FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A self-proclaimed witch arrested in connection with the murder of a 21-year-old woman in 2020 testified in his trial Wednesday.
In 2020, Leila Cavett traveled with her young son from Georgia to South Florida to sell a white pickup truck to the suspect, Shannon Ryan.
She suddenly vanished.
The last time she was seen alive was on surveillance cameras inside a RaceTrac gas station in Hollywood.
Police soon discovered her son abandoned, wandering near a Miramar apartment complex.
Her father said Leila was a loving mother who would never abandon her child.
The investigation quickly turned to Ryan. The FBI said they connected Ryan to the disappearance through surveillance video, cell towers and social media.
He is now charged with murder.
Ryan, a self-proclaimed witch, previously told Local 10’s Bridgette Matter from the Broward County Jail that he did not kill Cavett.
“I can’t go into the particulars of the case like that because this is being recorded, but me and her had previous acquaintances together,” Ryan said.
Detectives said they found Facebook messages that indicated Cavett wanted to be Ryan’s apprentice. Ryan said he taught her to read tarot cards.
“I teach witchcraft, things of that nature. Yeah, I do tarot card readings,” Ryan said.
Cavett’s body has never been found, despite the FBI carrying out several searches at a landfill.
Police reported around the time of Cavett’s disappearance that Ryan was seen buying trash bags, duct tape and carpet cleaner. An arrest report says surveillance cameras captured Ryan moving Cavett’s truck and throwing away women’s clothing and children’s toys in a dumpster, as well as what appeared to be bloody towels -- something Local 10 pressed him on, but he denied.
Police released information about Ryan’s internet searches, including a Google search: “Does bleach and alcohol make chloroform?”
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