Dorice "Dee Dee" Donegan Moore (mugshot)

Dorice “Dee Dee” Donegan Moore is charged with first degree murder in the death of lottery winning millionaire Abraham Shakespeare.  She is currently behind bars in the Hillsborough County Jail.  Investigators acted quickly on a lead that Abraham’s body could be buried on the property adjacent to the home where Moore lived.

Abraham Shakespeare was a truck driver’s assistant who hit the $31 million jackpot in the Florida lottery in 2006.  He spent modestly, only purchasing a Nissan Altima, a $1 million home in a gated community and a used Rolex from a pawn shop.  Shakespeare told people he was on a budget and wanted to help the poor.  He often lent money to friend and strangers, and ultimately, just wanted to be happy.  Sadly, Shakespeare hasn’t been seen since April 2009.  His mother told investigators she last spoke to him in February 2009, but he wasn’t reported missing until November 2009.  In speaking with Investigator Wood from the Polk County Sheriff’s office, she has confirmed to me that Dorice Donegan “Dee Dee” Moore is a person of interest in this case.  According to police, Moore is believed to have offered to give away a home worth approximately $200,000 in exchange for the recipient making a false report to law enforcement regarding an alleged recent sighting of Shakespeare.

Moore claims she helped Shakespeare disappear so he could get away from money hungry people. Investigators say she paid one of Shakespeare’s relatives $5,000.00 to hand deliver a birthday card containing cash to Shakespeare’s mother in an effort to make her think the card was from him. 

Here is a summary of the press conference earlier this month: A little after 5 p.m. this evening, Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee says detectives arrested Dorice Donegan Moore in Eastern Hillsborough County as she was driving her truck on State Road 39.  According to the probable cause affidavit between April 6 and 7, 2009 at an unknown hour, Abraham Shakespeare was murdered.

Sheriff Gee says Moore arranged for an undisclosed witness to use a backhoe to dig a hole which was to be used for burying construction debris at her residence.  She later had the worker come back to fill the in the hole.  The witness identified the area where Shakespeare was found as the place he was asked to dig a hole.

Sheriff Gee says Moore wrote a letter to the victim’s mother in December 2009 in the guise of Abraham claiming to be alright.  She also used Abraham’s cell phone to send messages to friends and family with the same claims. On December 27, 2009 Moore had an undisclosed witness pretend to be Abraham and make a phone call to Shakespeare’s mother claiming, once again, to be okay.  Moore later admitted to detectives that she took steps to ensure others would believe the victim was still alive. Between December 29, 2009 and January 21, 2010, Moore approached an undisclosed witness asking if he knew of anyone awaiting sentencing that would be willing to take responsibility for the killing of Abraham Shakespeare in exchange for $50,000.  She then told the witness that he and an accomplice would have to dig up the body and move it to another location.

On January 25, 2010, Moore met with a witness and gave him a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver and told him it was the weapon that killed Abraham Shakespeare.  Sheriff Gee says that on the same day, Moore showed the witness the concrete slab where Abraham was buried.  It was agreed that the body would be exhumed at 8 p.m.  She then told the witness she would leave a truck to transport the body, and gave him the keys. Moore showed the witness the contents of the trailer she had purchased which included a trough, bleach, gloves, and plastic sheeting.  Moore admitted to detectives she had purchased bags of lime to spread over the body when it was buried.  On January 28, 2010, Abraham Shakespeare’s body was located and positively identified through fingerprints.  The medical examiner’s office determined the death to be a violent homicide.  This case involved not only the murder of Abraham Shakespeare, but also the possible fraud involving his fortune which is still under investigation.

It is thought that Abraham was murdered inside Moore’s single story ranch house.  Sheriff Gee says, “We will seek justice for [Shakespeare] and will find all players involved, whether directly with the murder, or with the theft of his lottery winnings.  We will get to all these things.”

Dorice Donegan (booking photo)

Dorice “Dee Dee” Donegan Moore was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact regarding a first degree murder in the death of missing lottery winner Abraham Shakespeare. At this point, no one has been charged with Shakespeare’s murder, but investigators are combing through evidence and moving forward in this case.  Investigators acted quickly on a lead that Abraham’s body could be buried on the adjacent property to the home where Moore lived, and last night Hillsborough County Sherriff David Gee held a press conference and read from the probable cause affidavit. 

This is a summary of the notes provided at the press conference: A little after 5 p.m. this evening Hillsborough County Sherriff David Gee says detectives arrested Dorice Donegan Moore in Eastern Hillsborough County as she was driving her truck on State Road 39, and taken to jail.  The probable cause affidavit, between April 6-7, 2009 at an unknown hour Abraham Shakespeare was murdered.  Sheriff Gee says Moore arranged for a undisclosed witness to use a backhoe to dig a hole and bury construction debris at her residence, and later had him come back to fill in the hole.  The witness identified the area where Shakespeare was found as the place he was asked to dig a hole.  Sheriff Gee says Moore wrote a letter to the victim’s mother in December 2009 claiming to be Abraham and to be alright, she also used Abraham’s cell phone to send messages to friends and family claiming she was him and claiming to be okay.  On December 27, 2009 Moore had an undisclosed witness make a phone call to Shakespeare’s mother claiming to be okay.  Moore later admitted to detectives that she took steps to ensure the victim was still alive.  Between December 28, 2009 – January 21, 2010, Moore approached an undisclosed witness, and asked if he knew of anyone that he know was awaiting sentencing to prison and would be willing to admit to the killing of Abraham Shakespeare in exchange for $50,000.00.  She then told the witness and he and another person would have to dig up the body and move it to another location.  On January 25, 2010, Moore met with a witness and gave him a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver and told him it was the weapon that killed Abraham Shakespeare.  Sheriff Gee says Moore the same day took the witness and showed him the concrete slab where Abraham was buried, she then placed a steel bar on the slab, and it was agreed the body would be removed from the grave at 8 p.m.  She then told the witness she would leave a truck to transport the body, she then gave the keys to the witness.  Moore then showed the witness the contents in the trailer she had purchased to include a troth, bleach, gloves, and plastic sheeting.  Moore than admitted to detectives she purchased bags of lime to cover over top of the body when it was buried.  On January 28, 2010, Abraham Shakespeare’s body was located and he was positively identified through fingerprints.  The medical examiner’s office determined the death to be homicidal violence.  This case involved not only the murder of Abraham Shakespeare, but also the fraud involving what happened to his fortune, and that is a complex part of the investigation that they will get to.  Investigators feel he was murdered inside the house, a single story ranch house.

Remembering Abraham Shakespeare

Sherriff Gee says, “We will seek justice for him and we will find out all the players whether they were involved directly in the murder, or the theft of his lottery winnings, we will get to all those things.”

BACKGROUND: Abraham was a truck driver’s assistant who hit the $30 million jackpot in the Florida lottery in 2006.  He spend modestly, and only purchased a Nissan Altima, a $1 million home in a gated community, and a used Rolex from a pawn shop.  He often lent money to friends and strangers, but ultimately he just wanted to be happy.  Shakespeare would tell people he was on a budget, and wanted to help the poor.  Sadly, Shakespeare wasn’t seen since April 2009.  His mother told investigators she spoke to him last in February 2009, but he wasn’t reported missing until November 2009.  I spoke with Investigator Wood from the Polk County Sheriff’s office, and she confirms they have named Dorice Donegan “DeeDee” Moore of Florida a person of interest in this case.  According to police, Moore is believed to have offered to give away a home work approximately $200,000 in exchange for making a false report to law enforcement regarding an alleged recent sighting of Shakespeare.

Moore is a woman who claims she helped Shakespeare disappear so he could get away from money hungry people, and investigators also say she paid one of Shakespeare’s relatives $5,000.00 to hand deliver a birthday card with cash to Shakespeare’s mom.  This was an effort to make his mother think the card was from him.  Moore now lives in the house Shakespeare once owned.  If you have any additional information, please contact Crimestoppers: 

(800) 226-TIPS

Abraham Shakespeare (lottery winner)

Police say they’ve found human remains inside the home of Dorice Donegan’s boyfriend, and now they confirm those remains are in fact missing lottery winner Abraham Shakespeare.  The body was found in Plant City, FL buried under concrete. Investigator Wood with the Polk County Sheriff’s office told me a few weeks ago they named Dorice Donegan “Dee Dee” Moore of Florida an official person of interest in this case, but she has not been charged. A tip lead them to the area of where her current boyfriend lives.  An official cause of death will be determined, and this case looks like it is shifting toward a murder investigation.

Abraham was a truck driver’s assistant who hit the $30 million jackpot in the Florida lottery in 2006.  He spend modestly, and only purchased a Nissan Altima, a $1 million home in a gated community, and a used Rolex from a pawn shop.  He often lent money to friends and strangers, but ultimately he just wanted to be happy.  Shakespeare would tell people he was on a budget, and wanted to help the poor.  Sadly, Shakespeare hasn’t been seen since April 2009.  His mother told investigators she spoke to him last in February 2009, but he wasn’t reported missing until November 2009.  I spoke with Investigator Wood from the Polk County Sheriff’s office, and she confirms they have named Dorice Donegan “DeeDee” Moore of Florida a person of interest in this case.  According to a press release, “Detectives say Moore began using Shakespeare’s cell phone in April 2009 to text Shakespeare’s relatives and friends in an effort to have them believe it was Shakespeare attempting to contact them… in addition, Moore is believed to have offered to give away a home work approximately $200,000 in exchange for making a false report to law enforcement regarding an alleged recent sighting of Shakespeare.

Dee Dee Moore (facebook photo)

Moore is a woman who claims she helped Shakespeare disappear so he could get away from money hungry people, and investigators also say she paid one of Shakespeare’s relatives $5,000.00 to hand deliver a birthday card with cash to Shakespeare’s mom.  This was an effort to make his mother think the card was from him.  Moore now lives in the house Shakespeare once owned.  Shakespeare did not contact his mother or family on Christmas, and police are fearing the worst. 

Answers are still needed… Investigators need your leads.

If you have any information, please contact Crimestoppers:  (800) 226-TIPS

Abraham Shakespeare missing

Abraham was a truck driver’s assistant who hit the $30 million jackpot in the Florida lottery in 2006.  He spend modestly, and only purchased a Nissan Altima, a $1 million home in a gated community, and a used Rolex from a pawn shop.  He often lent money to friends and strangers, but ultimately he just wanted to be happy.  Shakespeare would tell people he was on a budget, and wanted to help the poor.  Sadly, Shakespeare hasn’t been seen since April 2009.  His mother told investigators she spoke to him last in February 2009, but he wasn’t reported missing until November 2009.  I spoke with Investigator Wood from the Polk County Sheriff’s office, and she confirms they have named Dorice Donegan “DeeDee” Moore of Florida a person of interest in this case.  According to a press release, “Detectives say Moore began using Shakespeare’s cell phone in April 2009 to text Shakespeare’s relatives and friends in an effort to have them believe it was Shakespeare attempting to contact them… in addition, Moore is believed to have offered to give away a home work approximately $200,000 in exchange for making a false report to law enforcement regarding an alleged recent sighting of Shakespeare.”

"DeeDee" facebook picture

Moore is a woman who claims she helped Shakespeare disappear so he could get away from money hungry people, and investigators also say she paid one of Shakespeare’s relatives $5,000.00 to hand deliver a birthday card with cash to Shakespeare’s mom.  This was an effort to make his mother think the card was from him.  Moore now lives in the house Shakespeare once owned.  Shakespeare did not contact his mother or family on Christmas, and police are fearing the worst. 

We need to help his family find answers.  If you have any information, please contact: 863-534 -6379 or Crimestoppers:  (800) 226-TIPS