Abraham Shakespeare facts for kids

Abraham Lee Shakespeare (born April 24, 1966 – died around April 7, 2009) was a worker from the United States. He became famous after winning a huge $30 million lottery prize in Florida in 2006. He chose to receive $17 million all at once.

Sadly, in 2009, his family reported him missing. In January 2010, his body was found buried. It was under a concrete slab in the backyard of someone he knew. A woman named Dorice "Dee Dee" Moore was found guilty of his murder. She is now in prison for life.

Abraham's Big Lottery Win

The winning Florida Lotto ticket was sold on November 15, 2006. It was bought at a store in Frostproof, Florida. On that day, Abraham Lee Shakespeare and his co-worker Michael Ford were traveling. They stopped at the store, and Abraham asked Ford to buy him two lottery tickets.

Later, Michael Ford said that Abraham had stolen the winning ticket from him. He even sued Abraham for a share of the money. However, a jury decided that Abraham had not stolen the ticket. Abraham won the case.

Abraham chose to take his winnings as a single payment of $17 million. He moved from his old neighborhood in Lakeland, Florida, to a nicer area with a gated community. After winning, he bought a $1 million home, a Nissan Altima car, and a Rolex watch. By 2010, investigators said that most of his lottery money was gone.

Abraham's friends said he became very upset. Many people, both friends and strangers, kept asking him for money. He told his brother, "I'd have been better off broke." He also told a childhood friend, "I thought all these people were my friends, but then I realized all they want is just money."

One of these people was Dorice Donegan "Dee-Dee" Moore. She started a business with Abraham called Abraham Shakespeare LLC. She made herself the person in charge of the company's money. Moore then took out $1 million. She used it to buy herself a Hummer, a Chevrolet Corvette, and a truck. She also went on vacation. She later claimed that Abraham had given her the money as a gift.

Abraham Goes Missing

On November 9, 2009, Abraham's family reported him missing. They said they had not seen him since April of that year. At first, his family and friends hoped he had just taken his money and was relaxing on a beach.

However, a tip led police to a house that Moore had bought. There, Abraham's body was found buried under about 9 feet (2.7 meters) of dirt. A new concrete slab had been built on top of the burial spot. Abraham was 42 years old when he died.

Detectives believe Abraham died on April 6 or 7, 2009. This happened at a house in Plant City. Police arrested Dorice Moore on February 2, 2010, in connection with Abraham's murder. Police said Moore had tried to get someone to dig up the body and move it. She also kept trying to make people believe that Abraham was still alive. On February 19, 2010, Moore was officially charged with first-degree murder.

About Dorice Moore

Dorice Donegan "Dee Dee" Moore was born on July 25, 1972. She was the main suspect in Abraham Shakespeare's death. She had been married and had a son.

The Investigation

Before Abraham's body was found, Moore told different stories about where he was. She said he had gone to Texas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, or Orlando, Florida. She also claimed he was sick in a hospital. Moore even said that Abraham was tired of people asking him for money, so she helped him leave town.

After police found his body, Moore gave police different versions of what happened. She even blamed a lawyer and her own son at one point. Later, she claimed she killed Abraham in self-defense.

After Abraham disappeared, Moore lived in his house. She used his cell phone to send text messages to his friends and family. She pretended to be Abraham. However, the people who received the messages thought they didn't sound like him. They were suspicious because Abraham could not read or write. When people texted back with questions Moore couldn't answer, she would not reply.

While trying to make it seem like Abraham was alive, Moore also tried to find someone to take the blame for his death. She offered $50,000 for this. She also offered to pay someone to dig up and move Abraham's body.

Records showed that Moore's company bought Abraham's house. Moore told investigators she paid Abraham for his home and paid off his loans. But there was no proof she paid him anything. She also offered Abraham's son's mother a $200,000 home if she would lie to detectives. Moore also paid $5,000 to a relative to give Abraham's mother a birthday card. This was to make it seem like it was from Abraham.

Moore's Conviction

On December 10, 2012, Dorice Moore was found guilty of first-degree murder. This was for killing Abraham Shakespeare. She was sentenced to life in prison. This means she will never be able to leave prison. She also received an extra sentence for having a gun during the crime.

In the Media

Abraham Shakespeare's story has been featured on several TV shows. These shows often talk about the problems he faced after winning the lottery and his murder. Some of the programs include Curse of the Lottery, Lottery Changed My Life, and American Greed. Episodes of Deadly Women and Snapped also focused on Dorice Moore's role in the murder. Moore herself was shown in a 2011 episode of Lockup. She was in jail waiting for her trial.

Timeline of Key Events

• November 15, 2006 – Abraham Shakespeare wins the lottery.
• January 2007 – Abraham buys a $1.1 million home.
• October 2008 – Dee Dee Moore meets Abraham.
• January 9, 2009 – Ownership of Abraham's home is transferred to Moore's company.
• April 2009 – Abraham is last seen alive.
• April 6, 2009 – This is the last day Abraham's cell phone was used.
• April 2009 – Dee Dee Moore asks her ex-husband to dig a hole in her yard.
• November 9, 2009 – Abraham's family reports him missing.
• January 21, 2010 – An undercover police officer meets Dee Dee Moore. Moore offers him money to claim responsibility for Abraham's death.
• January 25, 2010 – Dee Dee Moore shows where Abraham is buried. She also gives the officer the gun used to kill Abraham.
• January 27, 2010 – Police find a body at the Plant City house.
• January 29, 2010 – The body is identified as Abraham Shakespeare.
• February 2, 2010 – Police arrest Dee Dee Moore.
• February 19, 2010 – Dee Dee Moore is charged with first-degree murder.
• December 10, 2012 – Dee Dee Moore is found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison.