Mike Williams was a person who went lacking in Florida in 2000. He was initially presumed to have drowned whereas out duck searching. His stays had been present in 2017 – his spouse Denise has been arrested and charged together with his homicide.
We’ll begin with some background into Mike. His full identify was Jerry Michael Williams – he glided by Mike. He was born on October 16, 1969. Mike grew up in Bradfordville, Florida. His father Jerry labored as a bus driver for Greyhound, and his mom Cheryl was a daycare supplier. Mike had an older brother, Nick.
The boys grew up in a double huge trailer. Their dad and mom selected to stay in it as an alternative of constructing a home in order that they might afford to ship their sons to North Florida Christian Excessive Faculty.
Mike excelled on the faculty. He was scholar council president and liked enjoying soccer. He was voted by his friends as ‘greatest character.’
He took up duck searching on the age of 15. Whereas on the faculty, he turned concerned with one other scholar, Denise Merrell. Denise liked cheerleading and had been voted ‘greatest dressed.’
Mike went on to attend Florida State College after he graduated from highschool. He majored in political science and concrete planning. Earlier than he graduated from college, he obtained a job with the Ketcham Appraisal Group as a property appraiser.
In response to Discover a Grave, Mike’s father Jerry handed away in September 1989 on the age of 51.
Mike married Denise in 1994, when he was aged round 25. The couple had one daughter collectively in 1999 named Anslee.
Mike’s employer mentioned that he was the ‘hardest working man I ever noticed.’ It’s been mentioned that Mike would go dwelling and have dinner together with his household earlier than going again to work after they went to mattress. His boss Clay Ketcham mentioned ‘He was an unbelievable employee. It was not unusual for him to do 15-hour days. I imply, he could be in there early, work till 1:00 or 2:00 within the mornin’ after which be proper again. He had unbelievable vitality.’
By 2000, Mike was making $200,000 per yr. That’s equal to $366,426.25 as we speak.
Mike and Denise bought a house on Centennial Oak Circle which was in a small, upscale subdivision on the east facet of Tallahassee.
Earlier than he disappeared, Mike and Denise took out a $1m life insurance coverage coverage for him. They bought the coverage from Mike’s good buddy, Brian Winchester. Brian had recognized Denise since they had been youngsters. Brian and Mike had been mentioned to have turn into greatest buddies.
In December 2000, issues had been apparently going properly for the couple. Mike and Denise advised Mike’s mom and brother that they had been planning to have one other child. Denise would later say that that they had been planning to go on a trip to Hawaii. Mike additionally had plans to journey to Jamaica for work.
A buddy of Mike’s, Scott Dungey, mentioned that they had been an important couple. He mentioned ‘For those who knew Mike, he’s the form of individual that uh, is gonna do something and every little thing for you. So Denise, you already know, discovered a gem.’
The day that Mike vanished was Saturday, December 16, 2000. Denise mentioned that Mike obtained up earlier than daybreak, and took his boat to go duck searching at Lake Seminole.
The lake was round 50 miles or 80 kms from their dwelling.
That is some information concerning the lake. Lake Seminole is a reservoir positioned within the southwest nook of Georgia alongside its border with Florida, maintained by the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers. The Chattahoochee and Flint rivers be part of within the lake, earlier than flowing from the Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam, which impounds the lake, because the Apalachicola River. The lake incorporates 37,500 acres (152 km2) of water, and has a shoreline of 376 mi (605 km).[1] The fish in Lake Seminole embrace largemouth bass, crappie, chain pickerel, catfish, striped bass and different species. American alligators, snakes and numerous waterfowl are additionally current within the lake, which is understood for its goose searching.
Denise mentioned that that they had plans to have fun their marriage ceremony anniversary that evening.
At midday on December 16, Denise referred to as her father to inform him that Mike had not returned from the searching journey.
Brian, Mike’s buddy, was additionally made conscious that he had not returned. He drove together with his father to the world of the lake that Mike was recognized to hunt at.
They discovered Mike’s 1994 Ford Bronco parked close to a ship launch in a distant space of the lake. Investigators with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee (FFWCC) had been referred to as and the seek for Mike started. They had been unable to seek for lengthy on the primary day because the climate turned to a storm.
The search was dealt with by the FFWCC. Mike’s disappearance was reported to them as a lacking hunter. Searchers shortly discovered Mike’s boat deserted on the lake. The boat was discovered round 225 toes or 69 metres away from the boat ramp. A helicopter pilot noticed the boat and assumed it was one getting used within the search.
An officer who labored on the search mentioned “We didn’t have a complete lot to go on besides there was an empty boat and the man didn’t present up. There was nothing there that we had from the scene that prompt foul play in any respect.”
Mike’s shotgun was discovered on the boat, nonetheless in its case. There was no signal of Mike.
Deputies with the Jackson County Sheriff had been current throughout the search, however labored in a assist capability solely.
The search targeted on an space of round 10 acres/ 4 hectares, close to the place Mike’s truck was discovered. The boat was present in an space of the lake generally known as Stump Discipline. The world was referred to as that as a result of there have been many tree stumps that protruded above and under the water stage.
Searchers first assumed that Mike had hit a stump whereas driving his boat at velocity and that he had been ejected from it. The water was round 8-12 toes/ 2.5-3.7m deep. The speculation was that Mike fell overboard, his waders stuffed with water and he then drowned as he was unable to get out of the waders.
One among Mike’s buddies, Scott Dungey took half within the search and went up in a helicopter to survey the world. “And, you already know, one of many issues that I observed – there have been a minimum of 15 to twenty very massive alligators swimming throughout this space.” he mentioned.
It was assumed that Mike’s physique would float to the floor of the lake inside three to seven days. Investigators thought there was an opportunity it could take barely longer as a result of a chilly entrance that had moved in after Mike disappeared.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Officer Alton Ranew mentioned “We achieved a grid search … very sluggish, meticulous grid search, forwards and backwards over the search space.”
One search methodology that was used concerned a PVC pipe pole. The pole was put within the water and used virtually like a prong. Alton mentioned ‘If it’s a log, it’s form of a thump, form of a tough thump, if it could’ve been … a physique, you hit it, it’s kinda like a pillow.’
Cadaver canine had been additionally introduced in, to no avail.
Ten days after Mike vanished, a camouflage patterned searching hat was discovered, nevertheless it was decided to not be associated to the case.
The seek for him continued on till February 2001. “Nothing in investigative or search and rescue efforts has produced any definitive proof of a boating accident or a fatality as of this date,” learn the ultimate report, issued in late February 2001.
After no stays had been discovered, it was prompt that Mike’s physique might have been taken by alligators. A personal search agency had been engaged to supply assist and the pinnacle of the agency mentioned “With the wildlife round, I might guess that the alligators have dismembered and have saved the stays in a location that we’d not have the ability to discover,” he wrote in a report. Early searchers had reported seeing lots of them, and a number of the officers had been prepared to simply accept the chance. “Everybody is aware of the lake is stuffed with alligators,” mentioned the FFWCC’s David Arnette. “You search for different solutions: ‘Why hasn’t the physique appeared?’”
One other suggestion was that Mike’s physique had turn into entangled in beds of weeds/vegetation that had been within the lake. Together with the alligators, turtles and catfish might have destroyed something that remained.
On February 11, 2001, Denise held a memorial service for Mike on the Thomasville Highway Baptist Church. The service was held the day after the search concluded.
Some folks questioned if Mike had presumably run off of his personal accord. Patti Ketcham, Clay’s spouse (Mike’s boss) mentioned “We knew Mike had not run off. I imply, he liked his household and he adored his daughter. Adored her. So Mike didn’t run off. This was not some elaborate ruse.”
In June 2001, a fisherman found a pair of waders floating within the lake close to Stump Discipline. Searchers returned to the world and located a searching jacket and a flashlight on the backside of the lake. Within the jacket pocket was a searching license that belonged to Mike. There have been no animal enamel marks on any of the objects. Investigators additionally mentioned that not one of the objects appeared to have been within the water for the size of time that Mike had been lacking.
There was additionally no DNA proof discovered on the clothes that might hyperlink it to Mike.
After the objects had been discovered, Denise petitioned to have Mike legally declared lifeless. A Leon County choose granted her request, based mostly on the objects being recovered and the likelihood that Mike had been eaten by animals. In Florida, there may be normally a 5 yr wait to declare somebody lifeless.
The choose mentioned that the reason for demise was: “Unintentional drowning whereas duck searching on Lake Seminole — physique has not but been recovered.”
After Mike was declared lifeless, Denise instantly claimed on the life insurance coverage insurance policies that Mike had. He had three in whole, with a price of round $1.75m. Scott Dungey spoke once more about Denise’s monetary scenario after Mike disappeared. She had apparently needed to promote some objects to make ends meet earlier than the insurance coverage insurance policies paid out. “I used to be serving to her with a number of the objects that wanted to be offered and to generate some money till the insurance coverage cash got here.”
The quantity of insurance coverage did appear to be quite a bit for such a younger man – $1.75m is equal to round $3.2m as we speak.
Patti Ketcham mentioned of the quantities “Mike needed to verify his household was taken care of as a result of Mike hunted and fished and did some fairly excessive danger exercise … And Clay actually inspired him to load up.”
Cheryl, Mike’s mom, has mentioned that she by no means believed Mike drowned within the lake. Reporter Jennifer Portman mentioned of Cheryl “She didn’t know. All she knew … was that her son was not in that lake. She simply knew it, knew it like a mother is aware of one thing simply deep inside her. And he or she was completely dedicated to discovering out what occurred to him.”
Cheryl began protecting detailed notes concerning the case. Ultimately, she had 27 single spaced pages of data collated.
Denise didn’t assist Cheryl with the notes, In response to CBS, Denise fully lower her off. Clay Ketcham mentioned that Denise was adamant that there be no additional investigation into the disappearance and that she threatened to chop off her granddaughter from Cheryl. She mentioned, “For those who proceed to press for this investigation, you’ll by no means see your granddaughter once more.”
In 2004, the Florida Division of Legislation Enforcement (FDLE) agreed to reopen Mike’s case, at Cheryl’s urging.
It doesn’t usually have jurisdiction in missing-persons instances and can’t become involved in investigations purely on the premise of a citizen’s request, though it will probably provide help to native businesses, because it did on this case.
Many legislation enforcement officers agreed with Cheryl that the circumstances surrounding Mike’s disappearance had been uncommon. These are some details from their investigation:
The boat launch the place his Bronco was discovered, which he would presumably have used to place his boat within the lake, was an undeveloped patch of mud. But close by had been completed concrete launches that he was recognized to have used previously.
The storm the evening after he was reported lacking had westerly winds that ought to have blown the deserted, unmoored boat throughout the lake to the Georgia facet.
When the boat was recovered, its engine was off, but the fuel tank was full. In response to a consultant of the producer, if the engine had been working when Mike allegedly fell out of the boat, as investigators had theorized, it ought to have stayed on, with the boat working in circles till its gasoline was exhausted. “One thing sounds fishy on that deal,” the consultant mentioned when the scenario was described to him.
Investigators additionally discovered that Mike didn’t normally hunt alone. “Some issues appeared uncommon proper off the bat,” mentioned Officer Arnette from the FFWCC. “Then after a pair, three days and after the weeks went on, these first issues appeared much more misplaced.”
One of many authentic theories concerning an alligator assault was additionally appeared into extra. Alligators don’t typically feed throughout the winter months as a result of colder temperatures.
The water, already at 58 °F (14 °C) the day of Mike’s disappearance, dropped to 46 °F (8 °C), and the lake iced out to as a lot as 20 toes (6.1 m) from shore.
In these circumstances, “it [i]s extremely unlikely an alligator would have been energetic” mentioned Matt Aresco, an area herpetologist authorities had consulted. “All they’re doing is sustaining their physique temperature … Fifty-eight levels is just too chilly for an alligator to be all in favour of meals in any respect.”
A buddy who used to hunt with Mike additionally spoke about his traditional practices. He mentioned he by no means put his waders on till he had reached the world that he needed to hunt in. “As a lot as he preached that to me,” the buddy mentioned, “why would he be carrying his waders whereas driving the boat?”
In a twist, in 2005, Denise married Brian Winchester. This was the person who had been one among Mike’s greatest buddies, and the one who had offered him the $1m life insurance coverage coverage. It will later emerge that Denise and Brian had begun having an affair in 1997. You’ll be able to see the place that is heading now.
“I had a very good spouse, I had a child and I had Denise on the facet. That is messed-up pondering, however in my thoughts, I had it fairly good,” Brian would later say.
As we talked about earlier, Denise and Mike appeared joyful on the floor of their marriage on the time he vanished. The truth was very completely different. It has been claimed that Denise was sad with Mike however didn’t need to divorce in case she misplaced custody of her daughter. Mike needed to have one other little one and Denise didn’t agree.
In 2006, Ronnie Austin, an investigator for the FDLE mentioned “My intestine feeling is Mike didn’t die in Lake Seminole”. I might say this can be a suspicious lacking particular person.”
It was additionally decided that the scene the place Mike apparently disappeared from had not been preserved. His Bronco and boat had been turned over to the household with out correct investigation.
In 2007, Cheryl spoke to the media and mentioned that she hoped Mike was alive. “I get criticized quite a bit for not admitting that Mike’s lifeless,” she advised the Tallahassee Democrat. “All I do know is I can’t cease in search of him till I discover him.”
That very same yr, the FDLE closed the case once more. They mentioned they had been satisfied the alligator idea was mistaken, however that they had nothing additional to analyze and no results in observe.
Denise and Brian made a press release on the case in 2007. “For seven years we’ve prayed and hoped to search out out with certainty what occurred to Mike,” Brian mentioned in an e-mail to the Democrat, and “No person desires Mike discovered greater than we do.”
The Florida Division of Monetary Companies’ Division of Insurance coverage Fraud started investigating the case from that angle in 2008.
“The circumstances surrounding this case elevate many severe and troubling questions,” mentioned DIF’s lead legal professional, Mark Schlein. Perry, the FFWCC officer who had been closely concerned within the authentic search, added on the time that if he or every other particular person investigating had recognized that there was a big life insurance coverage coverage on Mike and who the beneficiary was, that search might need been dealt with otherwise. It was famous that Denise’s courtroom petition to have her husband declared legally lifeless talked about solely the Kansas Metropolis Life Insurance coverage Firm insurance policies Winchester had offered him, omitting insurance policies by different corporations that Mike had obtained by different sources.
The case would find yourself being closed in 2008, with out something additional taking place. “Our job was extraordinarily tough, and we had been merely unable to develop sufficient proof to proceed with the investigation,” Schlein mentioned. He added that if new info had been obtained, the investigation may very well be reopened. “We now have suspicions, however what we want is proof.”
Denise and Brian’s marriage was tumultuous. They separated in 2012. The rationale for the separation was reported to be Brian’s intercourse dependancy.
Denise filed for divorce in 2015. Brian opposed the divorce and needed to be ordered to conform.
On August 5, 2016, Denise left her dwelling to drive to her job on the Florida State College. She was sitting within the automobile and was on the cellphone to her sister, when somebody climbed over the again seat. It was Brian. Brian took her cellphone away and started yelling instructions at her. She refused to conform till he pulled out a gun. Brian apparently went to this excessive as Denise was not taking his calls and had blocked his texts.
Denise drove to a CVS parking zone and pulled up by the door. Brian advised her that he was going to kill himself with the gun as a result of he had nothing to stay for in the event that they divorced.
Denise managed to calm him down and took him again to the place his personal automobile was parked. He obtained out and went to his truck. He pulled up subsequent to her automobile and apologised for his actions. Denise promised him that she wouldn’t inform police, however she drove there straight after leaving the scene.
Brian was arrested and charged with kidnapping, home assault, and armed housebreaking, with two of the costs being felonies. Denise requested safety orders, saying she feared for her life and her daughter’s. After a listening to the following week at which she mentioned she might neither eat nor sleep for the reason that incident, the courtroom determined to carry Brian with out bond.
Brian would converse to investigators about Denise and Mike’s marriage on the time of the disappearance.
“Denise and Mike, however, they had been at one another’s throats and she or he had 2 million causes for this to occur.” he mentioned.
In December 2017, Brian was sentenced to twenty years in jail for the kidnapping. He was given credit score for 502 days time served, to be adopted by 15 years’ probation. His legal professional advised the courtroom that he was suicidal that day, as a result of not solely the divorce but additionally his mom’s latest terminal most cancers analysis and the choice by his teenage son from his first marriage to maneuver in together with his mom, and argued for the 10-year necessary minimal. Prosecutors countered that Brian’s actions that day indicated he deliberate a murder-suicide that was solely averted by Denise’s fast pondering.
No point out about Mike’s case was made at Brian’s sentencing. It was hoped that following the sentencing, there could also be some decision in Mike’s case. It’s believed that Brian might have made an settlement with prosecutors in trade for a lesser sentence, as a result of the day after he was sentenced, Mike’s physique was discovered.
Police mentioned that Mike was a sufferer of murder, however they launched little or no different info. They mentioned they had been withholding info from the general public since solely the responsible events would know the small print.
It was later revealed that Mike’s physique was present in northern Leon County in Florida. The stays had been examined in opposition to Cheryl’s DNA and had been confirmed to belong to Mike.
Cheryl held a funeral for Mike in September 2018.
“I need everybody to come back who liked Michael and need to honor him, they’re welcome to come back,” mentioned Cheryl. Cheryl mentioned that it was Mike’s want to be buried, not cremated.
“Michael was a Christian and I do know he’s been in heaven all these years, and it’s not him they’re burying within the floor however it’s his earthly stays, and that’s the least I can do for my little one,” she mentioned.
Denise was arrested in Could 2018. She was charged with homicide, conspiracy, and accent after the actual fact. Her protection legal professional, Ethan Means, mentioned she had nothing in any way to do with the killing.
After the arrest, FDLE mentioned that they had obtained info as to the whereabouts of Mike’s stays in October 2017. A crew of search canine discovered Mike’s stays in piles of dust, stacked on plywood sheets. 98% of his stays had been discovered and he had been very properly preserved. Clothes together with gloves and booties had been discovered on the scene.
After Denise’s arrest, the indictment paperwork had been launched.
It revealed that prosecutors believed Denise allegedly started conspiring with Brian in March 2000, 9 months earlier than her first husband disappeared. Brian is alleged to have killed Michael with a gun. The accent cost prompt that someday between August 2014 and the day Brian was sentenced, Denise had allegedly helped Brian keep away from prosecution or arrest for the crime.
Denise went to trial in December 2018. Audio of Brian’s interview with LE was performed in courtroom. He admitted to pulling the set off to kill Mike, however mentioned it was all Denise’s thought.
Brian mentioned that that they had begun to think about killing Mike after they started their affair, so they might marry. Denise had an thought to stage a boating accident on the Gulf of Mexico, in order that they might throw their respective companions on the time overboard.
Brian rejected this as he didn’t need to kill the mom of his youngsters.
In addition they thought of planning a staged theft at Mike’s workplace which might have resulted in homicide.
Brian got here up with the concept of a searching accident as the quilt up for Brian’s homicide. Brian obtained Mike out to the lake. He had gotten Mike to place the waders on, then pushed him out of the boat, assuming he would drown. As a substitute, Mike managed to swim to a tree stump. Brian shot him within the face. Because the demise might now not be handed off as a boating/searching accident, Brian buried the physique. He went the identical day to a Christmas get together and that’s the place he discovered the seek for Mike was underway.
He and Denise cooled off their relationship after Mike’s disappearance, to be able to let the insurance coverage cash earn curiosity and to cease any suspicion being raised.
Brian mentioned that the kidnapping incident occurred in response to his worry that Denise would inform police what occurred to Mike.
In February 2019, Denise was sentenced to life in jail. Cheryl spoke in courtroom and mentioned that justice had lastly been served and that Denise had taken each her son and her granddaughter from her.
Mike and Denise’s daughter Anslee was given her late father’s property. The belongings had been signed over to her by Denise, who did so to keep away from insurance coverage fraud prices.
As a part of the deal, Anslee might not use any of the cash on her mom’s authorized charges; if she did, she would owe the state a US$150,000 penalty.
Denise appealed her conviction in January 2020. In November 2020, the homicide conviction was overturned. The conspiracy to commit homicide conviction was upheld together with the 30-year sentence that accompanied it.
In April 2021, Florida’s Legal professional Basic appealed the reversal of Denise’s homicide conviction to the state’s Supreme Courtroom. It cited conflicting precedent and state constitutional provisions. The courtroom declined to listen to the attraction.
SOURCE LIST –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Mike_Williams
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/information/2018/08/25/after-17-years-mike-williams-laid-rest/1087867002
https://www.cbsnews.com/information/mike-williams-murder-tallahassee-florida-cold-blooded-killer-48-hours
https://www.information.com.au/world/north-america/mum-and-best-friend-allegedly-concoct-milliondollar-murder-plan/news-story/d2fb3f953485f02242f1655e01afe637
