Trial continues for Lake County woman accused of killing, burying husband

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – The state has several more witnesses to hear from as Laurie Shaver’s murder trial continues Thursday in Lake County.

Shaver was arrested in 2020, more than two years after her former husband — Michael Shaver, who hadn’t been seen since November 2015 — was reported missing. Preceding her arrest via a warrant on charges including second-degree murder, investigators searching Shaver’s property along Sandy Pines Road discovered human remains buried underneath a concrete slab which were later identified as Michael’s.

The years since have seen Laurie Shaver released on bond and her attorney claim that Michael Shaver’s daughter, who would have been 7 at the time of his disappearance, had confessed to shooting Michael in order to purportedly protect Laurie from an act of domestic violence.

Laurie and Michael were allegedly dating other people when he went missing. One of the men Laurie had been seeing took the stand on Thursday.

Jeremy Townsend described his relationship with her as, “friends with benefits and no strings attached.”

He denied having anything to do with the murder. He was asked several direct questions about the murder while on the stand.

Prosecution: “Any point where you were involved with an altercation with Michael Shaver?”

Townsend: “No.”

Prosecution: “At any point did you shoot or insult Michael Shaver?”

Townsend: “No.”

Prosecution: “At any point were you involved with the disposal of the body of Michael Shaver?

Townsend: “No.”

Prosecution: “After the affair was exposed, what happened with your affair with Laurie?”

Townsend: “I cut it off.”

A detective also testified on Thursday about Shaver’s social media posts that referred to the concrete slab and firepit she was putting in her backyard, where the body was found.

In one of the posts, he read aloud, “Newest project, built this firepit today, cut a portion of the fence for access, and I just need to pour in concrete and put in a new gate.”

During day three of the trial on Wednesday, Laurie Shaver’s new husband, Travis Filmer, spoke of what he knew about Laurie’s relationship with Michael and was asked why Michael’s disappearance didn’t raise more questions for him.

(TIMELINE: Where things stand in the case of Laurie Shaver, accused of killing and burying husband)

Another man, Robert Proper, testified Wednesday that Filmer knew Michael Shaver was dead, saying Filmer said Michael “may no longer be walking this Earth.”

Filmer, however, said he didn’t mean it the way prosecutors were framing it.

The jury also heard from two people who said that Shaver sold their guns, as well as from a banker who said that a loan was taken out in Shaver’s name but was never able to be repaid.

(STORY CONTINUES BELOW)

The state had three more witnesses to get through Thursday, and there may also be an appearance from Laurie Shaver’s daughter.

News 6 will stream the trial live at the top of this story.

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