A man and a woman were arrested Monday and charged in connection with the death of their landlord and then living with the body for an additional two weeks.
- Landlord, 69, shot in her Clearwater home Feb. 5
- Police arrested Lawrence Edward Cannon, 42, and Jennifer Elam, 44 in Mary Ring's death
- Authorities said the duo lived with Ring's body for an additional two weeks
According to Clearwater police, Lawrence Edward Cannon, 42, and Jennifer Elam, 44, are facing charges after 69-year-old Mary Ring was shot and killed in her home at 1132 Engman Street in the hours after the Super Bowl February 5.
Police said all three lived at the Engman Street address. Cannon and Elam were tenants. An investigation began after authorities came to the home Monday to perform a welfare check on Ring.
Mary Ring (Photo: Clearwater Police)
Cannon told detectives that he shot Ring in the early morning hours after the Super Bowl. Cannon and Elam told detectives they spent the last two weeks trying to figure out how to dispose of Ring's body, which had been kept in the house since she was killed.
Sgt. Mike Ogliaruso said the couple wrapped Ring in her bedding and left her in a room with the air conditioning on.
"It was packaged using package tape in such a way that once the crime was committed they simply wrapped her in what her bedding was and taped it, we believe they used some other, maybe a shower curtain, we're still confirming that, and wrapped her in that as well, left the air conditioner on in the room and closed the door," he said.
It is unclear how long Cannon and Elam lived at the home or why Ring was shot.
Cannon has been charged with first-degree murder.
Elam has been charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
Both were booked into the Pinellas County Jail Monday afternoon.