Boyfriend Arrested After ‘Kind’ NY Nursing Student’s Body Found Dumped In Lake

A man suspected of dismembering a “compassionate” New York nursing student, whose remains were found in a lake last week, was arrested in West Virginia, authorities said.

Seth Larson, 40, was apprehended Thursday in the death of Lisa Shuler, 37, whose mutilated body was found at her home in Irondequoit, New York on May 25. A police dive team later recovered portions of her remains from Durand Lake late last month.

Larson has been described in local media reports as Shuler's boyfriend.

Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Officer verified the remains belonged to Shuler on Wednesday. Her death has been ruled a homicide, however, her cause of death hasn’t yet been released. 

"Based on the medical examiner's preliminary findings we are ready to file the murder charges,” Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley told WHEC-TV.

Larson, who had been on the run since Shuler’s body was discovered, was arrested after checking into Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital in Weston, West Virginia for “medical reasons,” according to the Democrat and Chronicle. He was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.

He has been charged with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and concealment of a corpse. 

Larson’s arrest ended a multi-state manhunt that spanned nearly two weeks. Police verified the 40-year-old was in Maryland on May 25, 2021. Video surveillance captured him in the Rochester-area a day earlier.

It’s unclear if he’s retained legal representation.

Shuler’s obituary described her as a “kind and compassionate person.” 

"She was very friendly,” classmate Kayleigh Storms told the Democrat and Chronicle. “She loved everybody. She was just an absolutely amazing person."

Shuler was born in Poughkeepsie, New York. The 37-year-old woman spent her career working in Rochester-area nursing homes. She’d recently been employed by Hill Haven Nursing Home and Wellcare. At the time of her death, Shuler was studying at Rochester Regional Health’s Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing.

“We talked about everything together and even if we weren't here or at clinical we were still talking about our dogs and everything. She was a really good friend and when I found out what happened last week my heart completely shrunk,” Storms also told WHEC-TV.

Her fellow classmate said Shuler “always had something smart to say" and was “always cracking a joke to put a smile on someone’s face.”

"I'm at a loss of words for how great of a person she was — genuine, always had your back, if you were going through a hard time she would put her troubles aside to be there for you,” Storms said.

Shuler had been scheduled to graduate in November, school officials confirmed.

“We at Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing are devastated by Lisa’s death,” Deborah C. Stamps, College of Health Careers President, told Oxygen.com in a statement. “She was a caring and loving person and would have been an incredible nurse. We will continue to honor her memory and help each other heal in the days and months ahead.” 

The school held a bubble release in Shuler’s memory earlier this week.

The New York State Police declined to issue a comment to Oxygen.com regarding the case. A spokesperson for the Irondequoit Police Department also wasn’t immediately available on Friday. 

Larson is currently awaiting extradition back to New York, officials said.