Mike Williams's death, prosecutors say, was the product of a poisonous love triangle involving two sets of high school sweethearts that spiraled from infidelity to murder. She spoke in court, asking leniency for her mother, Denise, and insisted that it was her step-father, Brian, and not Denise who plotted the December 2000 murder of her father. However, their relationship didnt go as well as they had expected and they separated in 2012. While the diver who retrieved them reported that they were in an area of disturbed weeds with alligator excrement nearby, consistent with the original belief that Williams had drowned while wearing them, he allowed it was "anyone's guess" as to whether they had been later planted in that spot. The majority of the specifics of their lives, from their younger years through their time spent together as a college pair at Florida State, are interchangeable. "[18] FDLE officials said in 2011 that Cox had not found anything requiring further investigation. Mike and Denises daughter also spoke in court and asked for leniency for her mother, insisting it was Brian and not Denise who plotted the December 2000 fatal shooting. Brian, on the other hand, disobeyed the plan, and the two only managed to kill Mike. "All I know is I can't stop looking for him until I find him." Mike was a promising football player and was voted best personality, while Denise Merrell, who would later become Mikes wife but was known by her maiden name at the time, cheered for the North Florida Eagles and won the title of best dressed. Mike won the title of best personality, while Denise won the title of best dressed., According to Mikes former classmates, he was well regarded at the exclusive private school, where he not only excelled academically but also held the position of student council president. On Nov. 14, Williams' family and a coalition of birth justice activists will hold their fourth rally for Denise outside Queens Hospital Center. After four days of testimony, the jury took eight hours to convict Denise of all the charges. Denise distanced herself from Mike's family, cutting off communication between them and her daughter, according to those close to the Williamses. As part of the deal, Anslee may not use any of the money on her mother's legal fees; if she did, she would owe the state a US$150,000 penalty. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. [12], In February 2019, Denise was sentenced to life in prison. "[18], Another possible lead that year proved fruitless as well. She continued to do what she could to publicize the case, taking out ads in the Tallahassee Democrat. In 2004 the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) agreed to reopen the case after lobbying by Cheryl Williams and a friend. She is said to have attended Florida State University and is well-liked by her classmates. Her ex-husband and Mike Williams' best friend, Brian Winchester, was also charged, although he was already in prison at the time. Denise was arrested for the murder of Jerry Michael Williams in May 2018 and was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and accessory after the fact. "They did not protect the crime scene at all," recalled a Williams family friend with law enforcement experience, who had tended the drum fire during the search. [6], Had Williams drowned, his body would have been expected to eventually float to the surface, making it easier to discover. They formed a connection, a relationship, and fell in love hard and fast. During the hearing Thursday, Denise Williams' sister, daughter and friend testified asking for the minimum sentence of 21 months. Denise Williams, 48, faced the second day of testimony Wednesday in her test for allegedly conspiring to kill her 31-year-old spouse, Mike Williams, who vanished in December 2000 on a duck hunting trip at Lake Seminole in Florida . [16] Denise Williams, who had avoided media attention during the search for her husband, accepted that her husband had died. "She was taken away from her family at the snap of a finger," Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees told Oxygen.com. He offered these details and led investigators to Williams' remains in exchange for immunity in his case. [12], Way argued in response that there was no physical evidence linking Denise to the crime and that it had been entirely Winchester's idea; he expressed incredulity that Winchester was not on trial despite having admitted to committing the crime himself. Anslee Williams, Mike Williams only daughter, was accessible to the media and gave interviews about her fathers murder case. During the search period, daytime temperatures averaged around 55F (13C), with overnight lows below freezing. Early searchers had reported seeing many of them, and some of the officials were willing to accept the possibility. The couple went on to live in the same house where Denise and Mike had lived prior. Patrick Shiflett, a boyhood friend of the subject, remarked that everyone simply liked him because he was just a very honest guy.. Had it not been for an intuitive mom who suspected foul play after her son's disappearance in 2000, people would still be convinced that Mike Williams actually drowned and got eaten by alligators. [27], After discreetly rekindling the relationship, the two began to consider killing Mike so they could marry, as Denise's family frowned on divorce for religious reasons. The story behind this killing is bit convoluted. Anslees condition is that she cant use any of the money or assets she received to help pay her mothers legal bills or other costs related to the murder case or any pending appeals. Williams was married to her middle school sweetheart Kendrick Williams from 1971 until 1975, before she relocated to California in the early 1970s. Before we get into the meat of uncovering whatever happened to Deniece Williams, we will take a short look at her life and career. Williams-Winchester has been serving her time at the Florida Womens Reception Center, located in Ocala, Marion County, Fla. Rumors were circulating around Tallahassee that a grand jury had been hearing evidence and would soon hand down indictments. All the subsequent investigations of the case have resulted from her efforts. Denise and Mike met and fell in love during their high school years at North Florida Christian School in Tallahassee. [3] The water, already at 58F (14C) the day of Williams's disappearance, dropped to 46F (8C), and the lake iced out to as much as 20 feet (6.1m) from shore. For the rest of my life when I try to go to sleep, I will see my son. Denise Williams said her purpose is to serve incarcerated women and help them lead successful lives. Join Facebook to connect with Denise Williams and others you may know. She gave investigators the coordinates of a location in Wakulla County near another boat launch. WireImage "Dinner with the TEAM!" she captioned a video of herself posing for paparazzi outside the restaurant, sharing the clip on . What is the current location of Anslee Williams? A Florida women caught in a deadly love triangle was given a life sentence Wednesday for plotting to kill her husband with his best friend. By the time investigators began to realize that they should have asked some more questions, the opportunity was gone. It was sent to a state forensics laboratory for DNA testing: the results have not been reported. But it did not produce any new evidence, as the potential crime scene had not been secured during the search for Williams. Carrie Cox, the psychic and profiler who had identified a possible burial site at which no body was found, published Alligator Alibi, a lengthy book with documents from the investigation, Cheryl Williams's notes, and her own commentary. They remain estranged. The Most Notorious Crime in Every State in the U.S. Who Killed the Eight Louisiana Women in Showtime's 'Murder in the Bayou'? It revealed that prosecutors believed Denise allegedly began conspiring with Winchester in March 2000, nine months before her first husband disappeared. He helped police recover Brian's body, and testified against his former lover Denise, who had for years escaped justice as a grieving widow. [7], In 2011, the case made it into two other media formats. Philips had told her early on in the search that Michael had probably been eaten by alligators, so she had assumed he had been involved in the investigation at that point. Winchestertestified against Denise, whom he later married and divorced, in exchange for immunity from prosecution for the murder. Anslees life was flipped upside down when her father, Mike, vanished without a trace, and an inquiry revealed her mother guilty of her fathers death nearly seventeen years later. Anslee is said to have a strained connection with her grandmother, Cheryl, and her family following her mothers conviction and punishment. Audio of Brian Winchester's interview with the FDLE was played in court. She ran advertisements in local newspapers, and put up billboards seeking information. NurPhoto via Getty Images, FILE. I will honor Mikes memory by fulfilling my purpose.. His boat was soon found roughly 225 feet (69m)[16] from the ramp by a helicopter pilot, who initially assumed it was a boat being used in the search. "[Brian]'s not going to let Denise run around alone with all that money," she told the New York Daily News. But things took a horrifying turn - nine . She added that she is alone among her family in holding out hope that her son is still alive. Following a court petition by Denise, Mike was declared legally dead. "Something sounds fishy on that deal," the representative said when the situation was described to him. Prosecutors countered that Winchester's actions that day indicated he planned a murder-suicide that was only averted by Denise's quick thinking, and asked the court for the 45-year maximum. Arnette filtered the water in them after they were recovered, and did not find any human remains. In December, a jury found Denise guilty of all three charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree murder, and accessory after the fact. Cheryl Williams' emotional statement at Denise Williams' sentencing. And fortunately, it looks like the tragedy surrounding her family isn't slowing her down. That allowed her to claim Mike's insurance policies worth $1.75 million. It would be very, very unusual to have the complete disappearance of a full-grown man. [3], Investigators suspicions' were further raised by the waders' conditionundamaged, without any tooth marks, and lacking any of the residues that would be expected to accumulate on an object submerged in the lake for as long as the waders had supposedly been. Some nights got as cold as 19F (7C);[16] a fire was built in a 55-gallon drum on the shore for searchers to stay warm. After it ended, and after her son was declared legally dead (proceedings she said in 2008 she would have contested had she been aware of them[15]), she was still not convinced that he had drowned in the lake, but her attempts to bring about a further investigation were unsuccessful. "Truth is Williams could have stopped this". [21] Later it was reported that he had reached an agreement with prosecutors before the sentencing that they would neither seek a life sentence on the kidnapping charge nor introduce certain evidence at the hearing. Midway through the year, the couple bought a $1 million life insurance policy on him through Brian Winchester,[6] a childhood acquaintance of Merrell who had also become best friends with her husband. [11] She was found guilty that December, after Winchester testified to shooting Michael at Denise's behest when their original plan to stage a boating accident failed, and was sentenced to life in prison in January of 2019. Denise Williams will have to serve out a full 30-year sentence for her role in conspiring to kill her husband Mike Williams more than two decades ago. Denise Williams will remain in prison, after a judge resentenced her to 30 years for conspiring to murder her first husband. Anslee Williams, the only daughter of the late Mike Williams, was open to media and gave interviews on her father's murder case. In 2005, she went ahead and married Brian. Denise Williams stands trial in Leon County, Florida for the December 16, 2000 murder of her husband, who went by Mike. "We don't know what the smoking gun is, but we hope someone will find it," she said. She testified in court, pleading for leniency for her mother, Denise, and insisting that her stepfather, Brian, and not Denise, was the mastermind behind her father's murder in December 2000. The immunity deal followed a plea and sentencing agreement with prosecutors after Winchester kidnapped Denise in the final days of their marriage because he was afraid she would pin the murder on him alone. Mike and Denise's daughter, who was 18 months when the murder happened, spoke in court and asked for leniency for her mother At the time of the trial investigators said Denise's motives were to get out of the marriage and collect nearly $2million from life insurance. By 2006, its cold case investigators were no longer returning Cheryl Williams's phone calls. (Featured Image Credit: Alicia Devine / Tallahassee Democrat via AP), #DeniseWilliams Judge formally sentences Williams to life in prison for the murder of her husband. Brian and Denise got married after the murder but eventually separated. Denise Williams will now serve 30 years, after previously being sentenced to life in prison on one murder charge plus 30 years for conspiracy to commit murder. '"[16], It was suggested that perhaps Williams's body had become entangled in the beds of dense hydrilla beneath the lake surface, and then found by the alligators later, with turtles and catfish finishing what they had left behind. "[3], However, the new investigation was made extremely difficult by the deficiencies of the original search, when criminal activity had not been considered. She has since continued to use her first husband's surname professionally.Together they had two sons, Kendrick Jr. (b. [4] Brian opposed it initially and had to be ordered to comply. Jerry Michael Williams was known as Michael or Mike. But if Michael Williams was to be proven dead and the beneficiary were to have shown to have been involved, or if he was still alive (as his mother and many residents of Jackson County believed possible),[3] then an insurance company would strongly consider pursuing a case. She was outraged. According to him, it was not out of character for Mike to play the role of the protective elder brother. [6], In 2008, the Florida Department of Financial Services's Division of Insurance Fraud (DIF), in conjunction with FDLE, began investigating the case from that angle. Denise Williams, who is serving a life prison sentence for the murder of her husband Mike Williams,will not face additional insurance fraud charges or pay restitution to the state. After Williams's boat was found abandoned on the lake, the initial theory was that he had fallen out of it after a collision. Initially, it was said he left his home in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, to go duck hunting. In recent years, her days have been limited to going to court and answering media queries. "If you will make Denise serve every minute of her 30 year sentence for conspiracy to commit murder then and only then will I believe justice has been done for my son," Brian's mother Cheryl Williams said in court during the re-sentencing. Mike Williams mother delivered a heartbreaking testimony. Four pieces of Tallahassee real estate are included in the assets, including her parents home on Centennial Oaks Circle. According to what Shiflett shared with The Post, If he believed somebody was picking on you, he would speak up for you. Its possible for things to go wrong on the school bus, but he didnt let it bother him. [30] Denise is now imprisoned at the Florida Women's Reception Center. Denise Williams herself took the stand as well. "There was nothing there that we had from the scene that suggested foul play at all." Meanwhile, Winchester is serving a 20-year prison sentence for kidnapping Williams-Winchester at gunpoint in 2016. After years of pressure from Williams's mother, Cheryl, the case was reopened in 2004 by the FDLE. "Nothing in investigative or search and rescue efforts has produced any definitive evidence of a boating accident or a fatality as of this date," read the final report, issued in late February 2001. He also confessed that he and Williams-Winchester were having an affair since high school. It was actually Mike Williams' mom, Cheryl, who appealed to the judge for a maximum sentence. [6] It was eventually concluded that his body had been eaten by alligators. "I would say this is a suspicious missing person. "Michael would have wanted her to be taken care of for the rest of her life.". She shares Matt Healy, 32, who is a band member in The 1975, with and . [3] The hunting jacket and flashlight were likewise in much better condition than expected, with the latter even working when turned on. It took its name, Stump Field, from the many remaining stumps that protruded above and below the water level,[3] requiring careful handling of any powerboat in the area. [13], After North Florida Christian, he attended Florida State University, where he majored in political science and urban planning. Later that year, Williams told his mother, whom he had been consoling, that he would have liked to have $50,000 to take the next year off. It has since been suggested that the search might have been continued had Denise Williams indicated an interest in such. Denise Williams, 48, was convicted in December for the murder of her husband, Mike Williams, 18 years after the young father disappeared while on a fishing trip in 2000. One of the policies, for $1 million, was written less than a year before he went missing by his best friend, Brian Winchester, who 17 years later confessed to killing Mike during the hunting trip after conspiring with Denise so they could be together. [4], After Denise Williams was arrested, the FDLE disclosed that they had received information on where the body was in early October 2017. Mother hopes for break in 16-year-old cold case", "Insurance investigators take new look at Mike Williams' disappearance", "Mike Williams mystery gets national exposure", "Eight years later, still no trace of missing hunter Mike Williams", "Devastated Florida mother suspects wife, not alligators, is behind son's 2000 disappearance", "Brian Winchester sentenced to 20 years in prison", "Read the grand jury's indictment of Denise Williams", "Lawyer: Mike Williams was killed by Brian Winchester; Denise Williams is innocent", "Judge has ordered Denise Williams be held without bond and has set a trial date for September 24", "Denise Williams trial: Brian Winchester testifies affair 'snowballed' into plot to kill", "Secret recordings of Denise Williams reveal conversation about husband's murder", "Denise Williams insurance fraud case dropped, daughter gets all assets", "Denise Williams appeals murder conviction and life sentence", "Murder conviction for Denise Williams reversed by appeals court, conspiracy charge affirmed", Episode 11 Denise Williams Fri, Nov 13, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Mike_Williams&oldid=1138116187, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, First-degree murder conviction overturned; remaining charges upheld (2020). Testimony in the sentencing hearing ended around 10:45 a.m. Thursday. Denise Williams collected $1.75 million from her husband's three life insurance policies after she had him declared dead six months after he supposedly vanished in December 2000 during a. Williams'. [10] After a hearing the next week at which she said she could neither eat nor sleep since the incident, the court decided to hold Brian without bond. While limiting your liability, all while adhering to the most notable state and federal privacy laws and 3rd party initiatives, including. Contact News Director Jennifer Portman at jportman@tallahassee.com. [27], On the day Mike disappeared, Winchester said, he had enticed him to Lake Seminole. She died from exsanguination, or massive blood loss, due to multiple stab wounds, according to a preliminary autopsy; she also had numerous defensive injuries on her hands, palms, and forearms. As part of that order, he was to provide an appraisal of the couple's house, due early in August 2016. Heres all that we know. Listen to Brian Winchesters account of what happened the day that he killed Mike Williams. On Denise's behalf, Way entered a plea of not guilty. Denise Williams was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for her role in the murder of her husband and Cheryl Willliams' son, Mike Williams. Brian said in his confession, a tape of which was played for the jury, that the affair had started in 1997 and just "snowballed". I just did what God put on my heart to do.". Danny Fujikawa Mother Melissa Linehan Is Getting Her Backyard Remodeled On TV, Yellowstones Lilli Kay Announces Relationship With Girlfriend Juli Kocemba With PDA on Instagram, Olivier Richters Girlfriend Desiree Stuijt Is Not Only His Lover But Also His Best Friend, Brittney Palmer Bio: Family, Husband & Net Worth, Molly Eskam Age, Net Worth & All Biography Updated Dec 2022, Morgan Ketzner Wiki, Bio, Age, Boyfriend, Fitness and More. Denise Brown, Realtor at Keller Williams St Pete. That's all I can do for Anslee is love her, and I do love her.". Derrick Wester, an investigator with the Jackson County sheriff's office, agreed that they were "trying to make up for" not having considered the possibility that things might not have been what they seemed in 2000. She has stated[9] that she received threats to discourage her. If she's locked up forever, you can't say you're happy. The head of a private search firm that supplemented official efforts near the end of the search offered a possible explanation. In 2001, she said, they were planning to go on a cruise in Hawaii that spring; later in the year he expected to travel to Jamaica for work as well. "[28] Assistant state attorney Jon Fuchs said this evasiveness, as well as Denise's dispassionate response when Winchester told her how he had killed Mike, demonstrated how cold-bloodedly she helped plan the crime that happened on her behalf. And by chance, a local Tallahassee TV station, WCTV, was at the hospital: DENISE WILLIAMS : We're just totally. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. A year later, after Brian testified to shooting Mike at Denise's behest, she was found guilty of all charges. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Kathy Thomas, Winchester's first wife, told the jury that she had suspected the two of having an affair in the late 1990s, when they frequently double-dated with Mike and Denise. Brian and Denise got married after the murder but eventually separated. "I get criticized a lot for not admitting that Mike's dead," she told the Tallahassee Democrat in 2007. Out on the water, he had gotten Mike to put the waders on, then pushed him out of the boat, thinking he would be unable to resurface and thus would drown. Cadaver dogs were brought to the area and sniffed it out, but found nothing. After waders and a jacket containing Williams's hunting license were found in the lake six months later, he was declared legally dead, following a court petition by his widow, Denise. But police would later discover he was shot dead by Brian, who confessed to the crime 17 years later. [7][8] The Investigation Discovery channel series Disappeared devoted an episode to the case in 2012. [10], Denise told Leon County Sheriff's Office investigators that, on August 5, the day when the appraisal had to be filed with the court, she left her home to drive to her job at Florida State University. Despite her promise to him not to tell police about the incident, she drove straight to them afterwards. [17], Despite the failure of a third investigation to discern the fate of her son, Cheryl Williams persisted. The victim went missing that day after going out on a duck hunting trip to Lake Seminole, but his body didn't turn up. No amount of good deeds can bring my husband back Mike back, she said. [4], The next day, at a news conference, Mark Perez, the FDLE's special agent in charge, announced to assembled reporters that Williams's body had been found and it had been determined he was the victim of a homicide. Anslee, who is now 20 years old, was rewarded all the insurance money. Michael had inherited it after his father's death, and after Michael was declared legally dead it was the only one of his firearms that Denise Williams had not returned to her former in-laws. He also married Denise and had a daughter. He found it convenient that the indictment came after Winchester had been imprisoned for several months. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [3], In June, an angler in the Stump Field area discovered a pair of waders floating in the lake, and divers called to search the area then recovered from the lake bottom a lightweight hunting jacket and a flashlight: in one of the jacket pockets, there was a hunting license with Williams's name and signature. The accessory charge suggested that sometime between August 2014 and the day Winchester was sentenced, Denise had allegedly helped Winchester avoid prosecution or arrest for the crime. She arranged for a memorial service for Mike to be held the day after the search ended. It was first believed he had fallen off his boat and drowned, as reported by the Daily Mail. To this day, she is behind bars, and, as in Florida life means life, she will spend the rest of her days there. Regina Krieger Murder: Where Are Gilberto Rodriguez and Cody Thompson Now? Winchester later confessed to conspiring with Denise Williams to kill Mike and make it look like an accident, so they could be together and collect on his life insurance policies. "[She] had absolutely nothing to do with Mike Williams's disappearance and had absolutely nothing to do with any of the crimes that Brian Winchester committed." He got Mikes body into his car, pushed the boat back into the lake, and drove 60 miles to Carr Lake to bury him in the mud. I'm not happy because I don't have Michael.". Anslee has made up her mind to stay in her hometown and confront her familys awful fate. Some investigators felt aspects of the case were not consistent with the alligator theory. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Anslee, who is now 20 years old, was rewarded all the insurance money. He and Denise had bought a home in a small upscale subdivision on the east side of the city. [3], The initial search investigation was handled by the FFWCC. Williams defense attorney, Phil Padavano, said the court considered her murder conviction in previously imposing the 30-year maximum sentence on the conspiracy charge. "[We're] at a brick wall pounding our heads against it," said Austin. [20], In December 2017, Winchester was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the kidnapping, with credit for 502 days time served, to be followed by 15 years' probation. Williams' death was ruled a homicide. Sami Sheenthe 18-year-old daughter of exes Charlie Sheen and Denise Richardsdropped several bikini photos on Instagram nearly a year after first launching her OnlyFans account. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. [17] She supported it with an eponymous Facebook page, where she regularly publishes whatever updates she can and news about other, similar cases. 5 years after that, they even happily welcomed their daughter into the world. Way said his client would appeal the conviction. Mikes assassination enabled the couple to pay in three life insurance policies totaling roughly $2 million. "[8], In 2012, Denise and Brian Winchester separated, reportedly due to his sex addiction; she filed for divorce in 2015. However, Winchester didn't follow through with killing his ex-wife, Kathy. Also Read:Regina Krieger Murder: Where Are Gilberto Rodriguez and Cody Thompson Now? After retrieving the boat, investigators found Williams's shotgun, still in its case, but no sign of Williams himself. "They could not have hurt me more if they had punched me in the face. She was able to calm him down and took him back to where he had parked his own truck at a nearby park. "I don't find that [Williams] was a relatively minor participant" Carroll said. The order of no restitutionwas approved and the fraud charges formally dropped at a Tuesday morning courthearing.
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