She Was a Secret Informant Against Her Roommate — and Then She Vanished Without a Trace

Authorities in Florida have charged a man with murder months after his roommate, who had been working as a police informant, disappeared from their home. 

Laura Lee Willsey, 57, went missing from her West Palm Beach, Fla., home on July 29, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. 

Police have now charged her 56-year-old roommate Todd Arthur Reichert with murder in connection with her disappearance and presumed death, West Palm Beach authorities said in a statement. Willsey’s body has not been found. 

At the time of her disappearance, Willsey was working as a police informant in a burglary case allegedly involving Reichert and two other men known to Willsey: Michael Ohler and Timothy Smith, the affidavit states.

Ohler and Smith are facing burglary charges but have not been charged in connection with Willsey’s disappearance. Ohler was Willsey’s boyfriend, per police.

Willsey, a mother of three, was first reported missing by her daughter on July 30, police say. 

During the ensuing investigation, investigators learned about the allegedly violent last few hours she endured before she vanished.

Security camera footage from the residence on July 29 evening showed “an extremely volatile argument,” with Reichert at the scene, investigators alleged in the affidavit. At one point, he is seen dragging Willsey as she resists, the affidavit claims.

Later in the investigation, police allegedly found Willsey’s blood in a car Reichert had been driving. A witness present in the home the night of the argument told police they believed Reichert had gotten rid of her body, the affidavit says.

In August, when Reichert was in jail on unrelated charges, he was allegedly heard telling Ohler in a jailhouse call that Willsey had been unfaithful to Ohler, and said, “collateral damage” had been “taken care of,” investigators claimed in the affidavit. 

Now, Willsey’s family wants closure — even if it means a lesser sentence for Reichert if he is convicted. 

“I’d like to see him get the death penalty, but I’d like to know where my sister is. … If we can find her and put her to rest, that’s good enough for me,” Brenda Willsey told The Palm Beach Post.

The victim is being remembered as a courageous and confident woman, who had conviction in herself.

“Her life was ended too short,” Brenda told The Palm Beach Post. “There was more laughter and love to go around for her.”  

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Online court records show Reichert has entered not guilty pleas to charges of murder, burglary, grand theft and possession of burglary tools.

Smith and Ohler both entered not guilty pleas to charges of burglary, grand theft and possession of burglary tools, per court records.

PEOPLE was not able to immediately reach their respective attorneys listed in court dockets.