5 chilling details about Lori Leonard's murder
Days before Lori Leonard went missing in May 2005, her ex-boyfriend, Shawn Doyle, had assisted her with a move into a new Chittenango apartment. Leonard, a 33-year-old mother of two, had told her family she was planning to travel to Albany but never returned.
Leonard met Doyle through an online dating site, but ended their relationship due to his temper. Weeks after her disappearance, Leonard's body was discovered inside a toolbox submerged in the Champlain Canal. Duct tape covered her face, and her hands and feet were bound. Investigators eventually linked the box to a key found in Doyle's truck, leading to his arrest.
The case resurfaced nationally through 48 Hours on CBS in the episode Facing a Monster, where survivor C.C. Opanowski recounted how Doyle had previously assaulted her in 1996. Prosecutors used her testimony during Shawn Doyle's trial to establish a pattern of violent behaviour.
Shawn Doyle was convicted of second-degree murder in 2006 and sentenced to 25 years to life. Authorities later rejected his appeal, citing clear evidence of guilt.
5 key details about Lori Leonard's murder explored
1) Lori Leonard's body was found in a submerged toolbox
Three months after Lori Leonard disappeared on May 4, 2005, her body was discovered in a metal toolbox floating in the Champlain Canal, near Hudson Falls, New York. According to a CBS News report dated May 9, 2025, her body was bound with handcuffs and duct tape, and her mouth was covered by both tape and a bandana.
Lori Leonard had also been wrapped in a comforter before being stuffed into the toolbox. Police said that decomposition and the propeller currents of nearby boats eventually caused the weighted box to surface.
2) Shawn Doyle was directly linked to the crime scene by a key
Investigators found a key inside the glove compartment of Shawn Doyle's truck that matched the lock of the toolbox containing Lori Leonard's body. In addition, a search of Doyle's home uncovered matching handcuffs, bandanas, duct tape, and sand tubes similar to those used in the crime, as per CBS News.
The key was a pivotal piece of evidence.
3) Doyle had a known history of violent behaviour
In 1996, Shawn Doyle assaulted his former girlfriend, C.C. Opanowski, years before Lori Leonard's murder. At just 18, she survived a harrowing assault in which Doyle restrained her, screamed threats, and cut off her ponytail with scissors.
As per CBS News, Opanowski later testified that Doyle once held scissors to her throat during the attack.
“I thought he was gonna stab me.”
Her account helped establish a pattern of violent behaviour during Doyle's murder trial.
4) Investigators interviewed over 750 individuals in the case
The scale of the investigation was significant. According to the Oneida Daily Dispatch report dated July 22, 2021, law enforcement conducted more than 750 interviews and followed over 280 leads. The search effort extended from New York City to the Canadian border. The volume of interviews highlighted the case's complexity and urgency, as well as the concern it generated within the community.
5) Doyle was convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life
On January 26, 2006, Shawn Doyle was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life. During the trial, prosecutors called C.C. Opanowski as the final witness to reinforce Doyle's violent pattern.
Doyle's appeal was denied, and his conduct behind bars, including possession of gang-related paraphernalia, was noted in court. He continues to serve his sentence in a New York state correctional facility.
The case is featured in the 48 Hours on CBS episode Facing a Monster, airing May 10, 2025, at 10 pm ET, where survivors and family members recount the long path to justice and the emotional toll of the crime.
