The disappearance of 21-year-old Leila Cavett grips us from the moment her 2-year-old son Kamdyn is found wandering alone in a Florida apartment complex, wearing only a shirt and diaper. What begins as a missing person case quickly spirals into something far more sinister when investigators focus on Shannon Ryan, a self-proclaimed witch with a suspicious story.
As we unpack this baffling case, the evidence mounts in disturbing ways. Ryan claims Leila came to Florida to sell him her truck and that after a day at the beach, she voluntarily left with a stranger. But surveillance footage tells a different story. The day after her disappearance, Ryan uses Leila's own debit card to purchase items that send chills down your spine: carpet cleaner, odor eliminator, duct tape, and large black garbage bags.
Gas station employees witness Ryan dumping children's toys and women's clothing in their dumpster the night Leila vanishes. Later footage captures him dragging what appears to be a large, garbage bag-wrapped object and bloody towels to the same location. His internet history reveals searches about making chloroform and waste management pickup schedules—painting a picture of calculated premeditation.
Though Leila's body has never been found despite extensive landfill searches, authorities eventually charge Ryan with second-degree murder. Blood evidence on shovels leads the FBI to inform Leila's family of her presumed death. Throughout his incarceration, Ryan's jailhouse calls reveal his lack of remorse as he continues to disparage Leila's character while portraying himself as the victim.
This haunting case reminds us of the horrific vulnerability of young mothers and the psychological complexity of predators who can maintain elaborate deceptions. Join us as we follow the evidence trail and seek justice for Leila and closure for the little boy left behind without his mother.
Have you encountered a mysterious disappearance in your community? Share your thoughts or case suggestions with us—we're committed to shining light on stories that need to be told.
Source Material:
Fox 5 Atlanta Digital Team, October 2, 2023, New hearing date for self-proclaimed Florida "witch" in murder of Georgia mom Leila Cavett, https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/witch-doctor-shannon-ryan-charged-leila-cavett-missing-south-florida
Associated Press, October 2, 2020, Investigators search South Florida landfill in case of missing mom Leila Cavett, https://www.fox13news.com/news/investigators-search-south-florida-landfill-in-case-of-missing-mom-leila-cavett
Cavallier, Andrea, May 12, 2021, Man faces murder charge in connection to disappearance of Leila Cavett, 10 months after she went missing from South Florida, https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/man-faces-murder-charge-connection-disappearance-leila-cavett-nearly-10-n1267151
Matter, Bridgette, October 29, 2022, Self-proclaimed "witch" arrested in apprentice's murder speaks from Broward County jail, https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/10/29/self-proclaimed-witch-arrested-in-apprentices-murder-speaks-from-broward-jail/
