I never once saw him consult with her about anything," said Anslee Williams, who was only 18 months when her father went missing. Mike married his high school sweetheart Denise in 1994 and welcomed a daughter with her five years later. "With the wildlife around, I would guess that the alligators have dismembered and have stored the remains in a location that we would not be able to find," he wrote in a report. On November 13, 2020, True Crime Network featured the case in season 1, episode 11, of Meet, Marry, Murder.[35]. She was convicted in December of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the 17-year-old cold case. But because of Cheryl Williams' efforts to reopen the investigation, over 17 years later, the remains of Williams' body were found and authorities actually confirmed that he was murdered. He added that that belief was shared by all the investigators at that point. Mikes assassination enabled the couple to pay in three life insurance policies totaling roughly $2 million. 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. She is said to have attended Florida State University and is well-liked by her classmates. Four pieces of Tallahassee real estate are included in the assets, including her parents home on Centennial Oaks Circle. 1972) and Kevin (b. The Florida Supreme Court says it will not review an appellate court decision that overturned Denise Williams's murder conviction and life sentence. Creator of Brooke's Butterfly Bash LLC . His attorney told the court that he was suicidal that day, due to not only the divorce but also his mother's recent terminal cancer diagnosis and the decision by his teenage son from his first marriage to move in with his mother, and argued for the 10-year mandatory minimum. [17] Portman, who was interviewed, said she could always tell when it got rerun due to the increase in email she got, many of which asked questions she herself had tried in vain to get authorities to answer. 1973). 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. [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. Secretly recorded phone conversations in which Denise Williams was confronted about her first husband's . Cheryl Williams, who never believed her son accidentally drownedand long suspected her daughter-in-law was involved in his death, said she was at peace with the agreement. "[18], Another possible lead that year proved fruitless as well. Brian had cracked and told them the truth, but, it was in exchange for complete immunity. If she violates terms of the agreement, the state could force her to turn over $150,000 in damages. "[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. A year later, after Brian testified to shooting Mike at Denises behest,she was found guilty of all charges. [15], By the eighth anniversary of Williams's disappearance, however, the DIF had closed the case. [17] She supported it with an eponymous Facebook page, where she regularly publishes whatever updates she can and news about other, similar cases. While limiting your liability, all while adhering to the most notable state and federal privacy laws and 3rd party initiatives, including. When the boat was recovered, its engine was off, yet the gas tank was full. After the trial, Williams-Winchester was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. But, when Mike started to realize what was happening and started struggling, Brian panicked and shot him in the head, straight in his face at point-blank range. After subsequent investigations, he was presumed to have drowned in Lake Seminole, a large reservoir located in the southwest corner of Georgia along its border with Florida; investigators later came to suspect he had been the victim of foul play, possibly at another location. Denise's estranged husband, Winchester, was serving his sentence at Wakulla Correctional Institution near Tallahassee; his attorney said his client would take the stand at trial if legally compelled to do so. Anslee, who is now 20 years old, was rewarded all the insurance money. For the rest of my life when I try to go to sleep, I will see my son. [6], Had Williams drowned, his body would have been expected to eventually float to the surface, making it easier to discover. Denise Williams stands trial in Leon County, Florida for the December 16, 2000 murder of her husband, who went by Mike. [11], Denise's attorney declined to comment at that time, saying he had not had time to review the case. Winchester shot and killed Mike Williams in December 2000, according to the indictment, and went on to marry Denise Williams after the murder. The one-hour special broadcast implicates the true criminal, Mikes high school sweetheart, and shows us who she really is. The stipulated agreement was signed by Anslee Williamsin May, just over a year after her mother's arrest on the young woman's birthday. 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 vanishedin December 2000 during a solo-duck hunting trip on Lake Seminole in Jackson County. Update, February 7, 2019: Denise Williams was sentenced to life in prison for her husband's murder. Denise suggested staging a boating accident on the Gulf of Mexico where they could throw both Mike and Kathy Thomas overboard, but Winchester did not want to kill his children's mother. 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. In December 2017, Brian was sentenced to 20 years in prison for Denises kidnapping, but the whole incident led to the focus to be on their relationship and their potential connection to Mikes sudden disappearance and death. [3], Searchers focused on the 10 acres (4.0ha) of the lake surrounding the cove where Williams's truck was parked. "[16], And even if an alligator had "defied all known gator behavior," and eaten Williams's body, as another investigator, Ronnie Austin, then with the state's attorney's office, put it, it would likely have left something behind. Anslees family has been ripped apart since her mother and stepfather were sentenced to life in prison for killing Mike in 2000. However, the attorney did not think Winchester would be charged in the case as well. He offered these details and led investigators to Williams' remains in exchange for immunity in his case. Initially, it was said he left his home in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, to go duck hunting. In 2019, Anslee Williams got $877,000 in assets, increasing her net worth. "I don't find that [Williams] was a relatively minor participant" Carroll said. He found it convenient that the indictment came after Winchester had been imprisoned for several months. In August 2021, the seventh season premiere of the A&E Network series Cold Case Files featured the case. In 1988, Mike and Denise graduated from high school alongside their classmates Brian Winchester and Kathy Aldridge, who would later become Brians wife. In a shocking twist of events, in 2018 (and on his daughter's 19th birthday), Mike Williams' wife, Denise Williams-Winchester, was arrested on charges of first-degree murder, fraud, conspiracy, and accessory after the fact. 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. It was actually Mike Williams' mom, Cheryl, who appealed to the judge for a maximum sentence. I was married to a wonderful woman, I was raising a child, and I was also seeing Denise in the meantime. But it can be extended by three years under certain circumstances. "[3], However, the new investigation was made extremely difficult by the deficiencies of the original search, when criminal activity had not been considered. 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 . TPD pulls over car near FSU and finds gunshot victim, TPD responds to questions about recently terminated officer, Car crashes into R. Frank Nims Middle School causing damages, Josh's First Alert Forecast - Saturday, March 4, Cleaver and Cork hosts chef Michael Symon, publicfile@live5news.com - (843) 402-5555. Audio of Brian Winchester's interview with the FDLE was played in court. [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. They did say that they would seek to have her denied bail. "I would say this is a suspicious missing person. [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. She said: "I don't like having to ask the judge to put her in jail for the rest of her life, but what she did to Mike, she deserves, and I think God gave us justice. "Further," the statement said, "it was the wishes of Jerry 'Mike' Williams'smother and brother that his heir be 'taken care of.'". I'm not happy because I don't have Michael.". She now attends Florida State University and she also competes in pageants. I just did what God put on my heart to do.". 12K views, 80 likes, 87 loves, 652 comments, 27 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from WCTV.tv: LIVE: Denise Williams' sentencing hearing continues. It turned out to be Brian. At that time, the case was still considered open. Under the terms of the agreement, Anslee Williams, 20, is prohibited from using any of the money or assets she received to help pay her mothers' legal fees or other costs associated with the murder case or any ongoing appeals. All rights reserved. I will honor Mikes memory by fulfilling my purpose.. Wondering what happened to her and where she is now? On Nov. 14, Williams' family and a coalition of birth justice activists will hold their fourth rally for Denise outside Queens Hospital Center. Denise Williams is appealing her conviction and life-prison sentence. 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. If she breaks the conditions of the agreement, the state could order her to pay $150,000 in damages. Anslee has made up her mind to stay in her hometown and confront her familys awful fate. She ran advertisements in local newspapers, and put up billboards seeking information. Perry, the FFWCC officer who had been heavily involved in the original search, added at the time that if he or any other person investigating had known that there was a large life insurance policy on Williams, and who the beneficiary was, that search might have been handled differently. 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. Williams was found guilty of murder, conspiracy, and accessory after the fact in the death of her first husband Mike Williams nearly two decades ago. [15], However, Brian Jones, an expert in insurance law at Florida State University, told the Democrat that any fraud case would have to rest on more than just those facts already known to have aroused investigative interest. Join Facebook to connect with Denise Williams and others you may know. Patrick Shiflett, a boyhood friend of the subject, remarked that everyone simply liked him because he was just a very honest guy.. (Featured Image Credit: Alicia Devine / Tallahassee Democrat via AP), #DeniseWilliams Judge formally sentences Williams to life in prison for the murder of her husband. Denise Wiliams (left); the Williamses (center) and Brian Winchester AP; Russell Grace. It was noted that Denise Williams's court petition to have her husband declared legally dead mentioned only the Kansas City Life Insurance Company policies Winchester had sold him, omitting policies through other companies that Michael Williams had obtained through other sources. The only person to address the court besides the lawyers was Cheryl Williams, who said that justice had finally been served, and that Denise had taken not only her son but also her granddaughter from her. Mike married his high school sweetheart Denise in 1994 and welcomed a daughter with her five years later. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The Crime Junkie podcast featured the case in an episode that was released in early 2019. 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. Her ex-husband and Mike Williams' best friend, Brian Winchester, was also charged, although he was already in prison at the time. Not knowing that just two years later, he'd be the one to crack. But Denise's friends said she took great care. He did not want the divorce and felt he had nothing to live for if it went through. According to him, it was not out of character for Mike to play the role of the protective elder brother. They claim Denise issued an ultimatum: Stop pushing for an investigation into his disappearance or never see Williams' daughter Anslee again. After four days of testimony, the jury took eight hours to convict Denise of all the charges. [27] The kidnapping that had led to his present imprisonment, he explained, was his reaction to fear that Denise would reveal the truth about what had happened to her first husband now that she and Brian were divorcing. "[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." [22], No mention was made of the Williams case at Brian Winchester's sentencing, although State Attorney Jack Campbell told the media that he hoped the case against Winchester would help authorities solve that disappearance. During the hearing Thursday, Denise Williams' sister, daughter and friend testified asking for the minimum sentence of 21 months. [23], On May 8, 2018, Denise Williams was arrested at Florida State University as she left work to celebrate her daughter's 19th birthday, minutes after a grand jury had indicted her on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and accessory after the fact. She now attends Florida State University and she also competes in pageants. The corporation, on the other hand, reduced its accusations in exchange for Denises property being passed down to Anslee under certain circumstances. He grew up in Bradfordville[6] (north of Tallahassee), the son of a Greyhound bus driver[3] and a day care provider who raised him and his older brother Nick in a double-wide trailer. [13] According to his mother, Mike was making US$200,000 annually by the time of his disappearance. Denise and Brian were having an affair, and they planned to murder each others husbands so that they could be together. Distractify is a registered trademark. 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. Denises initial plan was that while she stays at home with her daughter, Brian was going to push Mike from the boat and into the lake to make his death look like a drowning accident when they go on a duck hunting trip together. Nevertheless, a week later, a Leon County judge granted Denise Williams's petition to have Mike declared legally dead on the basis of those recovered items and an assumption that alligators and other water life had consumed the body in its entirety. [15], The private search team that surmised the alligator theory had been hired near the end of the original search by Williams's mother, Cheryl. Denise Huxtable Kendall is a fictional character who appears on the American sitcom The Cosby Show (1984-1992), portrayed by actress Lisa Bonet.Denise also stars in the first season of its spin-off sitcom, A Different World (1987). He made it look like Mike was the only one who was ever there. The second-born child of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, Denise is known for her eccentric clothing and free-spirited, rebellious nature, earning her a reputation as . In 2005, she went ahead and married Brian. Denise Williams herself took the stand as well. I will honor Mikes memory by fulfilling my purpose.. "All I know is I can't stop looking for him until I find him." The storm the night after he was reported missing had westerly winds that should have blown the abandoned, unmoored boat across the lake to the Georgia side. Published June 9, 2021 at 1:39 PM EDT. 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. Denise distanced herself from Mike's family, cutting off communication between them and her daughter, according to those close to the Williamses. "We didn't have a whole lot to go on except there was an empty boat and the guy didn't show up," one of the agency's officers recalled later, after his retirement. The 51-year-old's 2018 first-degree murder conviction was dropped last November by an appeals court, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. "[8], In 2012, Denise and Brian Winchester separated, reportedly due to his sex addiction; she filed for divorce in 2015. Mike went missing while on a duck hunting trip in Lake Seminole with his best friend Brian. [17], Starting on New Year's Day in 2012, Cheryl began writing one letter a day to Governor Rick Scott, asking him to either have another agency besides FDLE investigate or appoint a special prosecutor to do so. Meet Mike Williams surviving daughter, the guy whose cold case enraged Florida. [2], In 1999, Williams's only child, a daughter, was born. [3], The cove is locally believed to have been an orchard before the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers and Spring Creek were dammed to create the lake. Denise and Mike met and fell in love during their high school years at North Florida Christian School in Tallahassee. Efforts continued until the search was called off in early February. 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. Where Are Survivors Brandon Lafferty and Marty Thomas Now? [13], After North Florida Christian, he attended Florida State University, where he majored in political science and urban planning. Instead of going where he wanted her to, she pulled into a CVS drugstore parking lot, close to the door. "Mike would have wanted her to have this," said Cheryl Williams, Mike's mom and Anslee's grandmother. "Then after a couple, three days and after the weeks went on, those first things looked even more out of place. When did Stephanie Grisham resign as Melania Trump's chief of staff? Both agreed to get rid of their spouses so that they could be together and collect the insurance money. Meanwhile, more information about her life is now unavailable. Anslee Williams was only 18 months old when her father died in a tragic accident that tormented her for years. Anslee Williams, Mike Williams only daughter, was accessible to the media and gave interviews about her fathers murder case. Brian and Denise got married after the murder but eventually separated. She. 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. "[18] FDLE officials said in 2011 that Cox had not found anything requiring further investigation. [14] Before graduation, he was hired by Ketcham Appraisal Group as a property appraiser. The lake is a large reservoir approximately 50mi (80km) west-northwest of Tallahassee located in the southwest corner of Georgia along its border with Florida, where three other streams merge to form the Apalachicola River. Before the judge handed down the sentence, the victim's mother, Cheryl Williams . View the profiles of people named Denise Williams. Both of the couples remained close friends even after they tied the knot in 1994 and started a family. [11], Two FDLE officers went to Cheryl Williams's house immediately following the indictment to inform her. After five 16-hour days of digging 9-foot-deep (2.7m) holes in the mud at that corner of the lake, all the while holding back the lake waters by dams and pumps amid the constant presence of eels and water moccasins, the FDLE was ready to hire a private contractor to finish the job. "She was taken away from her family at the snap of a finger," Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees told Oxygen.com. SOLE CARDOZO WIKI, BIOGRAPHY, AGE, FAMILY, CAREER, FACTS & MORE. As for Williams' mom, Cheryl, she's understandably heartbroken that she will never get her son back, but it's all because of her efforts that the truth finally came to light. They remain estranged. They were both married at the time, but while Brian had the guts to divorce his wife, Denise didnt want to. [2] In 1999, Williams's only child, a daughter, was born. All of these assets belonged to her mother, who was being investigated by the insurance company for fraud. [9] In 2016, Winchester was arrested on charges stemming from an incident where he allegedly kidnapped Denise, the missing man's widow, who was now divorcing him;[10] he was sentenced to 20 years in prison on the day before the FDLE announced that Williams's body had been found. [10], Brian told her that he was planning to kill himself with the gun. That's all I can do for Anslee is love her, and I do love her.". She has stated[9] that she received threats to discourage her. An FDLE source told the Tallahassee Democrat that 98% of his bones were recovered, all very well preserved, as was some of the clothing he had been wearing, such as winter gloves and booties. Jerry Michael "Mike" Williams (October 16, 1969[2] December 16, 2000) was an American murder victim. The former Destiny's Child singer shared the news Sunday . Her attorney argued before the Florida First District Court of Appeals that there was no evidence she was involved in the commission of the murder. She raised their daughter mostly by herself while working as an accountant. 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. "We have suspicions, but what we need is evidence. "Our job was extremely difficult, and we were simply unable to develop enough evidence to proceed with the investigation," Schlein said.