement officers called a rape kit, as well as gloves, condoms, lighter fluid, a lighter to burn DNA evidence, and a camera to film the act.

Search warrant evidence and arrest timing described

The evidence described July 1, 2009 as the time of searches and arrest on firearms charges, with search warrants recovering firearms, burglary tools, scanners, and video and digital cameras.

Trial

Federal proceedings and admission of conduct

Scott was described as having been interviewed in the presence of his attorney several times after his arrest and admitted that he committed the residential burglaries and armed home invasion robberies described in detail at trial, including a home invasion where he sexually assaulted a minor and took pornographic pictures.

The narrative also described that Scott pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to go on trial on the federal charges in November 2010.

Sentencing

January 11, 2012 sentencing

On January 11, 2012, a federal judge in Greenbelt decided 97 years was not enough, and put him away for an even century. The narrative also stated that he was sentenced in January 2012 to 100 years in prison for dozens of armed home invasions and burglaries in Maryland.

Another report described that Scott faced at least 97 years for 11 felonies that included up to 50 burglaries and nine home invasions in Prince George's County, and that a federal judge put him away for a century on January 11, 2012.

The narrative included a sentencing statement attributed to District Judge Peter Messitte. Messitte said:

"a tsunami of crime who shows no indication that he would ever rehabilitate, at least not in this life,"

September 25, 2013 sentencing after Alford plea

On Wednesday, Scott entered an Alford plea on the slayings of Delores Dewitt and her daughter Ebony. After the plea, he was sentenced to 85 years in prison. The status field also recorded an 85-year sentence on September 25, 2013.

Families of the victims did not comment on Scott's sentence on Wednesday, according to the station.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided in the case summary or status field.

Outcome

Scott accepted an Alford plea for the murders of Delores Dewitt and her daughter Ebony and received a sentence of 85 years in prison after the plea. Prosecutors dropped charges in three other killings in exchange for the Alford plea.

Scott still faced a state trial in the deaths of a mother and daughter found in a burning car in Largo in 2009, with the trial scheduled to begin in October 2012.

The narrative also stated that he still faced at least two murder charges in Prince George’s County and that the trial was set for October 2012.

Aftermath and related cases

The narrative described multiple related investigations:

• Scott was being investigated to determine whether he was responsible for the June 2008 killing of Vilma Artis Butler in Bowie, Maryland.
• Investigators were also concerned that Scott may have been responsible for additional unsolved killings in Washington, D.C., Texas, and Florida, locations he was known to have visited.
• Police suspect that Scott is responsible for the deaths of Karen and Karissa Lofton, but he was yet to be charged in that case at the time of the narrative.
• In connection with background on UPS and evidence, the narrative described photos found on a flash drive and an alleged June 13, 2009 Fort Washington incident involving a young woman and her mother returning home and finding a man holding the young woman's younger sister at gunpoint, ordering the older sister into a bedroom, forcing her to remove her clothes, taking nude photos, and sexually assaulting her.

In discussing the wider impact on victims, Shirley Groomes said:

"As long as I allow what he did to effect the way I live my life daily, then Jason Scott is still in control, and I refuse to let him control me. But he is right now. He is still in control, even from where he is and that is the epitome of insult. It should never be that way,"

When addressing community impact and the level of violence, Prince George's County acting Chief of Police Roberto Hylton said:

"This is an isolated incident,"
"This is not a serial killer... we're pulling out all the resources, doing everything forensically that we can."

He later said:

"This is a very, very strange case,"
"This is unusual for this community... this is so bizarre."

And also:

"My heart is aching,"

and described Scott as a "serial killer" following additional evidence and further investigation, stating:

"This was an individual that was very well-read, a studious person, that studied the policing system, knew the policing system, knew about his craft... this is a very bad guy... I think this individual is going to become one of the most infamous criminals in the history of the United States... he's a serial killer."

Other details

Suspects and participants named in connection with the home invasions

Marcus Dermanellian Hunter, age 25, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to two federal firearms charges and was awaiting sentencing. Terence Alexander Cooke pleaded guilty to a state gun crime in Prince George’s County Circuit Court involving a home invasion robbery committed with Scott, and was sentenced to nine years in jail with all but five years suspended.

A confidential informant wearing a wire purchased a gun from Scott, leading to a search warrant.

Other people described in connection with the incidents

The narrative named additional victims and witnesses connected to murders and burglaries:

• Karen Lofton, 45, and her daughter Karissa Lofton, 16, were described as shot in January 2009.
• Vilma Butler, 46, was described as fatally shot before her Bowie home was set on fire in June 2008.
• Delores Dewitt, 42, and Ebony Dewitt, 19, were described in the murder narrative.
• Courtney Hicks, 17, was described as reporting her mother and sister missing and as having arrived at the Largo Metro station after spending a weekend with friends.
• Ebony Dewitt's boyfriend was described as a witness who was not named as a suspect.
• Becky Ringeisen and other area residents were quoted about fear and concern after the burned car discovery.
• Frederick Colvin and Jerome Jones were quoted about hearing noises and seeing police cars.
• Sybil Felton, who reported a stolen Nissan Maxima on Sunday, January 26, 2009 at 3:39 a.m., was described in the narrative; she said she was flying to Europe later in the day and left her home with her boyfriend at approximately 2 a.m.
• Major Andy Ellis and Lt. William Rayle were described as officials giving statements to reporters and residents.

Major Andy Ellis said:

"We have not definitively linked these cases,"
"They have very uncanny resemblances to each other. They occurred close in time to each other, close in distance to each other. We have mothers and daughters. There are very strong circumstantial links, but we don't have anything definitive at this point."

Lt. William Rayle said:

"The smallest, minute details sometimes bring these cases to conclusion,"
"Somebody in the community saw something: someone walking down the street, a dog barking. Anything would greatly assist... we're still following up everything we have. Somebody somewhere knows something. That person needs to call us."

Detective Bernard Nelson said:

"We've got the pieces to the puzzle,"
"Now we just need somebody to tell us where the pieces go, to tell us why it makes sense."

Detective Anthony Schartner said:

Special Agent Clare Weber was named as a spokeswoman for the Baltimore Field Division of ATF.

Legislative/plea details and dropped charges

The Alford plea was described as one where a defendant doesn't admit guilt but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to convict. Prosecutors dropped charges in three other killings in exchange for the plea, while Scott pleaded Alford in the murders of Delores Dewitt and Ebony.

Timeline of dated events

• March 2009 — Delores Dewitt, 42, and her daughter Ebony, 20, were killed; their bodies were discovered in a burning car in Largo, Maryland.
• June 13, 2009 — Scott broke into a home in Fort Washington, Maryland, by throwing a cinder block through the rear patio door; he held a 12-year-old girl at gunpoint and sexually assaulted the 17-year-old minor while photographing and videotaping her.
• June 17, 2009 — Scott sold four firearms stolen from a firearms dealer to an individual cooperating with federal agents in the parking lot of the Landover UPS facility.
• July 1, 2009 — Law enforcement personnel searched Scott’s residence and car and arrested him on firearms charges.
• September 25, 2013 — Scott was sentenced to 85 years in prison (as reflected in the status field).
• January 11, 2012 — Scott was sentenced to 100 years in prison on federal charges after the federal judge decision described as putting him away for an even century.
• September 26, 2013 — Reporting described Scott’s Alford plea and immediate sentencing to 85 years in prison.