Police: Fla. Lotto winner buried under concrete

Jan 28, 2010, 10:24 pm (40 comments)

Florida Lottery

Human remains found buried under recently added concrete at a home in Plant City, Florida, are likely those of missing lottery millionaire Abraham Shakespeare, police said Thursday.

Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said the body was slowly being uncovered. They are awaiting positive identification.

However, Gee said their investigation and information specifically led them to the area after they began to believe he might be dead because of "sinister means and motives."

"Our indications were it would be there," Gee said during a press conference Thursday night.

Police on Wednesday had scanned the newly finished concrete slabs near the home on Wednesday and removed it. On Thursday, Gee said they discovered the remains buried five feet below the surface, and it appeared the remains had been there for awhile.

Shakespeare, a 43-year-old truck driver, won a $31 million Florida lottery prize in 2006. A year later, he won a court challenge from a fellow trucker who accused Shakespeare of snatching the winning ticket out of his wallet while the two were delivering meat to Miami restaurants.

Shakespeare's family reported him missing on November 9, telling the Polk County sheriff's office they hadn't seen him since April.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said when their investigation began, they had hoped to find Shakespeare alive "and he truly had just wanted to hide from those who were asking him for money."

"As our investigation continued, the information we developed led us to believe he may very well have ended up with an untimely death," Judd said.

Both Judd and Gee said they would not comment on whether anything else was found inside the manmade grave, or whether a previous person of interest was connected to the area.

While they await identification of the remains, police said they would begin to shift their focus to a murder investigation.

"It's painfully obvious he didn't get there by himself," Judd said.

Gee said police from Polk and Hillsborough Counties were already working with prosecutors on the case and hope to bring to justice the person responsible for what they believe is clearly cold-blooded murder.

"Somebody put that body in that hole," Gee said. "This isn't by any means just where we find someone on the side of the road. Somebody has obviously put him there."

Thanks to Jazi76 for the tip.

CNN

Comments

Sherita's avatarSherita

A very sad ending indeed. I hope they find the person or persons who did this.

hjones

Wow!  That's just horrible.  All the more reason to claim the prize 'anonymously'.

NYSlugger 777's avatarNYSlugger 777

Wow, my thoughts and prayers go out to this mans family.That is very disspointing news.No Nod

Theres still a lot of investigating to do.There is no cause of death no one knows "how" he was killed if a weapon was involved and what person(s) is responsible for what appears to be a murder.If this is a murder case , it's very sad indeed.More importantly it would mean there is still a cold blooded killer on the loose who may or may not strike again. Doesn't matter if the person(s) attempts to strike again one murder is too many and I really hope and pray to god that whoever is responsible for this hideous crime is caught and sent to jail before he or she has the chance to strike again.

LadyMylena's avatarLadyMylena

An awful ending to this story. Frown I'm so sorry for his family.

Absolutely why I would claim anonymous...you just never know.

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

How horrible. No Nod My condolences go out to his family.

beaudad's avatarbeaudad

Quote: Originally posted by ThatScaryChick on Jan 29, 2010

How horrible. No Nod My condolences go out to his family.

 I agree !!!.......Horrible.......I think too If I won......I would just keep it to myself......and give some to family and friends....who knows.......but I believe that this man was decent and generous........and met with foul play......by others who were "greedy and selfish"......because of what they did.......... he cannot help anyone at all.........now...... !!!!

Nino224's avatarNino224

I hope they lock up Dee Dee and throw away the key.

Nino224's avatarNino224

The body was found at a property owned by Dee Dee's boyfriend.

diamondpalace's avatardiamondpalace

Sad news.

myturn's avatarmyturn

Quote: Originally posted by hjones on Jan 28, 2010

Wow!  That's just horrible.  All the more reason to claim the prize 'anonymously'.

The Florida lottery doesn't allow winners to claim prizes anonymously, they really need to change that; it is madness!

dingo's avatardingo

Moving to a safer neighborhood is important.

 

I pray for this man rest in peace.

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

TwitchTwitchTwitchTwitchTwitch

tiggs95's avatartiggs95

I have a rule in my house that after we win millions WE MOVE!!..Simple..

charmed7's avatarcharmed7

Wow, that sucks....its a true fact u cannot let everyone know your BUSINESS!

Subscribe to this news story