Lawyers for woman accused of killing, burying husband want evidence excluded

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — New motions were filed Wednesday in a case Channel 9 has been closely following for years.

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Laurie Shaver’s lawyers are asking for certain evidence to be excluded from the trial.

Shaver is the Lake County woman who was originally accused of shooting and killing her husband and burying him in their backyard. She was arrested in 2020. Three years after her arrest, her lawyers claim it was Shaver’s daughter who shot and killed him.

On Tuesday, the defense asked the court to exclude any reference regarding firearms, claiming it’s speculation. The state argued Laurie owning a gun and selling it after the murder makes it relevant.

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“The bullet that was found in Mr. Shaver’s skull is a .38 caliber,” the state attorney argued. “The firearm that Mrs. Shaver used to own, the pink revolver, was the type of firearm that could in fact fire a .38 caliber projectile which is consistent with what was found in Mr. Shaver’s head.”

A dispute over handwriting also came up; including signatures on checks and postcards, written after the state claims Michael was dead.

“Any speculation or presentation that here’s a card, and here’s an account draw, and these were made by Laurie Shaver, would be highly prejudicial, speculative,” the defense argued.

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The state said those items will not be used as handwriting samples but to prove a timeline.

“Mr. Shaver was last seen or heard from Nov. 7th, 2015, by any friends or family,” the state argued. “All of these events, flowers, checks, etc., are all after Mr. Shaver had disappeared.”

Last year, three years after Laurie was charged with murdering her husband, her lawyers claim it was actually the couple’s own daughter who committed the crime. The child would’ve been 7 years old in 2015 when Michael was shot. Laurie’s attorneys said the daughter confessed when she was 14.

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The state argues that claim is simply not true.

“Factually, that evidence is going to be debunked by the simple facts of the case and that her story is just not credible,” the state argued.

The judge told Channel 9 he will rule on these motions in a timely manner. Trial is still expected to begin on Sept. 9, 2024. The state said it will take about a week to get through their own witnesses. They’ve called more than 100 to take the stand.

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