Photo: Lake County Sheriff's Office
A woman accused of fatally shooting her husband in 2015 is now claiming that a child pulled the trigger. Laurie Shaver was arrested in 2020 after investigators found the body of Michael Shaver buried under a slab of concrete next to a homemade firepit in her backyard.
She was charged with second-degree homicide (domestic violence) and accessory after the fact to second-degree homicide. She was released on bond until her trial.
Now, Shaver's lawyers claim that a teenager is willing to confess to shooting Mr. Shaver. The teenager was not identified, but court documents suggest she would have been seven or eight at the time. Shaver's lawyers said that the girl shot Michael because "of past and repeated violence within the residence by Michael Shaver."
They also said there was a second person involved. The documents allege that a man who was in a relationship with Laurie at the time fired a second shot at her husband.
A judge assigned a lawyer to represent the girl and ensure she knows her rights and the potential consequences of testifying in court.