Pittsburgh-area woman accused of forging death certificate for husband to get out of construction contract
A Westmoreland County woman forged a death certificate for her husband in an attempt to get out of a construction contract, the district attorney's office announced on Tuesday.
Westmoreland County detectives said their investigation into 54-year-old Lori Shawley of Derry Township began after a North Carolina-based company reached out to the coroner's office about a suspicious death certificate.
Investigators said the business was hired by Shawley in July to deliver and build a $14,800 carport with a required deposit of nearly $2,800. Detectives said that under the contract, no refunds would be issued if the order was canceled.
The business told detectives that Shawley contacted them in August, saying her husband died unexpectedly, and to help pay for funeral expenses, she needed to cancel the construction and get a refund.
Per the contract, the company requested a death certificate. Shawley allegedly sent an image of a death certificate dated Aug. 8, 2025. But detectives said the document the company received appeared to be computer generated, so a representative reached out to the Westmoreland County coroner's office.
The coroner's office confirmed it wasn't a valid document, and on Sept. 10, detectives said they spoke with Shawley's husband, who "identified himself and verified he is still alive."
Shawley is facing two felony charges of forgery and one felony count of theft by deception.