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A Florida mom who blamed her 7-year-old daughter for shooting her Disney mechanic husband in the back of the head before she buried his body under a concrete slab has been convicted.

After five hours of deliberations, a jury found Laurie Shaver, 41, guilty of second-degree murder with a firearm in the death of her husband, Michael Shaver, 36, WFTV reported.

Prosecutors said Laurie fatally shot her husband in the back of his head at their home in Claremont just west of Orlando in November 2015 — then spent the next three years pretending he was still alive.


  Michael Shaver, 36, was shot in the back of the head by his wife and buried under a concrete slab in his family’s back yard, officials said. Lake County Sheriffs Office Michael Shaver, 36, was shot in the back of the head by his wife and buried under a concrete slab in his family’s back yard, officials said. Lake County Sheriffs Office

Michael’s body was not found until 2018, when police were called to conduct a wellness check on the Walt Disney World employee — whose remains were eventually discovered buried under a concrete slab in the family’s back yard.

After her husband’s killing, Laurie had gone on Facebook posing as him, telling his boss he was quitting and moving to Georgia and urging others to “leave me alone,” Law&Crime reported.

Officials said Laurie also assumed Michael’s identity over text messages after he was dead, WESH reported.

Laurie maintained her innocence, even accusing her 7-year-old daughter of shooting Michael while he was beating her and threatening to kill her.


  Laurie Shaver was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of her husband. FOX35 Orlando Laurie Shaver was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of her husband. FOX35 Orlando

The daughter, who called her mom her “best friend,” repeated Laurie’s story on the stand.

“And I grabbed her, and I grabbed her gun. And I went back out, and I went to the door. The door was already open. And he had my mom on the ground still. Still laying on the ground. Still kicking her. And I shot him,” the daughter claimed, according to WESH.

Laurie later alleged that her ex-boyfriend, Jeremy Townsend, quickly walked over and shot Michael a second time to ensure he was dead.

Laurie also accused Townsend of disposing of Michael’s body while she was taking her children to school.


  Laurie said her daughter, then 7, shot her husband. Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office Laurie said her daughter, then 7, shot her husband. Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office

Laurie, Townsend and her daughter all took the stand Thursday, with Townsend testifying he never met Michael and was not around for his death.

“I did not know who Mike was,” Townsend said, rejecting the defense’s claims he was lying about his interactions with the family.

Laurie testified that Michael grabbed her and pinned her down because he was mad she was involved in another relationship. She said he was beating her and placed her head and neck under his foot.


  Michael worked as a mechanic at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Brian Shaver/Facebook Michael worked as a mechanic at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Brian Shaver/Facebook

When her daughter, who just turned 16, took the stand, she described daily fights between her parents that often led to violence and said Laurie was always the parent and Michael did not have a significant relationship with his two children.

During the daughter’s cross-examination, jurors appeared to avoid looking at her as she struggled to explain some of the details of her recollection of the events, including why she placed the shooting in May instead of November.

Laurie also struggled to recount her husband’s whereabouts during that six-month gap in her story.

Her lawyer said they plan to appeal the verdict.

Laurie is set to be sentenced Nov. 25. She faces up to life behind bars, WFTV said.

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