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Murder of Michelle Schofield

SOLVED1987Lakeland, Florida (body found in a canal in the Bone Valley area)3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Michelle Saum Schofield, born December 8, 1968, lived in Central Florida with her husband, Leo Schofield. On February 24, 1987, she failed to return home from her job at a restaurant in Lakeland, Florida. Three days later, her body was discovered in a canal in the Bone Valley area of Central Florida. An examination determined that she had been stabbed multiple times.

Leo Schofield, her husband, was subsequently charged in connection with her death and was convicted of her murder in 1988. He was incarcerated for thirty-six years following his conviction. Throughout his imprisonment, Leo Schofield maintained that he was innocent of the crime.

The case drew renewed public attention decades later through media coverage. A podcast titled "Bone Valley," created by writer Gilbert King for the production company Lava for Good, examined the case and was released in late 2022. The case was also the subject of an ABC News television segment, "Last Seen in Lakeland," which aired as part of the 20/20 program on September 23, 2022.

In the years following this renewed attention, Leo Schofield sought parole. He was denied parole in May 2023, with a subsequent review scheduled for March 2024. At the 2024 parole hearing, Leo Schofield was granted parole and was released on April 30, 2024.

Key facts

Victims
Michelle Saum Schofield
Date
1987
Location
Lakeland, Florida (body found in a canal in the Bone Valley area)
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1968-12-08

    Michelle Saum Schofield is born.

  2. 1987-02-24

    Michelle Schofield does not return home from her job at a restaurant in Lakeland, Florida.

  3. 1987-02-27

    Her body is found in a canal in Bone Valley; she had been stabbed multiple times.

  4. 1988

    Leo Schofield is convicted of her murder.

  5. 2022-09-23

    ABC's 20/20 airs an episode on the case titled "Last Seen in Lakeland."

  6. 2022

    The podcast "Bone Valley," created by Gilbert King for Lava for Good, is released.

  7. 2023-05

    Leo Schofield is denied parole; another review is scheduled for March 2024.

  8. 2024-04-30

    Leo Schofield is granted parole and released from prison.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • Leo Schofield

    CONVICTED

    Husband of Michelle Schofield; convicted of her murder in 1988, served thirty-six years, maintained innocence throughout, and was paroled and released in April 2024.

  • Michelle Saum Schofield

    VICTIM

    American woman found stabbed to death in a canal in Bone Valley, Florida, in February 1987.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Lakeland, Florida (body found in a canal in the Bone Valley area)

28.0395, -81.9498

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Michelle Schofield, a Lakeland, Florida restaurant worker, disappeared on February 24, 1987, and was found stabbed to death in a canal three days later. Her husband, Leo Schofield, was convicted of her murder in 1988 and served thirty-six years in prison while maintaining his innocence before being paroled in 2024.
Where did the murder happen?
Lakeland, Florida (body found in a canal in the Bone Valley area).
Who was convicted?
Leo Schofield (Husband of Michelle Schofield; convicted of her murder in 1988, served thirty-six years, maintained innocence throughout, and was paroled and released in April 2024.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Florida

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Michelle SchofieldWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The New York TimesThe New York Times · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — ABC NewsABC News · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 10, 2026