Ulisa Chavers' brutal crime - A detailed case overview

Ulisa Chavers was a resident of Virginia whose actions unraveled two decades after her first crime. Known later as the 'Black Widow', Chavers was involved in the mysterious disappearances and deaths of two men she reportedly had relationships with, her husband Clent Chavers and long-term boyfriend Reginal Cody Bowles.

The events surrounding Ulisa Chavers’ actions are featured in Snapped, an Oxygen true-crime show airing Sundays at 7 PM ET. It explores the patterns in both cases, revealing how law enforcement gradually pieced together the riddle of two missing men with one common link—Ulisa. The show follows the lies she told, the people she misled, and the evidence that eventually led to her conviction.

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A detailed discussion on Ulisa Chavers' brutal crime

Ulisa Chavers' brutal crime (Representative image via Unsplash)

Ulisa Chavers reportedly lived with Cody Bowles for 12 years in rural Louisa County, Virginia. After 2006, Cody vanished without any explanation. As per Oxygen, Ulisa told Cody’s family that he had joined an outlaw biker group and was living off-grid in Montana. But her stories lacked evidence and raised concerns. His son Lee Bowles eventually contacted the police, initiating a years-long investigation.

As reported by Richmond Times-Dispatch in February 2010, authorities determined Cody had a heart problem that required medicine, but no prescriptions had been filled, and their shared bank account showed just Ulisa withdrawing funds. As suspicions grew, a search of their property uncovered Cody's decaying remains, concealed in a backyard well.

According to an Oxygen article, published on July 20, 2025, Chavers showed detectives a doctored photo of her and Cody to suggest he was still alive. Investigators noticed the photo was suspiciously edited, signaling her attempts to forge evidence. Prosecutor Rusty McGuire later shared that Cody’s body contained lethal levels of benztropine—a drug harmful to heart patients. It was ruled as contributing to his death.

Once Cody's body was found, police also began probing the mysterious disappearance of Clent Chavers, Ulisa Chavers’ former husband. Her daughter shared that Clent had gone missing in 1994, and Ulisa had claimed he was cremated, per Richmond Times-Dispatch.

According to WWBT, forensic searches of their former property led to a discovery: Clent’s skeletal remains were wrapped in bed sheets and buried in a shallow grave. Smithsonian expert Dr. Douglas Owsley examined Clent’s skull fragments and determined the trauma was either from a gunshot or a heavy blow.

The injuries indicated murder. Authorities also learned that Chavers had reportedly tried to remove his head using a shovel a year after burial, but fragments left behind helped seal her fate.

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Forensic evidence and financial motive

Forensic evidence and financial motive (Representative image via Unsplash)

A key part of the case was seemingly the financial trail. Investigators discovered that Ulisa Chavers had continued withdrawing Social Security payments after both men were dead, collecting more than $180,000. Authorities suspected this financial motive played a critical role in her decision to murder.

“She was nicknamed ‘Black Widow.' Whatever she touched seemed to die.” said prosecutor McGuire as per Oxygen.

Cody had been planning to leave his estate to his sons, which may have further prompted Ulisa to act before losing her financial grip.

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Final conviction and outcome

Eventually, Ulisa Chavers faced charges for two murders, embezzlement, and improper disposal of human remains. Rather than face trial, she accepted an Alford plea in 2009. She received a total of 85 years in prison, 30 years for Cody’s death and 43 years for Clent’s. She died behind bars in 2021 at the age of 73.

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Snapped season 3 episode 15, Ulisa Chavers, is currently streaming on Oxygen and Peacock.