Funks SwabbieAbraham Lee Shakespeare was a man who spent much of his life doing quiet work. He hauled crates, drove trucks, and took whatever honest job he could find in Lakeland, Florida. He was known as a gentle man who kept to himself and seldom raised his voice. He had little schooling and no experience with financial management, yet he showed a steady sense of duty toward his family. In November 2006, everything in his world changed when he won a thirty million dollar lottery jackpot. The win placed him on a path toward comfort, but it also drew the attention of people who saw him as an opportunity. Three years after claiming his prize, he was gone. His body was found under a concrete slab behind a home in Plant City. His fortune was scattered. His life story was left to be told by courts and investigators. At the center of the tragedy was a woman named Dorice Donegan Moore, later known to the world as Dee Dee Moore.
This is a full account of how Abraham Shakespeare rose from modest roots to immense wealth, how generosity left him vulnerable, and how a calculated scheme turned into a fatal betrayal.
A Life That Changed Overnight
In November 2006, Abraham Shakespeare traveled with a coworker on a delivery route to Miami. On the way, they stopped at a convenience store where he bought two lottery tickets. He had bought similar tickets in the past, but he was not an avid player. One ticket held the winning numbers for the Florida Lotto’s thirty million dollar jackpot. When he realized his luck, he chose to receive his money in a single lump sum valued at seventeen million dollars after taxes. He believed a one time payout would give him full control over his finances and allow him to plan his future without waiting for yearly installments.
For a time, the money lifted his life in ways he had only imagined. He bought a home in a quiet Lakeland neighborhood. He purchased a few cars. He helped his family. More than anything, he gave freely. Those close to him said he was happiest when easing the burdens of others. He paid rent for people he barely knew. He covered mortgages for friends. He handed out money to strangers who told him they needed help with medical bills or utilities. He seldom said no because he believed generosity carried its own reward.
It soon became clear that sudden wealth created new problems. Word of his win spread through Lakeland and beyond. People lined up at his door and stopped him in parking lots asking for help. Many saw him as a source of easy money. He became overwhelmed, though he rarely showed frustration. He told a few relatives he felt worn down by constant requests. The pressure mounted throughout 2007 and 2008. By then, he had lost much of the privacy he once enjoyed.
The Flood of Requests and a Growing Sense of Isolation
During the years that followed his windfall, Abraham Shakespeare struggled to protect his peace. He wanted a quiet life, but the demands never slowed. At times, he confided in a small circle of relatives that he could no longer tell who needed help and who sought to exploit him. Although he remained kind, he also grew cautious. He became wary of new acquaintances. He avoided public places. He even mentioned to his mother that the money felt like more of a burden than a blessing.
This was the environment that allowed Dorice Moore to enter his life. She appeared first in October 2008. She introduced herself as a businesswoman with experience in staffing services and financial management. She claimed to own a company called American Medical Professionals. She told Abraham she wanted to write a book about him. She presented herself as someone who wished to celebrate his journey from modest laborer to wealthy figure. He believed she wanted to help him regain control of his life and his privacy. What he did not know was that she had a history that included insurance fraud and other suspicious behavior. She hid that part of her past and arrived instead with charm and confidence.
Moore Takes Control
Within months, Moore became involved in nearly every part of Abraham Shakespeare’s financial world. She convinced him she could protect him from the growing crowd of people seeking money. She offered to organize his assets and provide structure to his finances. Abraham, who never felt comfortable handling large sums, placed a level of trust in her that left him exposed.
By January 2009, he transferred ownership of his Lakeland home, valued at one million dollars, to Moore’s company. She claimed the arrangement would shield him from individuals who demanded money. She also told anyone who asked that Abraham wanted to live a quiet life away from public attention. Moore gained access to several of his accounts and took control of multiple assets. She told Abraham she would help him reduce his spending and avoid further stress.
Family members began noticing a change. Abraham grew distant. He stopped visiting many of the places he once enjoyed. By April 2009, he was no longer seen by anyone outside Moore’s circle. Relatives and friends received text messages from his phone, yet they sensed something wrong. Abraham disliked texting. His mother said she had never known him to type long messages. She believed the messages had a tone that did not resemble her son’s voice. Her concerns grew with each passing week.
The Disappearance Raises Alarm
In November 2009, after months without seeing Abraham in person, his cousin Cedric Edom reported him missing. His mother feared the worst. She knew Abraham valued family and could not imagine him leaving without a word. Law enforcement agencies in Polk County opened an investigation.
Moore told detectives that Abraham wanted to escape the constant pressure and had left the state to start fresh. She claimed he needed peace. She even arranged a meeting with his mother in a diner. There, she handed Elizabeth Walker a phone, saying Abraham was on the line. Elizabeth listened for a moment and then pushed the phone away. The voice belonged to a man she did not know.
The call led investigators to a man named Greg Smith. He was a friend to both Moore and Abraham. Moore had asked him to pretend to be Abraham for the call. Smith believed he was helping reassure the family. When he learned that Abraham was missing, he became uneasy. Investigators later brought him in for questioning, and he agreed to help them gather information.
Online Researchers Uncover Clues
While detectives pursued leads, members of the online community also took interest in the case. Participants at the true crime forum Websleuths began examining property records, public documents, and social media activity. Users such as Cindi Parrott, known on the forum as Sleuthster, and owner Tricia Griffith uncovered details that pointed to Moore. They found that she had moved into Abraham’s home. They found signs of spending that appeared inconsistent with her claims of helping him manage money. Their findings attracted wider attention and helped highlight contradictions in Moore’s statements.
The Investigation Tightens Around Moore
As Greg Smith cooperated with detectives, he recorded conversations with Moore. In one meeting, Smith told her he knew someone who would be willing to claim responsibility for Abraham’s death for a fee. Moore responded with interest rather than alarm. Smith then introduced her to an undercover officer who posed as the supposed fall guy.
On January 25, 2010, Moore led the officer to her home in Plant City. She pointed to a concrete slab in the backyard and said Abraham was buried beneath it. She handed him a revolver and claimed it was the weapon used in the killing. Investigators soon secured a warrant. Two days later, they uncovered human remains under the slab. Forensic examination confirmed the body belonged to Abraham Shakespeare. He was still wearing the clothes seen in a video Moore had recorded on April 6, 2009. Investigators believed that day was the last time he was alive.
The Arrest and the Case Against Moore
On February 2, 2010, authorities arrested Moore. She was first charged as an accessory. On February 19, the charge was elevated to first degree murder. The evidence was extensive. Records showed that every text message from Abraham’s phone after April had been sent from areas near Moore’s phone. Blood was found on a carpet inside one of the homes associated with her. Financial statements revealed she had drained large parts of Abraham’s assets. She purchased luxury vehicles including a Corvette and a Hummer. She went on vacations and invested in various ventures using his funds.
When questioned, she changed her story many times. She blamed drug dealers. She blamed her son. She blamed a man named Ronald. None of the claims aligned with the facts uncovered by detectives.
The Trial and Conviction
Moore’s trial began in late 2012. The prosecution outlined a plan built on deception, manipulation, and financial exploitation. They argued that Moore had targeted Abraham soon after learning of his wealth. They showed that she gained access to his money through manufactured trust. They presented evidence that she attempted to cover her tracks with false text messages, fake phone calls, and staged communications.
Witnesses included investigators, financial experts, and individuals who had interacted with Moore during the months leading up to Abraham’s disappearance. The jury listened to details that painted a picture of a calculated scheme. After hearing the full case, they reached a unanimous verdict. On December 10, 2012, Dorice Donegan Moore was convicted of first degree murder. She received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. She also received an additional twenty five year sentence for using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
She wrote a short letter addressed to Abraham’s relatives. The letter expressed regret yet insisted she had no role in his death.
The Aftermath and Later Appeals
From 2013 through 2025, Moore filed several appeals. She claimed she had been framed by corrupt officers who were influenced by drug dealers. Courts rejected each argument. Investigators reviewed the claims and found no evidence to support them. Her most recent appeal in 2023 raised similar accusations and was also denied.
Moore remains in the Lowell Correctional Institution Annex in Ocala, Florida. She has expressed an interest in advocacy efforts related to the privacy of lottery winners. She argues that winners should have the right to remain anonymous. She claims that if Abraham’s identity had been protected, he might still be alive.
A Life Defined by Kindness and Taken by Greed
Abraham Shakespeare’s life was marked by a willingness to help others. His generosity stemmed from years of hardship and a belief that people deserved a chance to rise. When he gained sudden wealth, he saw it as a way to lift his family and community. He never anticipated how quickly his good intentions would be twisted by others. His story is a reminder that large fortunes can draw risks that few are prepared to face. It is also a lesson on the importance of financial guidance, trusted advisors, and safeguards for individuals who experience sudden wealth.
His mother lost a son. His community lost a man who wanted nothing more than a quiet life. His story remains one of the most striking examples of how money can attract individuals with harmful intentions.
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