PA man convicted of murder in insurance scam

Man was one of four who conspired to murder an acquaintance for the proceeds of a $360,000 life insurance policy

PA man convicted of murder in insurance scam

Insurance News

By Ryan Smith

A Pennsylvania man has been convicted of first-degree murder for participating in a scheme to kill a Delaware man for life insurance money.

Ryan Shover, 46, was also convicted of two counts of possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime, insurance fraud and first-degree conspiracy for the murder of Wayne Cappelli in Dover, Del., in 2013.

According to the Department of Justice, Cappelli was attacked with a baseball bat as he walked home from work on Feb. 16, 2013. His body was discovered in a wooded area a few days later. An investigation revealed that three friends – Michael Kman, David Hess and Paul Disabatino – had recently talked Cappelli into taking out a $360,000 life insurance policy, of which Disabatino was the beneficiary. Kman then enlisted Shover to commit the murder in exchange for $30,000 from the insurance benefits.

After the murder, Disabatino and Kman attempted to collect the insurance money, but weren’t successful due to the development of a criminal investigation into Cappelli’s death, according to the DOJ. The money was eventually awarded in trust to Cappelli’s child.

Hess and Disabatino pleaded guilty in January of 2016 to criminally negligent homicide, insurance fraud and conspiracy. Hess was sentenced to five years in jail. Disabatino is still awaiting sentencing. Michael Kman pleaded guilty in December to second-degree murder, insurance fraud and conspiracy, and is awaiting sentencing.


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