Greensburg, PA -- Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announces the guilty plea of a Derry Township woman who was charged with forging her husband's death certificate. 

Lori Shawley, 54, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two felony counts of forgery after she was charged by Westmoreland County Detectives in September. 

Common Pleas Judge Michael Stewart sentenced Shawley to serve five years of probation including a year of house arrest. 

Shawley was attempting to deceive a North-Carolina based business into issuing a refund for the construction of a carport. 

Detectives were contacted by the Westmoreland County Coroner's Office after the North Carolina business shared concerns over a fictitious death certificate received by a local woman.

The business sells and distributes metal garages, carports and related structures, according to county detective Ray Dupilka. 

The business was hired by Shawley in July of 2025 to deliver and construct a $14,800 carport on her Derry Township property with a required partial deposit of $2,790. 

In August, the out-of-state business told detectives that they were contacted by Shawley and advised the company that her husband died unexpectedly, and she needed to cancel the construction of the carport and requested a return of her deposit to help pay for funeral expenses.

The company requested a copy of the death certificate in order to process the refund. 

Shawley provided the business with an image of a death certificate, dated August 8, 2025. 

Upon review of the document, the company's representative believed it was computer generated and subsequently contacted the Westmoreland County Coroner's Office resulting in the criminal investigation. 

Detectives spoke with Shawley's husband who identified himself and verified he is still alive.