Clearwater PD: Couple Hid Body of Alleged Murder Victim for Two Weeks

A Clearwater couple are facing charges relating to the murder of their landlord after authorities say the duo slew her and spent two weeks determining how to dispose of the body.

Lawrence Edward Cannon and Jennifer Dianne Elam were arrested last Monday after officers of the Clearwater Police Department discovered the bullet-ridden body of Mary Ring in her home. According to authorities, Cannon, 42, and Elam, 45, were thought to be Ring’s caretakers by neighbors in addition to being her tenants. However, those same neighbors became suspicious when they had not seen the 69-year-old Ring in several days. Rather than seeing her, they told authorities that they witnessed Cannon and Elam carrying her belongings and driving her vehicle.

According to a spokesperson, Clearwater PD officers visited the home on February 19 at the urging of an anonymous caller fearing for Ring’s safety. However, it appeared that nobody was home at the time.

A second anonymous caller told police that he or she believed that foul play had occurred in the home, and that is when police say they discovered Ring’s body. They estimate that she was killed on February 5.

Cannon and Elam were arrested on February 20 and booked into the Pinellas County Jail at about ten minutes past eleven o’clock that evening. Cannon’s only prior criminal record involves two drug misdemeanors fourteen years ago. He’s being held without bail on one charge of first-degree murder.

Elam, who turned 45 last Sunday, is charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. She posted a $25,000 bond and was released Sunday afternoon.

The Law Offices of Bjorn Brunvand have been representing people charged with capital murder, felony drug charges, drunk driving, government fraud, and white-collar crimes for over a quarter century. Contact our office today to discuss your Tampa Bay-area state or federal charges.