'Spiritual Hit Man' Testifies: New Account of Missing Florida Mother's Disappearance

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A man who once called himself a "spiritual hit man" testified at his murder trial, offering a revised account of what happened to 21-year-old Leila Cavett, who vanished in July 2020. Shannon Ryan, 44, is charged with second-degree murder in Cavett's presumed death; her 2-year-old son was later found wandering alone inside an apartment complex.

Shannon Ryan testifies in court on Sept. 23, 2026. (Court TV)

Prosecutors say surveillance footage last shows Cavett at a RaceTrac convenience store with Ryan before she disappeared. In earlier statements to investigators, Ryan told police Cavett had gotten into a vehicle with three unidentified men and her child. On the witness stand, however, he offered a different narrative.

Ryan's Revised Account

Ryan testified that Cavett returned to his car later that night after initially leaving with other people. He said she knocked on his window in a parking lot, they spoke, and he warned her that her behavior might be unsafe. He claimed he slept in his car overnight with Cavett and her son inside.

According to Ryan, the group then drove on with Cavett giving directions until they reached an apartment complex. He said he noticed a tire low on air and stepped out to check it. While he inspected the tire, Cavett briefly exited the vehicle, re-entered and shouted, "Go! Go! Go! Go!" As they drove away, Ryan said he discovered the child was missing. He testified Cavett told him she had intentionally left the boy behind and, shortly afterward, asked him to stop the car, walked away and was never seen again.

Leila Cavett (NamUs)

Phone Searches and Public Statements

Prosecutors highlighted searches found on Ryan's phone, including one asking whether mixing bleach and alcohol produces chloroform. Ryan said he had seen a Facebook post warning about dangerous chemical mixes and that he typed the query out of curiosity because he kept bleach and alcohol in his car. "Things you just don't know," he told jurors to explain the search.

Assistant State Attorney Elizabeth Lipella pressed Ryan on inconsistencies between his public statements and his trial testimony. Lipella noted that Ryan had gone live on Facebook inviting discussion about the case but never disclosed the version he told jurors. Ryan acknowledged the trial testimony was the first time he had presented that account and said he had been "trying to protect the frame."

Self-Description And Prior Conduct

Ryan testified he works as a teacher and meditation leader but admitted he had called himself a "spiritual hit man." Lipella confronted him with a Facebook message he sent to a prospective client offering violent "spell work," in which he said the duration and severity of the punishment depended on the client's wishes and signed the message, "I am your spiritual hit man."

Example message shown at trial: "If you hire me for the spell work, the length of time it takes depends on the severity of the punishment you want. I could be out of your way in one to three days, but if you want a lengthy torture, one to two weeks should suffice. It all depends on your appetite for destruction. I am your spiritual hit man."

Ryan has eight prior convictions. If convicted of second-degree murder, he faces a potential life sentence. The trial is ongoing.

Reporting by Court TV. For live coverage, expert analysis and updates, visit courttv.com.