A self-proclaimed “witch” has been convicted in the murder of a mother who vanished in South Florida more than six years ago.
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Shannon Ryan, 44, was found guilty Thursday of second-degree murder in the disappearance of Leila Cavett.
Cavett, who was 21 at the time, was last seen at a gas station in Hollywood in July of 2020. Her body was never found.
Hours after her disappearance, Cavett’s then 2-year-old son, Kamdyn, was found wandering alone at an apartment complex in Miramar. Her vehicle was found abandoned a few days later.
Court documents said Ryan, a self-described witch and chakra master, told investigators he had known Cavett since around January 2019, and that she had come to Florida to sell him her pickup truck.
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Ryan was seen on surveillance video dragging a large garbage bag to the gas station dumpster where Cavett was last spotted, the documents said.
In addition, Ryan allegedly bought trash bags, duct tape and carpet odor eliminator at the Walmart where Cavett’s truck was left abandoned, .
Ryan, who’d pleaded not guilty, took the stand at his trial and said the items were used to clean the garbage out of his car and the truck he bought from her.
Ryan now faces a possible sentence of life in prison at sentencing, scheduled for Oct. 23.
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