Lake County woman found guilty of murder

Laurie Shaver, the Lake County woman accused of killing her husband, burying his body in their backyard and then posing for him for years, was found guilty of first-degree murder on Friday. The woman's trial began Monday, Sept. 9. Although the trial was originally scheduled for two weeks, the state completed its prosecution on Thursday and closing arguments were prepared Friday. After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Shaver guilty of: first-degree murder with a firearm. Not guilty of: accessory after the fact to a life-sustaining crime. Shaver's sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 25 at 9 a.m. “It saddens me that it took so long for them to get justice, but I'm just glad we were able to take the evidence and they came back with the right decision to give this family some closure,” said prosecutor Nick Camuccio. >> Click here to see summaries of each day of Laurie's trial. In March 2018, Lake County investigators searched a property near Clermont that Michael Shaver once shared with his wife, Laurie. Investigators say they found Michael Shaver's remains under a concrete slab on the property, a month after a friend told officers he hadn't heard from the man since 2015. Officials believe Laurie Shaver assumed Michael's identity after his death via text messages and Facebook messages, adding that none of the woman's statements made sense. In 2023, Laurie Shaver's defense attorney said the woman did not kill her husband, but that two other people were involved, including a child who was willing to testify in her defense. On Thursday, the 15-year-old girl did just that. The young girl, who could not be identified because of her age, testified that her mother was her best friend and that her relationship with her father was poor due to her mother's physical abuse. “And I grabbed her and I took her gun. And I went back out and went to the door. The door was already open. And he had my mother still on the ground. Still lying on the ground. Still kicking her. And I shot him,” the daughter said. The state disputed the daughter's story, pointing out that they had met her on multiple occasions and had never heard that version before. The daughter also claimed that a family friend shot Michael Shaver after her, but that man testified that he never met Michael Shaver. Physical evidence suggests Michael Shaver was shot exactly once. Michael Shaver's family expressed relief after hearing the verdict. “Elation, elation, we were very happy, this was a long time coming,” said Stacy Turner, Michael Shaver's sister. Before leaving, Michael Shaver's family read a prepared statement thanking all law enforcement involved in the case. “He did not deserve what happened to him,” Turner said. “His friends and family and now the public knows what a great man he was, he will live in our hearts forever.” Laurie Shaver's family was too distraught to speak to WESH 2 News, but her defense attorney said they would appeal the verdict.Related: Woman posed as dead husband in text messages after burying him under concrete slab, officials sayRelated: Central Florida woman accused of killing husband claims child pulled the triggerRelated: Laurie Shaver trial: Daily updates on Lake County woman accused of posing as dead husband after alleged murder