LAKELAND, Fla., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Missing $31 million Florida Lotto winner Abraham Shakespeare has likely died under suspicious circumstances, police said Wednesday.
Polk County, Fla., Sheriff Grady Judd said Shakespeare, last seen in April, probably met "an untimely death" under "sinister" circumstances and he is treating the case as a homicide, The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger reported.
Shakespeare, 43, of Lakeland, was reported missing by a cousin on Nov. 9. Judd described a woman who befriended him, Dorice "DeeDee" Moore, as a "person of interest" in his disappearance.
He told The Ledger that while detectives are still hoping to hear from Shakespeare, the fact he didn't contact his family during the holidays was not a good sign.
The newspaper said Moore claims to be writing a book about Shakespeare and asserts they went into hiding together to avoid people who began asking Shakespeare for money after he took his $17 million lump-sum payout for winning a Florida Lotto jackpot in November 2006.
Moore reportedly drew suspicion because of her financial dealings with Shakespeare, even though she has put up a $10,000 reward for his return.
