South Carolina man sentenced for 2020 murder of wife found in Fredonia cemetery

A South Carolina man was sentenced in federal court for the 2020 murder of his wife, whose remains were found in a Caldwell County cemetery.

Lawrence Joseph Florentine was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for interstate domestic violence resulting in his wife’s death. 

In June of 2020, a groundskeeper at Hill Cemetery in Fredonia found human remains in a shallow grave. Caldwell County detectives said the female body was partially charred, and a gas can was found nearby. Later, an autopsy revealed that Nicole Florentine was killed by a .22 caliber bullet to the head.

The investigation showed that beginning in 2019, Nicole Florentine made multiple 911 calls in South Carolina, reporting that her husband had physically abused her and threatened her life. Lawrence was arrested twice for domestic violence charges. 

In May of 2020, police said the Florentines' South Carolina home was destroyed by fire, and Lawrence sent text messages indicating he intentionally set the fire to destroy Nicole’s belongings. 

Two days before the body was found, witnesses reported seeing Lawrence’s car near the Fredonia cemetery, and a store clerk confirmed Lawrence bought a gas can and shovel. Security footage reportedly showed him filling the gas can.

Lawrence was arrested a few weeks later in Denver, Colorado.

Last October, Florentine pleaded guilty in federal court in South Carolina to interstate domestic violence resulting in death, use of a firearm to cause death, obstruction of justice, and use of fire during the commission of a felony.