Resolved case
Rock Hill, South Carolina
•
2020-06-09
•
wife
She had the most infectious, beautiful smile and a laugh that could make almost anyone laugh along with her.
Fatal-Interstate-Domestic-Violence
Firearm-Homicide
Corpse-Desecration
Prior-911-Calls
Intimate-Partner-Arson
Federal-Prosecution
VAWA-Statute-Interpretation
South-Carolina
Kentucky
Life and memory
Born on November 23, 1983, Nicole Rene Florentine (née Zahnd) was a resident of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and a devoted mother to four children—one daughter and three sons. To those who knew her best, Nicole was a woman deeply anchored by her family, sharing an especially close and consistent bond with her beloved maternal grandparents.
In 2018, Nicole married Lawrence Florentine, but her marriage quickly became defined by escalating domestic terror. Nicole courageously attempted to seek protection, making multiple emergency 911 calls to York County law enforcement to report the ongoing abuse. Tragically, despite her efforts to navigate these dangerous circumstances, her life was cut short when she was killed by her husband during an interstate trip in June 2020.
Because Nicole maintained such regular contact with her family, her grandmother realized something was terribly wrong and filed the missing person report when their communication abruptly ceased. During the suspect's sentencing, the court heavily emphasized the profound cruelty of Nicole's loss, noting how her family was not only robbed of a future with her, but also deprived of a clear timeline surrounding her final days and the peace of properly mourning her remains.
Fatal incident
Between June 3 and June 10, 2020, Nicole and Lawrence Florentine were traveling together by car through North and South Carolina, last seen together in Piedmont, South Carolina. On or about June 9, 2020, Lawrence shot Nicole in the head with a .22 caliber firearm. Following her death, Lawrence drove to Caldwell County, Kentucky. On June 11, 2020, he purchased a shovel and a gas can for $21.99 from a local hardware store, complaining to the clerk about the price before filling the container at a nearby gas station. He transported Nicole's body to Hill Cemetery in Fredonia, Kentucky, where he used the gasoline to set her remains on fire in an attempt to hide her identity and obstruct justice, leaving her in a shallow makeshift grave. Her charred remains were discovered on June 13, 2020, by a cemetery groundskeeper.
Aftermath
Following the discovery of Nicole's body, Lawrence Florentine abandoned his car—which was later recovered with traces of Nicole's blood and matching shell casings—and fled to Denver, Colorado, where he surrendered to police on June 23, 2020. In 2022, Lawrence sought to dismiss state-level murder charges in Kentucky by arguing a lack of state jurisdiction. In response, local prosecutors and the Greenville County Sheriff's Office deferred to federal authorities, resulting in a four-count federal grand jury indictment.
On October 17, 2023, Lawrence pleaded guilty to interstate domestic violence resulting in death, use of a firearm to cause death, obstruction of justice, and use of fire during a felony. On April 10, 2024, U.S. District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced him to 360 months (30 years) in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release and $5,800 in restitution. Lawrence appealed the use-of-fire charge, and on August 7, 2025, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in his favor regarding that specific legal interpretation; however, the panel denied a resentencing hearing, preserving his full 30-year prison term. Separate state arson charges remain pending in South Carolina regarding the May 2020 house fire.
Prevention context
This case highlights distinct system gaps and critical warning signs common in fatal domestic escalation:
• The "Playbook" Warning Sign: The suspect overtly detailed his exact intent—threatening to kill, burn, and bury the victim months before committing the act. This emphasizes the vital need for high-risk lethality assessments by law enforcement when suspects detail specific methods of violence.
• Intimate Partner Arson: Less than a month before her murder, the suspect intentionally burned down the victim's home and destroyed her belongings, an extreme act of coercive control and property destruction that serves as an indicator for impending lethal violence.
• Victim Retraction and Dismissal: One of the suspect's two prior domestic violence arrests was dismissed prior to the homicide, noted as being "at least in part, at Nicole's request." This underscores the immense pressure, fear, or systemic barriers victims face that lead them to request drop-charges, pointing to a need for evidence-based, victim-centered prosecution that does not rely solely on a victim's active participation when severe lethality indicators are present.
Court records and public filings
Public filings, police reports, court dockets, and related records help establish what is documented, what remains disputed, and where warnings were recorded.
Police or incident report
Kentucky State Police Post 2 Detective Key in Prosecution of Caldwell Co. Death Investigation
Confirms the name of the cemetery (Hill Cemetery in Fredonia), provides the legal middle name of the victim (Rene), and details the specific price of the gas can ($21.99) that linked the suspect to the scene.
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Kentucky State Police Post 2 Detective Key in Prosecution of Caldwell Co. Death Investigation
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Additional evidence and source material
Some materials do not fit neatly into one category but still belong in the documentary record of the case.
Document or transcript
TranscriptFlorentine
Florentine Plea Bargains
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Other record
Fourth Circuit Denies Resentencing for Man Convicted of Burning His (Former) Spouse's Corpse - FindLaw
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Fourth Circuit Denies Resentencing for Man Convicted of Burning His (Former) Spouse's Corpse - FindLaw
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News report
Rock Hill Man Sentenced for Interstate Domestic Violence Resulting in the Death of Wife
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Rock Hill Man Sentenced for Interstate Domestic Violence Resulting in the Death of Wife
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News report
SC man faces life in prison after wife's burned body found in 'makeshift' grave: officials
Lawrence was arrested twice on domestic violence charges, but one of those was dismissed, according to officials. That charge was dismissed at Nicole's request before her death, officials say.
On May 23, 2020, Lawrence and Nicole's home was destroyed by a fire that he started, officials say. Lawrence sent text messages and videos to Nicole while the home was burning to show that he did it on purpose, according to officials.
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SC man faces life in prison after wife's burned body found in 'makeshift' grave: officials
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