Laurie Shaver gets life in prison for 2015 murder and backyard burial of husband

ORLANDO, Fla. – A Florida woman convicted of murdering her husband, whose body was found buried under a fire pit and concrete slab in the backyard of the couple’s Lake County home, has been sentenced to life in prison.

Last month, a six-member jury found Laurie Shaver, 41, guilty of second-degree murder in the 2015 death of Michael Douglas Shaver, 36. The jury had several possible charges against Shaver, including second-degree murder, third-degree murder degree, manslaughter, accessory after the fact, or not guilty of any of the charges.

Laurie Shaver was arrested by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in 2020 after a years-long investigation into her husband’s disappearance.

The case began in February 2018, when a childhood friend reported Michael missing. During a welfare check at the couple’s home, authorities noticed that Laurie was evasive about her husband’s whereabouts and discovered a recently poured concrete slab in the backyard.

Investigators later discovered suspicious activity on Michael’s social media accounts, which continued for nearly two years after his disappearance. However, no financial transactions had taken place on his accounts since the end of 2015.

A search warrant led officers to uncover human remains beneath the concrete slab. The medical examiner identified the remains as those of Michael and determined that he died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head.

During the sentencing, Michael’s brother, Brian Shaver, told Judge Cary F. Rada that Laurie left an immeasurable void in their lives.

“While justice can provide some comfort, it will not heal the wounds,” he said.

Two of Michael Shaver’s friends also wrote impact statements for the prosecution to read. One of them wrote a plea to the judge and asked that Shaver never be allowed to return to society.

“Laurie’s inhumane, ruthless and cruel actions, and especially her lack of any remorse, indicate that she will never change,” the letter said. “I fully expect her to once again cause unrest and unrest to whoever she associates with.”

Laurie Shaver said nothing, but wrote a fourteen-page letter to the Public Prosecution Service accusing her ex-boyfriend of the murder.

“We hope that the defendant’s life sentence will bring some measure of peace and tranquility to the victim’s loved ones,” said Bill Gladson, State’s Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit.

Process painted a picture of alleged deception, pointing fingers

According to the prosecution and defense, it was a trial full of accusations, recriminations, finger-pointing and alleged lies from both sides.

Shaver testified in his own defense, claiming that at the heart of their relationship, Michael was angry that she became pregnant — and that the two fought before he was shot and killed.

Another surprise at the trial: Shaver’s daughter testified under oath that she – not Laurie – shot her father because he allegedly attacked her mother and threatened to kill her.

“I shot him,” Shaver’s daughter said. She would have been about 7 at the time.

“When you fired that shot, did you feel like it had to happen or he would have killed your mother?” Shaver’s lawyer asked.

“Yes, yes,” she said.

“Are you adamant about that?” the lawyer asked.

“I’m adamant about that,” she said.

Prosecutors and officials alleged that Laurie posed as Michael for months after Michael’s death, communicating with friends, family, his boss and coworkers via text messages and Facebook posts.

PREVIOUS TRIAL COVERAGE

Shaver reportedly told friends that Michael had left the family and moved to Georgia and other states, which his family said did not suit him.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: