Mary Ring, a 68-year-old white woman from Clearwater, Florida, was tragically killed on February 5, 2017. Her death was the result of a fatal shooting carried out by her tenants, Lawrence Edward Cannon, 42, and Jennifer Elam, 44. The incident occurred shortly after the Super Bowl, and the suspects lived with her body for two weeks before it was discovered by the police during a welfare check.
Lawrence Cannon was charged with first-degree murder after he confessed to shooting Mary Ring in
the early hours following the Super Bowl. Jennifer Elam was charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. The couple had been living in Mary Ring's home and were seen by neighbors moving her belongings and using her car, which raised suspicions.
The investigation revealed that Cannon and Elam had spent the two weeks following the murder trying to figure out how to dispose of Mary Ring's body. They were arrested and taken to the Pinellas County Jail, where Cannon was held without bond and Elam was held on a $50,000 bond.
In a subsequent legal development, Lawrence Cannon pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. This plea deal was part of an agreement to avoid a potential life sentence if convicted of first-degree murder. The case highlighted the shocking nature of the crime and the prolonged period during which the suspects lived with the victim's body, causing significant distress in the Clearwater community.
