A Man Accused Of A Kidnapping, Killing In New Jersey Arrested In Winter Haven

POLK COUNTY, FL — A 51-year-old man who had a warrant out of New Jersey for murder, kidnapping ,carjacking and weapons charges has been located in Winter Haven as of Tuesday, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Authorities arrested James Lewis for the above listed charges at a home located in the 200 block of Kinghill Court SE in Winter Haven, detectives said. According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Lewis is accused of fatally shooting a man on Sept. 18 in East Orange, New Jersey, during a carjacking. He is accused of then zip-tying the victim’s girlfriend and stealing the vehicle with her in it, before crashing a short time later.

Lewis was previously convicted for homicide in a 1989 case in which he was also convicted for robbery and possession of a weapon, investigators said. He had been given a sentence of 40 years in prison, but only served 30 years in combined jail and prison time.

“He spent only 30 years in prison when he was sentenced to 40 years in prison for homicide, robbery, and possession of a weapon," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "In less than two years of being released early, he murdered again. The reason we have prisons is to keep violent and repeat criminals away from victims and innocent people in the community.”

Following Lewis’ arrest Tuesday, a search warrant was served at the residence where he was arrested, and evidence linked to the East Orange investigation was recovered, Judd said.