FLORIDA, US — It was the dream of a lifetime that quickly morphed into an inescapable nightmare. When Florida native Abraham Lee Shakespeare hit a staggering £26 million ($30 million) lottery jackpot in 2006, he thought his lifelong financial struggles were over. But just a couple of years later, the generous multi-millionaire met a gruesome end—shot dead and entombed beneath a concrete patio in an acquaintance’s back garden.
From Rags to Riches Abraham, described by childhood friends as a “gentle soul,” had spent his life making ends meet by working casual odd jobs—driving garbage trucks and sweeping hair at local barber shops. Living with his mother in rural Plant City, the 43-year-old was overjoyed to publicly claim his jaw-dropping prize.
However, the reality of sudden wealth proved far darker than he could have ever imagined. Almost immediately, his life was turned upside down. Distant relatives, loose acquaintances, and complete strangers began queuing up outside his home, relentlessly begging for cash.
His lifelong friend Samuel Jones recalled how the windfall took a heavy toll: “He really didn’t understand it at all. It was moving so fast. It changed his life in a bad way.” Abraham himself heartbreakingly confessed to Jones at the time: “I thought all these people were my friends, but then I realised all they want is just money.”
The Fatal Friendship Abraham’s worst fears were devastatingly accurate. In 2007, his path crossed with Dorice Donegan “DeeDee” Moore. Claiming she wanted to write a biography about his incredible rags-to-riches story, Moore quickly wormed her way into Abraham’s life. Soon, she positioned herself as his closest confidante and financial advisor.
But police later revealed her true, sinister motive: she was after every penny of his fortune.
By early 2009, Moore had orchestrated the purchase of Abraham’s mansion for a fraction of its value and drained his bank accounts to fund her own lavish lifestyle—treating herself to a Hummer, a Chevrolet Corvette, and luxury vacations.
A Calculated Cover-Up In April 2009, Abraham vanished without a trace. While his hopeful family believed he had finally escaped the constant hounding to relax on a Caribbean beach, Moore was busy spinning a web of deceit. She confidently told reporters and police that Abraham was simply “laying low” because people wouldn’t stop pestering him.
Behind the scenes, Moore was desperately covering her tracks. She used Abraham’s mobile phone to send text messages to his friends and family, and even paid one of his relatives £5,000 to deliver a birthday card to Abraham’s mother to make it seem as though her son was still alive.
The Gruesome Discovery The tragic truth was finally unearthed on January 25, 2010. Following a tip-off, investigators began digging up the back garden of a property recently purchased by Moore. Nine feet beneath the dirt, hidden under a newly poured concrete patio slab, they found the shot and murdered body of Abraham Lee Shakespeare.
Sheriff Grady Judd famously branded Moore a “con artist,” stating: “DeeDee Moore has cheated Abraham Shakespeare out of his money, and possibly his life.”
During police interrogations, Moore tried to pin the murder on violent drug dealers, but her ex-husband eventually blew the lid off the case. He confessed to authorities that on the night of the murder, Moore had asked him to operate a mechanical digger to excavate a deep hole in the garden under the cover of darkness. He claimed he had no idea a body was being dumped inside it.
Justice Served In 2012, a jury saw through Moore’s tangled web of lies and found her guilty of first-degree murder. The judge sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring she will spend the rest of her days behind bars at a correctional facility in Florida.
Today, Abraham Shakespeare’s story remains one of the most chilling cautionary tales in lottery history—a heartbreaking reminder that hitting the jackpot can sometimes cost you absolutely everything.
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