Laurie Leigh Shaver of Clermont, Florida, age 41, was sentenced to life in prison after the jury found her guilty in September of second-degree murder. The victim was her husband, Michael Douglas Shaver, age 36, and since his death in November 2015, the mother attempted to frame her then-seven-year-old daughter for the murder.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Shaver displayed no ounce of emotion on her face during her sentencing, despite the seriousness of the crime and punishment.
Nearly a decade ago, Shaver shot her husband in the back of the head with a firearm. She then proceeded to bury his body under a concrete slab below a firepit. It took three years for officers to discover the body in 2018 after they had to conduct a wellness check on the father.
Michael was previously working at Walt Disney World, but after going missing in 2018, officers investigated the residence in Clermont, around 25 miles west of Orlando.
Mother Frames Young Daughter For Husband's Murder
During her trial, Shaver claimed that her husband was abusive. The most shocking part of it all was when she claimed that her daughter, Isabelle, was the one to shoot and kill Michael.
At 15 years old, eight years after the murder, Isabelle testified to defend her mother. She claimed that she was the one who shot her father, and it was all to protect her mother.
The jury did not believe these claims for a myriad of reasons. Both Shaver and her daughter stated that someone else shot Michael a second time and got rid of the body. Shaver explained that the other shooter was Jeremy Townsend, the man she was having an affair with.
This claim was untrue due to Townsend testifying that he had never even met Michael. Also, evidence showed that Michael was only shot once.
But why did it take so long for Michael to receive a wellness check? Well, Shaver impersonated Michael on social media. The mother would continue to send Facebook messages under his account after his death, pretending to be him.
This lengthy trial finally came to a close on November 26 when the jury sentenced Laurie Shaver, guilty of second-degree murder with a firearm, to 25 years to life in prison.
Despite this, Shaver remained emotionless throughout the sentencing. Her attorney then stated that they would appeal the verdict.
