The Florida mother disappeared in July 2020, and her body has never been found

NEED TO KNOW

• Shannon Ryan was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2020 murder of Leila Cavett
• Cavett, 21, disappeared in Florida in July 2020, and her body has never been found
• Her family pleaded for answers during Ryan’s sentencing, hoping to learn what happened to Cavett and where her remains are located

More than six years after Leila Cavett disappeared in Florida, the man convicted in her murder has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole as her family continues to wait for answers about what happened to the young mother.

Shannon Ryan, who has described himself as a witch doctor, received the sentence on Friday, Oct. 23, CBS Miami, NBC 6 Miami and the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. A jury found him guilty of second-degree murder in September. Cavett, who was 21 when she vanished in July 2020, has never been found.

During Ryan’s sentencing hearing on Friday, Cavett’s relatives asked him to tell them what happened to her, hoping to finally bring her remains home and give them a proper burial.

“My sister was more than a victim; she was a daughter, a sister, and most importantly, a mother,” her sister, Gina Cavett, said in court, according to CBS Miami.

Her brother, Curtis Cavett Jr., also pressed Ryan for information.

“I want the truth. I want to know what you did to my sister. I want to know where she is,” he said, CBS Miami reported.

Cavett’s son, Camdyn, was also represented at the hearing. He was just 2 years old when he was found wandering alone in Miramar, Florida, shortly after his mother disappeared.

Now 8, Camdyn shared a statement that a victim advocate read aloud in court.

“I don’t remember much about my mom because I was so little,” his statement read, CBS Miami reported. “I wish she was here so we could go to Dollywood and go ride dirt bikes together and eat sushi.”

Ryan, 44, declined to make a statement before the judge handed down the sentence, according to the outlet. He plans to appeal his conviction, per the outlets, and has 30 days to file a motion.

Cavett was visiting South Florida from Georgia when she disappeared. She was last seen on July 25, 2020, and her son was found alone the following day. Her white Chevrolet pickup truck was later discovered in a Walmart parking lot near the border of Miramar and Hollywood, Fla.

With no body recovered, prosecutors relied on circumstantial evidence and surveillance footage to build their case.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Court documents cited in previous reporting described footage that showed Ryan carrying a large garbage bag to a gas station dumpster near where Cavett was last seen. Investigators also said he purchased items including trash bags and carpet odor eliminator around the time of her disappearance.

Ryan also has prior felony convictions in Alabama, including third-degree burglary and unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, which his attorneys argued should not count toward his sentencing designation, according to court documents reviewed by PEOPLE.

#SelfDescribed #Witch #Doctor #Sentenced #Life #Parole #Murder #Missing #Mom