ROCK HILL, S.C. — A man could potentially spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to killing his wife and later burning and burying her body hundreds of miles away from where they lived.
Lawrence Florentine, 56, of Rock Hill, appeared in federal court in South Carolina and pleaded guilty to multiple charges relating to his wife's death, the Department of Justice said on Thursday.
Nicole Florentine, 36, was found dead on June 13, 2020 in a cemetery in Fredonia, Kentucky, according to court documents. She was reported missing by a family member a few days before that and was last known to have been traveling with Lawrence from around June 7 to June 10.
A groundskeeper at the cemetery found Nicole's body buried in a makeshift grave. She was found partially charred with a bullet wound in her head, according to court documents.
Lawrence and Nicole were married in 2018, according to court documents. Investigators learned through family members that the relationship was volatile. Nicole began reporting Lawrence for domestic violence-related issues.
Nicole told authorities that Lawrence physically abused her, and threatened to kill her, burn her, and bury her. Lawrence was arrested twice for these incidents for domestic violence charges, one of which was dismissed.
The couple's Rock Hill home was burned down in a fire that investigators believe Lawrence intentionally committed. He is facing an arson charge in an ongoing case in South Carolina court for this incident.
Lawrence and Nicole were traveling shortly before her body was found in the cemetery. Sale transactions show that Lawrence purchased a shovel and a gas can shortly before Nicole's death. He was seen filling the gas can a short time later on security footage. The can was found at the cemetery.
Lawrence fled from Kentucky and surrendered himself to police in Denver, Colorado on June 23, 2020.
“Domestic violence affects our community in a deep and enduring way,” U.S. Attorney Boroughs said. “And we who serve as federal prosecutors for South Carolina have a duty to use all the tools at our disposal—and leverage our partnerships with local law enforcement and prosecutors—to ensure victims have a viable path to safety and justice. May we honor Nicole’s memory as we work to address and prevent future domestic violence.”
Lawrence faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The date of his sentencing was not yet available on the court's online database.