Tampa man found guilty of first-degree murder in shooting death of nursing student

TAMPA, Fla. - The man accused of opening fire on a Tampa nursing student and her sister while they sat in a car in December 2021 has been found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. 

Vakarvery Scott, 22, told a jury this week that he didn’t mean to kill nursing student Savannah Mathis and injure his sister Nena Mathis. He said he made a mistake when he fired 12 rounds into their car.  

Savannah Mathis was shot in the head and did not survive her injuries. Nena Mathis was shot in her right leg and later had to have bullet fragments surgically removed from her leg.

Nena Mathis testifies in court about what happened the night her sister was shot to death. 

Scott, whose promising football career ended when he was struck by a bullet during a drive-by shooting, said he was scared bullets were going to fly again, especially when he saw Mathis’ car circle the neighborhood three times with the headlights off.

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"I heard three shots, and I started shooting," Scott told the jury.  

Scott explained that after being shot a year earlier, he now suffers from paranoia. 

Vakarvery Scott took the stand in his own defense on Thursday. 

But prosecutors presented evidence that tied Scott to the crime, including surveillance video of the defendant committing the shooting, as well as his fingerprints found on the murder weapon. 

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Ballistics testing also proved that the bullets from Scott’s gun matched those retrieved from the victim’s body. Plus, Scott told investigators that he was responsible for the shooting. 

Savannah Mathis was known for her good grades and dreams of becoming a nurse. 

"We should all be able to drive in a car near our beautiful city’s waterfront without the fear of gunfire. The victim in this case was a nursing student with a loving family and a full life ahead of her. My thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones as they continue the grieving process. The defendant will spend the rest of his life in a prison cell thinking about his reckless actions," said State Attorney Suzy Lopez. 

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