Laurie Shaver trial: Jurors hear of alleged affairs, suggested deceit by woman accused of killing husband

Jurors hear of alleged affairs, suggested deceit by Laurie Shaver

A tangled web of alleged deceit and murder was laid bare in the courtroom Wednesday during the trial of Laurie Shaver, who is accused of killing her husband, Michael Shaver, in 2015 and burying his body under a concrete slab in their backyard. His remains were discovered three years later.

TAVARES, Fla. - A tangled web of alleged deceit and murder was laid bare in the courtroom Wednesday during the trial of Laurie Shaver, who is accused of killing her husband, Michael Shaver, in 2015 and burying his body under a concrete slab in their backyard. His remains were discovered three years later.

Prosecutors allege that after Michael’s death, Laurie Shaver impersonated him, sending flowers and messages to Vanessa Townsend, the wife of her boyfriend Jeremy Townsend, to create discord in their marriage. Laurie was visibly emotional on the stand, recounting how she initially believed Michael was behind the messages. However, investigators testified that Michael was already dead when the messages were sent, and evidence presented in court pointed to Laurie as the sender.

Townsend told jurors she received messages from Michael Shaver's Facebook account in 2016, along with a flower delivery that suggested her husband was cheating with Laurie. One message read, "Roses are red. Violets are blue. My wife is a wh***, and your husband is too. Check Facebook." Townsend said the messages also included photos of the affair and urged her to get a divorce attorney.

Investigators testified that Laurie’s bank account was linked to the charge for the flower delivery, and log-ins to Michael’s Facebook account after his death came from the same IP address as Laurie’s account.

Wilma Nichols, a neighbor of the Shavers, testified that she could see into the Shavers’ backyard from her porch. Nichols recalled concrete being added to a fire pit in 2016 and noticed a foul odor lingering for months before that.

"Son and I are on the back porch, and I remember him wrinkling his nose up and asked if I 'smelled that,' but nothing rose to the level of alerting law enforcement," Nichols testified.

Prosecutors noted that by December 2016, Laurie had entered a commitment ceremony with a new husband, Travis Filmer. Filmer, who helped pour the concrete at the Shaver home, testified that he did not notice anything unusual.

Michael Shaver

"Dirt was already grated," Filmer said, adding that he had never met Michael and became concerned only when law enforcement arrived in 2018.

Prosecutors suggested Filmer’s testimony differed from his original statements.

Jurors also heard from witnesses who claimed Laurie sold them guns after Michael’s death and from a firearms expert who said the bullet recovered in the investigation could have come from one of the couple’s weapons. However, the expert noted, "could have been, but can't say scientifically."

A Lake County investigator dismissed questions by Laurie's attorney about self-defense and whether someone other than Laurie could have committed the murder.

The defense has suggested that Jeremy Townsend, Laurie’s former lover, or her then-seven-year-old daughter could have been responsible for Michael’s death. It remains unclear if Laurie will testify during the trial.

Court proceedings are set to resume on Thursday.

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