5 key details about Abraham Shakespeare's murder

Abraham Shakespeare had thought that destiny had finally moved in his favor when he won a $30 million lottery jackpot in Florida, drastically changing his life. Little did he know that neither he nor his massive sum of money would survive even three years. The money became the reason Shakespeare was brutally murdered and disposed of in a scheme that remains shrouded in mystery.

The case will be covered in the upcoming episode of 20/20, which premieres on Friday, April 18, 2025, on ABC at 9 pm EST. A brief synopsis for the episode, as revealed by ABC News, reads:

"In 2006, Abraham Shakespeare won $30 million in the Florida lottery, and he was generous with his winnings, helping friends and family pay off mortgages and, oftentimes, giving money to those who needed it, including strangers. But three years after his windfall, Shakespeare mysteriously vanishes. Police searched for a killer and identified Dorice “Dee Dee” Moore as a person of interest."

Ahead of the episode, let us go over some of the key details in the case, which make it a standout one.

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5 key details about the murder of Abraham Shakespeare

1) Abraham Shakespeare was too helpful for his own good

Previously, a day laborer who did not even finish high school, it was nothing short of a miracle when Abraham Shakespeare won a $30 million lottery jackpot in Florida, receiving a $17 million payout in 2006. However, he did not know how to use his money well and ended up giving money to friends, family, and even strangers, significantly diminishing the wealth he had.

In this process, he also let Dee Dee Moore, a woman who came on the pretext of writing a book about him, have unlimited access to his money.

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2) Abraham Shakespeare fought in court for his lottery money after being sued by his co-worker, Michael Ford

Abraham Shakespeare brought the lottery tickets with Michael Ford's money, who offered to buy him a soda, but he asked for the tickets instead. When the lottery was won, Michael Ford demanded that he be paid at least $1 million.

When Shakespeare refused, Michael took him to court but lost the case. Michael Ford became one of the primary suspects when Abraham Shakespeare disappeared.

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3) Dee Dee Moore showed suspicious signs from before Abraham Shakespeare disappeared

Dee Dee Moore met Shakespeare for a completely different reason, but soon became his financial advisor. Reports claim that the ownership of Shakespeare's home and most of his assets were transferred to American Medical Professionals, Moore's company.

In 2009, she also bought two very expensive cars and reportedly started living a lavish lifestyle. Later that year, Shakespeare was reported missing.

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4) Dee Dee Moore went to great lengths to ensure that everyone believed Shakespeare was still alive

Shakespeare was not reported missing till November of that year. This was because Dee Dee Moore tried a lot of things to ensure everyone thought he was alive. She spread a narrative that he wanted to get away, and it wasn't entirely unbelievable that a millionaire would take a vacation away by himself. Moreover, she kept his phone active and texted his friends and relatives.

She also paid a friend of Shakespeare's to call his mother and pretend to be him. When she felt the authorities closing in, she decided to pay someone to take the blame for the murder.

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5) The police conducted an undercover operation to arrest Dee Dee Moore

As Moore was quite careful in what she said and did, the police ultimately got to Gregory Smith, who was also the one who had talked to Shakespeare's mother. He admitted that she had asked if he knew someone who would take the blame for the murder in exchange for money.

A police officer went undercover, pretending to be Smith's cousin, and accepted the offer. She went on to show where the body was hidden and handed over the murder weapon to Smith, which ultimately ensured she got the punishment for the crime.

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The upcoming episode of 20/20 will cover this case in further detail.