Arson Leads To Brothers' Murder Arrests: Deputies

TAMPA, FL — A Tampa man stands accused of murdering a 26-year-old woman and leaving her body in a ditch back in November. His brother is also accused of being involved and setting a fire at a mobile home to cover up evidence of the crime.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the case against James Luis Scott, 22, and his brother Lewis James Scott, 28, began to unfold when a horseback rider found Evelyn Woodham’s body in a ditch east of the intersection of 20th Avenue South and 58th Street South. Woodham was found fully clothed with trauma to her upper body, an email from the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies say they found evidence related to the crime when investigating an arson that occurred in the 2000 block of Warrington Way. Detectives traced the arson to Lewis James Scott and obtained a warrant for his arrest on Dec. 6.

“During the course of the arson investigation, it was learned that the mobile home had been burned in an attempt to destroy the evidence of the murder of Evelyn Woodham,” the email said.

Lewis James Scott was brought into custody on an arson charge after that warrant was obtained. The investigation into Woodham’s murder continued.

Detectives say that investigation led them to James Luis Scott. A warrant for his arrest was issued in December. He was brought into custody on Jan. 31 by Tampa Police, charged with first-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence and tampering with a witness.

Lewis James Scott was also arrested on additional charges on Dec. 17, the sheriff’s office said. In addition to arson, he now faces first-degree murder and accessory after the fact charges.

Booking photos of James Luis Scott and Lewis James Scott courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office