A Florida woman who was found guilty of murdering her husband, burying his body in their backyard, and trying to blame it on her 7-year-old daughter has been sentenced to life in prison. Laurie Shaver, 41, was convicted of second-degree murder in September for the 2015 death of her husband, Michael Shaver, 36. During her sentencing, Shaver appeared to remain emotionless, gazing straight ahead as the judge delivered the sentence.
Michael, a technician at Disney World, was reported missing in November 2015 and his body was discovered three years later on March 9, 2018, buried under a firepit and concrete slab in the backyard. Authorities discovered that Shaver had sent texts and Facebook messages, pretending to be Michael, after he had already died. She had also told friends that Michael had left the family and moved away to other states.
Shaver claimed that Michael was an abusive husband and that her 7-year-old daughter had killed him, with her daughter testifying in her mother’s defense during the trial. Shaver’s defense attorney argued that the child had killed Michael in a fit of rage, as she was allegedly abused by her father.
However, prosecutors argued that Shaver had planned and executed her husband’s murder, as well as her attempts to cover it up. Following the verdict, Michael’s brother and a friend penned letters to the judge pleading for Shaver to spend the rest of her life in prison.
Shaver’s attorney has filed an appeal to the verdict.