Crime & Public Safety
Man convicted of second-degree murder in 2020 disappearance in Broward County
Broward County, Florida — A Broward County jury found Shannon Ryan guilty of second-degree murder in the disappearance of Leila Cavett, a woman last seen at a Hollywood gas station in July 2020.
The conviction was handed down on Sept. 24, 2026, according to court records presented at trial.
Prosecutors say Cavett, then 21, was seen at a gas station in Hollywood and that surveillance video showed Ryan dragging a large garbage bag to a dumpster near that location. Cavett’s vehicle was recovered abandoned days later, and her young son was located wandering alone at an apartment complex in Miramar hours after she vanished.
Cavett’s body has not been recovered. Court filings introduced at trial allege Ryan purchased trash bags, duct tape and carpet odor eliminator at a Walmart where Cavett’s truck had been left.
Ryan testified in his own defense, telling jurors the items were used to clean garbage from his car and the truck he said he bought from Cavett. The jury returned a guilty verdict on second-degree murder.
Ryan faces sentencing scheduled for Oct. 23, 2026; court documents state he could face a life term.
The report distinguishes allegations presented by prosecutors and the defendant’s testimony; the absence of a recovered body and the pending sentencing remain part of the current case status documented in court records.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.