Florida Witch Doctor Sentenced to Life for Murder of Mother Whose Body Was Never Found

A self-proclaimed witch doctor has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Leila Cavett, a young mother whose body has never been found. Shannon Ryan, 38, was convicted of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection with Cavett's 2020 disappearance.

Cavett, 21, and her then two-year-old son, Kamdyn, traveled from Georgia to Florida in July 2020. Cavett was last seen on July 25, 2020, in a surveillance photo at a RaceTrac gas station in Hollywood, Florida, reportedly getting into a Lexus sedan. Her family had expressed concern that she might have fled with her son to meet someone she had met online.

On July 26, 2020, Kamdyn was found wandering alone and barefoot in a Miramar apartment complex parking lot. Cavett's white Chevy Silverado pickup truck was discovered abandoned in a nearby Walmart parking lot on July 28. Ryan was arrested on August 25, 2020, and charged with kidnapping.

Ryan, who promoted himself online as a witch and chakra master, was the last person seen with Cavett, according to investigators. His Lexus was seen parked at the Walmart adjacent to the RaceTrac where Cavett was last spotted. Evidence showed that Ryan purchased carpet odor eliminator, trash bags, and duct tape from Walmart using Cavett's debit card.

Surveillance footage showed Ryan entering the RaceTrac with a bottle of bleach and later with the bottle near Cavett's truck, which was parked by a dumpster. He was observed moving items from the truck to the dumpster and trash cans, where women's clothing and children's toys were later found discarded. Ryan also dragged a large object wrapped in a black garbage bag from the truck to the dumpster and placed what appeared to be bloody towels in a trash can.

Cell phone data obtained through a search warrant revealed that Ryan had Googled "does bleach and alcohol make chloroform" on the night Cavett was last seen. Chloroform is known for its incapacitating properties. The phone data also showed Ryan accessed the local waste management website, looking for commercial trash pick-up times.

Before his arrest, Ryan posted a 50-minute Facebook video in which he discussed his interactions with Cavett, describing her as a manipulative thief and claiming he had helped her during a period of homelessness. Cavett's remains were never recovered.

Following the jury's guilty verdict, Ryan was sentenced to life in prison. He has maintained his innocence, and his attorney has stated plans to file an appeal, with Ryan having 30 days to submit a motion. During the sentencing, Leila Cavett's sister, Gina, pleaded with Ryan to reveal what happened to her sister, stating, "My sister is more than a victim. She was a daughter, a sister and, most importantly, a mother." Her brother, Curtis, demanded, "I want the truth. I want to know what you did to my sister. I want to know where she is."

Kamdyn, now eight years old, shared a statement read by a victim advocate expressing his wish for his mother to be present so they could go to Dollywood, ride dirt bikes, and eat sushi together. Leila's sister, Tyunia, wrote in a Facebook statement that Kamdyn would know his mother for who she was, not as portrayed by the defense.