Bio

Richard Earl Shere Jr. was born on July 7, 1966. He grew up in Florida, where he spent most of his early life. Not much is publicly known about his childhood. There are limited details about his family background or the environment he was raised in.

As he grew older, Shere formed friendships that would have a significant impact on his life. One of his friends was Drew Snyder. They were part of a social circle that included other young men. It appears that Shere and Snyder had shared interests typical of young people, but further specifics about their activities remain unclear.

Shere became acquainted with firearms during his youth. It is likely that this exposure to weapons shaped his later actions. The area where Shere lived had a culture of hunting and gun ownership, which could have contributed to his comfort with firearms.

Murder Story

Richard Earl Shere Jr. committed the murder of Drew Snyder on December 25, 1987, in Hernando County, Florida. Shere and his accomplice, Bruce Demo, were involved in the crime. According to reports, they approached Snyder under the pretense of going hunting. During this outing, Shere claimed that Demo shot Snyder with a .22-caliber rifle.

Drew Snyder was reported missing soon after the murder. On January 13, 1988, police spoke with Shere as he was a friend of the victim. Shere voluntarily talked to the police and pointed them to different locations connected to the murder. He stated that after Demo threatened him, they coerced Snyder into going with them. Shere claimed that he left his rifle on the roof of the car, and it was Demo who took the gun and shot Snyder multiple times.

Demo later gave a different account, accusing Shere of firing the initial shots. Both men then disposed of Snyder's body by burying it after loading it into the trunk of Shere's car. They also tried to mislead investigators by removing some of Snyder's belongings to imply that he had left town quickly.

Shere was arrested on January 15, 1988, and was indicted for first-degree murder on February 2, 1988. After a trial, he was found guilty of the murder on April 21, 1989. The jury recommended the death penalty, and Shere was sentenced to death on April 17, 1989.

The legal process continued for several years, with Shere filing various appeals against his conviction and sentence. However, the Florida Supreme Court confirmed his conviction and denied his motions in subsequent hearings.