The information on this web site was obtained from media interviews with Michael Schiavo, court documents, interviews with his former girlfriends and second wife, Jodi Centonze, and largely from his book “Terri: The Truth.”

Background Information

Michael Richard Schiavo led a well publicized 15 year court battle to end Terri Schiavo’s life. In the early morning hours of Feb 25, 1990, Terri collapsed at the age of 26 of unknown causes at the apartment she shared with her husband. The night of her collapse, Michael and Terri had an argument. Terri had told her brother that she wanted to divorce Michael due to his abusive behavior. Several hours after the argument, Terri was unconscious. The only person who witnessed her collapse was Michael. Even though Michael knew CPR, he didn’t administer it to her as she lay on the floor. The collapse left Terri disabled and dependent on a feeding tube for her nourishment. Approximately 30-45 minutes after her collapse, Michael called 9-1-1. Read the St. Petersburg Police report here.

In 1992, Schiavo won over $1 million dollars in a medical malpractice lawsuit against Terri’s doctors. The medical malpractice award was based on Schiavo’s contention that Terri suffered from bulimia, which allegedly resulted in her collapse. The medical examiner proved the bulimia theory to be false. Shortly after he was awarded the money, Schiavo began a multi-year campaign to remove Terri’s feeding tube and stop all medical treatment and therapy. At this time, he began a multi-year affair with the woman he would eventually marry – Jodi Centonze.

Terri Schiavo died on March 31, 2005 due to severe dehydration, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed. The Pinellas County Medical Examiner, Jon R. Thogmartin, labeled her manner of death as “undetermined” in his autopsy report. Dr. Thogmartin said during a press conference that he had never examined a body as dehydrated as Terri’s. He also stated that Terri had an incredibly strong heart, and would have lived for many more years. Michael Schiavo asserted that Terri’s collapse was due to bulimia, an eating disorder. Dr. Thogmartin ruled out bulimia as the cause of Terri’s collapse.

In January 2006, ten months after Terri’s death, Schiavo married the woman, Jodi A. Centonze, with whom he led a 13 year affair and fathered two children. Jodi supported Schiavo’s effort to end Terri’s life. She wrote in Terri: the Truth, “What happened to Terri on that morning in 1990 was God’s will.” Jodi admitted that she didn’t care that Michael Schiavo was married to Terri when she began an affair with him in 1993.

Michael was often asked by the media why he wouldn’t just walk away from the case, and allow Terri’s family to take care of her. He had been living with Jodi since 1995 and had a new family. Why wouldn’t he just walk away and get on with his new life? Many people speculate that he enjoyed the notoriety and the publicity that he received from the case. While Terri was living at Woodside Hospice, he had hired a media consultant and signed up with a talent agency.

In the last several years, Schiavo has practically fallen off the radar screen. He closed down his political action committee, TerriPac, in 2007. His book did not sell well, and he still works at the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Florida as a nurse supervisor earning approximately $70,000 per year. Former Sheriff Everett Rice helped secure Schiavo a job a the jail in October 2004.

Michael is responsible for the recent firing of a nurse that he was attracted to named Diane Cross at the Pinellas County Jail (court document). Schiavo made repeated advances towards Diane in 2005 while Terri was living at Woodside Hospice, and during his engagement to Jodi. Diane Cross ignored Schiavo’s advances, which angered Schiavo. In retaliation, Schiavo instigated a jail investigation on Diane Cross, which ultimately resulted in her termination by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

“Schiavo affirmed on national television (Connie Chung, CNN, 11/4/02) that he is an adulterer and has had a child by his mistress. He made a mockery of his marriage to Terri, dismissing it as “a portion of my life” and that he “got on with” his affairs while still claiming to be a loving husband to Terri. When his counsel offered on this same show a veritable advertisement for adultery, Schiavo sat quietly by in condoning silence.” (Petition to Remove Guardian, 11/15/02)

“When I heard Michael had become a nurse, I’d go to that hospital like I’d go fishing with Scott Peterson.” - Terri Welch in “Silent Witness-The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo’s Death

“He’s an evil, evil, evil man. There is no other word for him. Everything that is around Michael turns bad. Once you get to know the real Michael, you wanted to run, but he would chase you. He is so controlling that he needs to know where you are and who you are talking to all the time.” – Trudy Capone, former girlfriend of Michael Schiavo, in “Silent Witness: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo’s Death.”

Cindy Shook, Schiavo’s former girlfriend, described Michael’s behavior as “stalking, dangerous, and potentionally life-threatening. He could be the most incredibly mean person.” Michael admitted to Cindy that Terri was “ruining my life.” Schiavo stalked Cindy when their relationship broke off. Listen to Cindy Shook describe Schiavo’s behavior in this radio interview (Real Media format).

Radio host Michael Smerconish compared Schiavo to Lord Voldemort, the evil character in the Harry Potter series. Smerconish said that “no one in these high profile political races will invite Schiavo to come into town” when he asked Michael about his political career during a radio interview in 2006.

“Michael Schiavo entered the premises of Sabal Palms Health Care Center in a belligerent manner and caused fear of bodily injury to the staff members and/or residents of Sabal Palm…he did not know what he would do.’ It is Petitioner’s assertion that as a representative of Sabal Palms Health Care Center, her staff is indeed in fear of great bodily harm based upon the actions of Michael Schiavo.” 1994 Motion for Temporary Restraining Order (PDF document)

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