Michael Shave, a 53-year-old man from Jackson, New Jersey, was reported missing by his family in 2018. His wife, Laurie Shave, claimed that he had left her and their two daughters in 2015 and had not been in contact since then. However, the police found his skeletal remains buried under a fire pit in the backyard of their home in 2020. What was the cause of death of Michael Shave and who was responsible for this heinous crime?
A Suspicious Disappearance
Michael Shave was last seen by his co-workers at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where he worked as a monorail mechanic. He had been working there since 2005 and was well-liked by his colleagues. He was also a devoted father to his two daughters, Nicole and Samantha, who were 13 and 11 years old at the time of his disappearance.
According to the Generation Why Podcast, Michael’s family became concerned when they did not hear from him for a long time. They tried to contact him through his phone and social media accounts, but there was no response. They also reached out to Laurie, who told them that Michael had left her for another woman and did not want anything to do with them. She said that he had taken his clothes, his truck, and his gun with him.
However, Michael’s family did not believe Laurie’s story. They suspected that something sinister had happened to him and that she was hiding the truth. They filed a missing person report with the police in 2018 and asked them to investigate his disappearance.
A Horrific Discovery
The police visited Laurie’s home in February 2018 to question her about Michael’s whereabouts. They noticed that the backyard had a concrete slab with a fire pit on top of it. They asked Laurie for permission to dig under the slab, but she refused. She said that she had nothing to do with Michael’s disappearance and that she did not know where he was.
The police obtained a search warrant and returned to the house a few days later. They used a backhoe to break the concrete slab and dig under the fire pit. There, they made a gruesome discovery: a human arm sticking out of the dirt. They excavated further and found the rest of the body wrapped in a bedsheet from Kohl’s. The body was identified as Michael Shave through dental records.
The autopsy revealed that Michael had died from a gunshot wound to the head. He also had multiple fractures on his ribs, spine, and skull, indicating that he had been beaten before he was killed. The police estimated that he had been dead for at least two years before he was found.
A Cold-Blooded Killer
The police arrested Laurie Shave and charged her with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. They believed that she had killed Michael in a fit of rage after discovering that he was having an affair with another woman. They also found evidence that she had used his credit cards and bank accounts after his death.
Laurie pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed that she was innocent. She said that she did not kill Michael and that she did not know who did. She also said that she did not bury him under the fire pit and that someone else must have done it without her knowledge.
However, the prosecution presented a strong case against her at the trial in 2021. They showed the jury photos of Michael’s body, the fire pit, and the bedsheet. They also played recordings of Laurie’s phone calls with her daughters, in which she lied to them about Michael’s whereabouts and told them not to talk to anyone about him. They also brought witnesses who testified that Laurie had a history of domestic violence and had threatened to kill Michael several times
The jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding Laurie guilty of all charges. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole. She is currently appealing her conviction.
A Tragic Loss
Michael Shave’s death shocked and saddened his family, friends, and co-workers. They remembered him as a loving father, a hard-working employee, and a kind-hearted person. They expressed their grief and anger at Laurie for taking his life away from him and depriving his daughters of their father.
Michael’s daughters, Nicole and Samantha, who are now 19 and 17 years old respectively, have been living with their maternal grandparents since their mother’s arrest. They have been trying to cope with the trauma of losing their father and learning the truth about their mother. They have also been receiving counseling and support from their relatives and friends.
Michael’s sister, Ginny Shave, who is also the younger sister of rock legend Bruce Springsteen, has been vocal about her brother’s case and has been seeking justice for him. She has also been raising awareness about domestic violence and its victims. She has been joined by her brother, Springsteen, who has dedicated songs to Michael at his concerts and has spoken about him in interviews.
Michael Shave’s cause of death was a shocking murder mystery that revealed the dark side of human nature and the devastating consequences of domestic violence. His story is a reminder that we should never take our loved ones for granted and that we should always cherish them while they are alive.
