Broward landfill searched in connection with the disappearance of Leila Cavett, FBI says
More than two months after a 21-year-old mother mysteriously disappeared, the FBI confirmed that investigators were searching a north Broward landfill in connection with her disappearance.
The FBI did not say Thursday what led them to search the Monarch Hill Landfill in Broward. Cavett’s 2-year-old son was found wandering alone in a Miramar apartment complex on July 26.
Cavett, who was living in Georgia and visiting South Florida, has not been seen since July 25. In August, the FBI released a timeline showing Cavett’s last known locations before she disappeared.
A week later, Shannon Ryan, who calls himself a witch, was arrested on a kidnapping charge and two counts of lying to authorities. Ryan, of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, was still being held in Broward County’s main jail on Thursday.
Shortly before his arrest, Ryan posted a nearly hour-long video discussing his relationship with Cavett and how he met up with her in Hollywood before her disappearance. He said Cavett left the RaceTrac gas station in Hollywood in a car with two men.
Investigators have said that video showed his gold 2004 Lexus and not another car.
On July 26, Cavett’s son Kamdyn was found in the 1800 block of Southwest 68th Avenue, in the Willowbrook Apartments in Miramar. After combing the area for a relative, Miramar police shared a picture on social media in hopes of finding a relative. By the next day, the story had gone viral and Miramar police confirmed that they were looking into a tip that the boy could be the son of Cavett.
The boy was placed in the care of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Child Protective Investigations Section.
Meanwhile, the investigation was handed over to Hollywood police, when Cavett’s pick-up truck was found in that jurisdiction. The FBI soon got involved.
The FBI would not share any other details Thursday on the investigation.
“The FBI continues to actively pursue every lead related to this investigation,” the department said in a statement. “We are still seeking information about Leila Cavett’s disappearance.”
Anyone with information is asked to call FBI Miami at 800-CALL-FBI or go to FBI.GOV/TIPS.
This story was originally published October 1, 2020 at 3:03 PM.
