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Murder of Michelle Schofield

Lakeland · Florida · United States · 1987

Content note

  • The public record for this case describes violence in specific detail.

Michelle Schofield was killed in Lakeland in February 1987. Husband Leo was convicted in 1989; he maintains innocence. Car fingerprints later matched Jeremy Scott, who confessed then recanted. Leo was paroled in 2024; the conviction stands.

Timeline· 17 entries

A dated record of reported developments and proceedings.

Showing 15 of 17

Entries linked to a court, prosecutor, police, or government source.

1987

  1. Feb 24 1987

    Disappearance, investigation event

    Michelle Schofield last seen after leaving work

    Court documentcase-law.vlex.com

  2. Feb 25 1987

    Discovery, investigation event

    Michelle Schofield's abandoned car found on I-4

    Court documentcase-law.vlex.com

  3. Feb 27 1987

    Death reported, investigation event

    PrintThe LedgerView clipping on Newspapers.com

1988

  1. Jun 23 1988

    Charges filed, court event

    PrintThe Tampa TribuneView clipping on Newspapers.com

1989

  1. Mar 22 1989

    Verdict, court event

    PrintThe LedgerView clipping on Newspapers.com

2003

  1. Dec 12 2003

    Appeal, court event

    2d DCA opinion in Schofield v. State (DNA-testing appeal reversed and remanded)

    Court documentSource

2004

  1. Dec 26 2004

    Discovery, investigation event

    FDLE report matches fingerprints in Michelle Schofield's car to Jeremy Lynn Scott

    Court documentcase-law.vlex.com

2009

  1. Aug 28 2009

    Appeal, court event

    2d DCA remands fingerprint newly-discovered-evidence claim for evidentiary hearing (Schofield v. State, 32 So.3d 90)

    Court documentcase-law.vlex.com

2011

  1. Jul 1 2011

    Appeal, court event

    2d DCA affirms denial of fingerprint-based new-trial motion (Schofield v. State, 67 So.3d 1066)

    Court documentcase-law.vlex.com

2012

  1. Jun 18 2012

    Appeal, court event

    Florida Supreme Court declines discretionary review (SC11-1932)

    Court documentflcourts-media.flcourts.gov

2017

  1. Jan 1 2017

    Motion filed, court event

    Date estimated

    Rule 3.850 motion filed based on Jeremy Scott confession claims

    Court documentcase-law.vlex.com

  2. Oct 12 2017

    Hearing, court event

    PrintTampa Bay TimesView clipping on Newspapers.com

2018

  1. May 9 2018

    Motion filed, court event

    Judge Abdoney denies new trial; finds Scott confession not credible

    News reporttheledger.com

2020

  1. May 27 2020

    Appeal, court event

    2d DCA affirms denial of confession-based new-trial motion (Schofield v. State, 311 So.3d 918)

    Court documentcase-law.vlex.com

2023

  1. May 3 2023

    Parole hearing, court event

    Florida parole authorities deny immediate release; order transitional program

    News reportlkldnow.com

The source labels — court document, agency release, news report — say where an entry's source sits, not how reliable it is. What each label means

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