Shannon Ryan, 44, who identifies as a practitioner of witchcraft, is on trial in Fort Lauderdale accused of second-degree murder in the 2020 disappearance of 21-year-old Leila Cavett. Prosecutors say surveillance footage places Ryan with Cavett, and they allege he conducted incriminating internet searches and bought supplies consistent with harming her; the FBI searched a Broward County landfill for 51 days without finding evidence. Ryan has pleaded not guilty and his defense contends there is no proof Cavett is dead and urges jurors to apply reasonable doubt. The proceedings are being livestreamed on Court TV.
Self-Described Witch Faces Murder Trial in Disappearance of 21‑Year‑Old Mother
Shannon Ryan sits in court on Sept. 16, 2026. (Court TV)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A man who publicly describes himself as a witch and an occult practitioner is on trial, accused of murdering a young mother whose whereabouts have been unknown since 2020. The defendant, 44-year-old Shannon Ryan, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder; his attorney says there is no definitive proof the woman is dead.
Case Background
Authorities say the case began when a Good Samaritan found a 2-year-old boy wandering alone near an apartment complex and called 911 because the child's mother could not be located. Family members identified the child and said he and his mother, 21-year-old Leila Cavett, had recently arrived in Florida from Alabama in a newly acquired white pickup truck.
Investigators' Allegations
Detectives located Cavett's pickup and reported finding Shannon Ryan cleaning the vehicle. Ryan told officers he last saw Cavett at a RaceTrac gas station, where she allegedly got into a black car with two unknown men. Prosecutors say surveillance video showed inconsistencies with Ryan's timeline and that Ryan was the last person seen on camera with Cavett.
"Around this time in the surveillance footage of Leila last being alive, the defendant conducted Google searches," Assistant State Attorney Elizabeth Lipella told jurors during opening statements. Lipella said one alleged query was, "Does alcohol and bleach make chloroform?"
Prosecutors also say Ryan purchased duct tape, cleaning products and carpet deodorizer after leaving the gas station. They allege he fled to Texas soon after speaking with police. The FBI later joined the investigation and focused searches on a Broward County landfill; investigators spent 51 days searching in hot summer conditions but reported finding no evidence of Cavett's remains.
Defense Arguments
Defense attorney Dameka Davis told jurors the criminal justice system sometimes "jumps to conclusions" and urged them to apply the standard of reasonable doubt. Davis questioned whether the state can prove Cavett is dead and argued her client was misunderstood and stereotyped because of his identification with witchcraft and the occult.
Before his arrest, Ryan posted videos on social media in which he discussed the case and described the missing woman as a "manipulative thief who wasted his time and hustled him." On his profile, he identifies himself as practicing witchcraft and listing divination techniques and tools such as tarot, oracles, pendulums, crystal scrying and channeling.
The trial is being livestreamed and covered by Court TV.
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