Casefile True Crime - Case 227: Mike Williams

Episode Date: October 15, 2022

The weekend of December 16 2000 was shaping up to be a good one for Tallahassee man Mike Williams. With a romantic getaway planned to celebrate his sixth wedding anniversary to his wife Denise, Mike got up early to sneak in a couple hours of duck hunting on Lake Seminole. When he failed to return home, Denise quickly raised the alarm. --- Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Elsha McGill Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn Sign up for Casefile Premium: Apple Premium Spotify Premium Patreon For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-227-mike-williams

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local Crisis Centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. Jerry Michael Williams loved two things above all else, his family and spending time outdoors. The 31-year-old, who went by Mike, worked long hours as a real estate appraiser to provide for his wife and their 18-month-old daughter. While his six-figure salary afforded them a comfortable lifestyle in Florida's capital

city of Tallahassee, Mike worked hard for his money, leaving him with very little leisure time. Whenever he did fit in some time for himself, he headed to one of the nearby lakes to go duck hunting. He'd taken on the sport during his teens. It afforded Mike the opportunity to enjoy some fresh air and peace in the surrounding woods. December 2000 was shaping up to be another busy month for Mike.

On the evening of Friday, December 15, he volunteered to collect money for the Salvation Army's Christmas appeal outside of his local Walmart store. Mike was always willing to lend others a helping hand. It was a byproduct of having been raised by upstanding and selfless working-class parents who sacrificed a lot to grant Mike and his brother a quality upbringing. The following morning of Saturday, December 16, Mike awoke well before sunrise. Later that day, he and his wife Denise would be taking off for a romantic getaway to celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary at a boutique hotel in the seaside town of Apalachicola.

But first, Mike wanted to get in a couple of hours of duck hunting at Lake Seminole, which was roughly 60 miles northwest of his home. The winter hunting season was short-lived, so he wanted to make the most of it while it lasted. Mike loaded his gear into his green and tanned Ford Bronco and attached his small motorised boat to the towbar. He drove away from his spacious two-story home and into the pre-dawn light. Warren Merrill's phone rang around midday on Saturday, December 16.

On the other line was his daughter, Denise Williams. She was worried. Her husband, Mike, was due to return home for their anniversary getaway, but there was no sign of him. It wasn't like Mike to be late, especially without getting in contact. He was an incredibly devoted husband who went above and beyond for Denise. Even when he was under the pump at work, Mike would leave his office in the middle of the day to fill Denise's car with petrol or bring her lunch while she cared for their infant

daughter at home. He'd buy groceries after work and go home to make dinner, only to return to the office after Denise and their daughter were in bed. Mike had been looking forward to his weekend away, so his unexplained absence was highly unusual. Denise's father contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Known as the FWC, the organisation was the first point of contact when it came to managing the public waters and initiating search and rescue missions.

They also worked closely with various law enforcement to investigate any critical incidents. Officers from the FWC arrived at Lake Seminole within 10 minutes of Warren Merrill's call. Located on the border of Florida and Georgia, Lake Seminole is a large reservoir encompassing runoff from the Chattahoochee, Flint and Appalachicola rivers. With 10 state parks dotting its shores, it's a popular location for fishing, hunting and bird watching. The surrounding woodlands attract campers, hikers and nature lovers. Not with over 37,500 acres to explore, feelings of isolation are palpable.

Unsure where to start the search for Mike Williams, a helicopter was ready to sweep over the area, but a cold snap in the weather forced the aircraft to wait until the conditions improved. In the meantime, FWC officers set out into the wilderness on foot. They failed to uncover Mike, his boat or his car. Deputies from the Jackson County Sheriff's Department were also brought in to assist, focusing on the areas Mike was known to hunt at in the past. Word quickly spread amongst Mike's friends and family that he had failed to return from his hunting trip.

They didn't hesitate to head out to Lake Seminole to join in the search. As the hours ticked by without any breakthroughs, anxieties heightened that something terrible had happened to Mike. At 9pm, the helicopter was finally cleared to fly. It was grounded by midnight, having found nothing of significance. This didn't deter the ground-based search party, nor did the stormy winter night that had arrived. They braved the cold and continued to track the swampy foggy terrain.

Their only source of warmth was a drumfire that served as the unofficial search headquarters. Brian Winchester had been Mike Williams' best friend since 9th grade. The two lived parallel lives, each marrying their high school sweethearts, buying their first homes and having children around at the same time. They remained close into adulthood, going on hunting trips together and planning double dates with their wives, who had also been friends since high school. So when Brian received word that Mike was missing, he didn't hesitate to join in the search.

At 2.30am, Brian and his father Marcus ventured around the western side of Lake Seminole. They reached an area colloquially known as Stump Lake, due to the many dead tree stumps that jutted out from the waters. They shone their flashlights through the reeds and trees, while calling out Mike's name. Marcus then noticed something in the water approximately 70 metres south of a boat ramp. It was Mike's boat. An FWC officer was notified and quickly secured the vessel. It contained all of Mike's hunting equipment, including his duck decoys, life jacket and

shotgun. There was no sign of Mike or any indication that anything untoward had taken place. As Mike's shotgun was still in its case and there was no mud in the boat, it didn't appear as though he had been mid-hunt when he suddenly became separated from his watercraft. Mike's Ford Bronco was found roughly 70 metres away. Likewise, there was nothing in the vehicle to indicate Mike's whereabouts. The only possible clue lay in the boat. Although the motor was dead, the engine was switched to the on position.

This suggested it had been in use when it was abandoned. Stump Lake was filled with roots, weeds and tree stumps, some of which weren't visible from the surface. Officers speculated that Mike could have been out on his boat when it hit a submerged stump and threw him overboard. The boots he'd been wearing when he left home were inside the boat, meaning he'd likely been wearing waders at the time he went missing. Made using waterproof fabric such as rubber or PVC, waders consist of boots that are permanently

attached to a pair of overalls. Favoured by fishermen and duck hunters, they allow the wearer to stand in waist-high water without getting wet. For all their benefits, waders are also known to carry some risks. If someone falls in the water while wearing waders, the weight of the water can pull them down, while the pressure of the water can cause the fabric to suction onto their skin. This can make it incredibly difficult to remove the waders, thus dragging the wearer further down.

Although the lake was only 8 feet deep at its deepest point, with Mike's waders quickly filling with water, officers believed he could have been dragged under the surface. His boat could have then continued on without him until it came to a stop once hitting the muddy bank. One official remarked, When we find the waders, we will find Mike. At first light on the morning of Sunday December 17, FWC officers entered the water in a boat that was specially designed to navigate the heavily vegetated waters of Stump Lake.

A thorough grid search was conducted across the lake with officers tying ropes from one tree stump to another, to mark each area that had been examined. They used poles to poke around the murky waters every 6 to 8 inches, knowing from experience that it was easy to differentiate the feel of a human body from other underwater debris. Underwater cameras capable of monitoring any movement were also mounted along the grid lines in case anything was missed. This scoured the waterway and cadaver dogs were brought in, while helicopters and fixed wing aeroplanes continued to search from above.

Mike's family, friends and other volunteers braved the cold weather to aid the search. This continued on for the next week. Some were initially optimistic that Mike could have made it to a nearby island and was waiting to be rescued, but this was quickly deemed highly unlikely. The unfortunate truth was that he'd most likely drowned. As FWC officers had learned in previous drowning incidents, it could sometimes take up to 7 days for a body to rise to the surface, especially in freezing temperatures. But a week in, not a single trace of Mike Williams was uncovered.

By Christmas Day, any hopes of finding Mike alive had vanished and it had become a search for his body. The search was scaled back to just one FWC officer patrolling the waters and one flight a day checking overhead. On December 27, the FWC officer noticed a bit of fabric floating in the shallow water amongst some grass and trees. It was a distinctive camouflage hunting hat. The hat was shown to Mike's wife Denise, who confirmed it looked just like one owned

by her husband. An exhaustive search was conducted of the shallow waters where the hat was found, with the expectation that Mike's body would likely be under the surface, but there was nothing. In late January, Mike's mother Cheryl Williams hired a private search and rescue team to comb the area. They too failed to find any sign of Mike, which supported a theory that had been gaining traction. Mike's Seminole was full of alligators, some of them as large as 13 feet long and weighing

a thousand pounds. Up to 20 of them had been spotted in the area on the very first night of the search alone. To explain why Mike's body still hadn't surfaced, authorities speculated that alligators had likely gotten to Mike's body before the search party did. A report prepared for the head of the private search team stated, With the wildlife around, I would guess that the alligators have dismembered and stored the remains in a location that we would not be able to find. Days and then weeks passed with no further developments.

On Sunday, February 11, 2001, the search was finally called off. By this point, Mike had been missing for 44 days and an area of over five acres had been thoroughly inspected. A report written by the Florida boating accident investigation concluded, Nothing in investigative or search and rescue efforts has produced any definitive evidence of a boating accident or a fatality as of this date. Mr Williams is still missing. With no clear answer as to what had happened, the local rumour mill ran rife.

In every other drowning incident on Lake Seminole, the victim's body had eventually resurfaced. With no body to prove that Mike had passed away, people began to speculate that he could have faked his own death. Given the bizarre circumstances, even officials working the case thought this was a plausible possibility. It just seemed so strange that Mike had been hunting alone as he was known to almost always hunt with a buddy. It was even stranger that he'd gone on a solo hunting trip with only hours to spare before

his romantic weekend away. Those close to Mike immediately shut the idea down that he could have staged his own death. To them, there was no way he would have intentionally run off. He loved his daughter more than anything, with one friend noting, His baby girl was the light of his life. Friends believed Mike would never bail on his responsibilities. Mike's father had also recently passed away, and Mike wouldn't leave his widowed mother or intentionally cause her any more pain.

Furthermore, Mike and Denise had some exciting plans for the future. That coming spring, they were going to take a cruise to Hawaii and later a business trip to Jamaica. They'd also recently told their families that they intended to start trying for another baby. Mike's mother Cheryl wasn't prepared to accept that her son was really dead. On Christmas Day, she had visited Lake Seminole for the first time since the search for her son was underway.

Something immediately told Cheryl that Mike wasn't there. He'd recently mentioned to Cheryl that he'd love to get his hands on $50,000 and take a year off. The nearest Greyhound bus station was only 24 miles away, and although it would have been wildly out of character, Cheryl wondered whether Mike could have staged the whole disappearance before fleeing town. But another more grisly thought had also been gnawing away at her. What if Mike had been the victim of foul play?

This possibility hadn't been explored by the officers involved in the search, as there was no evidence to suggest that Mike was anything other than a missing hunter. Cheryl vowed that she'd uncover the truth and bring Mike home no matter what. A friend of Mike's later told the New York Post. Whoever did something to Mike messed with the wrong woman. At the start of June 2001, just under six months after Mike Williams disappeared, a local fisherman set out on Lake Seminole. As he made his way through the water of Stump Lake, he spotted something floating on the

surface. It was a pair of waiters. Aware of the mystery surrounding Mike's disappearance, the fisherman contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Officers arrived on the scene accompanied by deputies from the sheriff's department. After retrieving the waiters, they noticed there was a small bag strapped around the waist. Inside, there were a bunch of shotgun shells and a hunting license.

It belonged to Mike Williams. A diver was sent underwater. On the muddy bottom of the lake, they found a lightweight hunting jacket with a small flashlight in the pocket. This was a major discovery, as it finally solidified the area where Mike had drowned. But the FWC officers were flabbergasted. They'd scoured this particular part of the lake as thoroughly as possible during the search for Mike and had found nothing.

Despite their rigorous prodding of the bottom of the lake, neither the waiters nor the jacket had any poke holes in them, nor were there any alligator teeth marks. The waiters in particular were in pristine condition, with not even any slime on them. The water inside of the waiters was forensically examined. There was no sign of any human remains, nor anything to conclusively indicate that Mike Williams had ever been wearing them. It just didn't seem right that the immaculate waiters would suddenly pop to the surface after six months submerged in eight feet of muddy, weed-ridden waters.

Surprisingly, the flashlight also still worked. A question was raised. Was it possible these items had been planted? According to the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper, the diver who found the jacket and flashlight didn't think so. On the bottom of the lake where these items lay, he'd also seen torn weeds and alligator excrement, evidence that supported the theory that Mike had drowned and his remains were eaten.

The diver remarked, I wouldn't say that it seemed planted, but that's anybody's guess. Contrary to popular belief, alligators aren't necessarily the savage hunters they're painted to be. When they want to, the force of their bike can be quite delicate. Therefore, reptile experts confirmed it was possible that an alligator could have gently removed Mike's remains from his waiters without leaving any teeth marks. The discovery of the waiters served as proof that something life-threatening had happened to Mike Williams, and four weeks later, a judge officially declared Mike legally dead.

The cause of death was listed as accidental drowning. This was a rare move in a case without a body. In Florida, it typically took five years for a person to be declared dead when there was no proof. Mike's mother Cheryl wasn't happy with the ruling. There were still some aspects of the case that didn't add up. She still couldn't comprehend that Mike had been hunting alone, that his body had never surfaced, and that his submerged belongings were undamaged.

But with Mike declared legally dead, there was little she could do. Given that his disappearance had never been considered a criminal matter, Cheryl Williams took it upon herself to look further into the case and cross-check all the details. She researched the weather patterns, wind speeds and currents from the time Mike went missing. On the first night of the search for Mike, a storm had blown through the area. The winds were blowing easterly, which meant Mike's boat should have blown to the eastern shore of Stump Lake.

On the contrary, it was found on the western side. The boat which was fitted with a five-horsepower motor was also found with a full tank of gasoline. If Mike had fallen overboard while out on the water, the manufacturer of the boat said it wouldn't have come to a stop at the bank. Instead, it would have kept running in circles until it eventually ran out of gas. The location where Mike's Ford Bronco was found also struck Cheryl as odd. Rather than being parked near the concrete boat ramp that Mike was known to use, it was near an undeveloped makeshift landing.

This meant Mike would have had to drag his boat through the mud to launch it. Why would he go to this unnecessary effort and inconvenience? Cheryl also spoke to reptile experts to learn more about the habits of North Florida alligators. At the time of Mike's alleged drowning, the waters of Lake Seminole were a crisp 58 degrees Fahrenheit or 14 degrees Celsius. Two days later, they dropped further to just 46 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 degrees Celsius and ice eventually formed on parts of the lake. According to reptile experts, in these kinds of temperatures, the last thing alligators

are interested in is feeding. Instead, they hibernate, with their focus on maintaining their body temperature. They don't need to eat during this time, as they're capable of surviving on just one large meal per year. Not only did reptile experts think there was no way Mike was eaten by alligators, the ones seen around the lake at the time of Mike's disappearance were mostly small ones, not the kind capable of eating a 5'10 man who weighed 170 pounds without leaving a trace. Experts were asked if it was possible that Mike's body could have been held underwater

by weeds, only to be consumed by alligators once they came out of hibernation. They ruled this out too. If Mike's body had been underwater, other creatures such as crayfish, catfish and turtles would have found his remains long before the alligators did. On the highly improbable chance that other creatures didn't eat his remains first, it was simply too unusual that not a trace of Mike's body would be found. Sheryl compiled all of the questionable elements of Mike's disappearance into a 27-page document and contacted various law enforcement agencies urging them to re-open the case.

She was tireless in her efforts, refusing to take no for an answer. But as the months and then years passed by, investigators slowly stopped returning her calls. While they felt for Sheryl, there was little they could do. Sheryl had a friend with connections to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. After seeking their input in 2004, they finally agreed to open an investigation into Mike's disappearance. After examining all of the peculiar elements of the case, they agreed that something didn't

seem quite right. Investigators changed the status of Mike Williams' case to a suspicious missing person, which meant it was officially considered a criminal case. Sheryl was relieved that she was finally being taken seriously. For years, many had thought her refusal to let the case go was just the result of her grief. But, with law enforcement on her side, it proved she was right to question the facts. When Mike's widow, Denise, found out that a criminal investigation was going ahead,

she was firmly against it. While she understood Sheryl's grief, she wanted to focus on the future instead of dwelling on the past. Denise was moving on with her life and had recently started dating again. Denise warned Sheryl that if she proceeded with the investigation, Sheryl would no longer be able to see her granddaughter. The thought of losing access to the young girl devastated Sheryl, but finding justice for her son was paramount.

As a family friend later told CBS News, Sheryl took the energy she would have spent loving on that child and tried to find her daddy. Investigators examining the case began questioning Mike's family and friends. Denise said that Mike had no enemies and there was no one who would want to harm him. She described her husband as a great guy and family man, a sentiment that was supported by everyone who knew him. Mike's boss described him as an unbelievable worker with incredible energy who was, quote, as clean as anyone comes.

While investigators agreed that the circumstances of Mike's disappearance were suspicious, they were between a rock and a hard place. Given that the case had never been treated as a criminal investigation, Mike's boat, vehicle and waders had never been preserved as evidence. All of his belongings had long since been returned to his family. Likewise, the area where these items were found was never considered a crime scene, meaning members of the search party had been allowed to freely trample around. No footprints, tire marks or other forensics had ever been examined or preserved.

With no body and no evidence, investigators had their work cut out for them. They attempted to find any witnesses, but came up dry. Several Williams continued to do whatever she could to draw the public's attention to her son's case. She appealed to journalists to cover the story and used her retirement savings to have billboards erected around town and ads published in a local newspaper. Appealing directly to the readers, the ads began with the heartfelt line, I haven't seen my son Mike in over five years.

Will you please take a moment to read this and help me find him? After detailing her plight, Cheryl asked, Were you hunting in Lake Seminole on December 16, 2000? Did you see Mike or his vehicle? Did you see Mike with anyone? Was someone else driving his vehicle? Did you see anything unusual? Do you know anything that would help criminal investigators find out what happened to my son?

In the lead up to the sixth anniversary of Mike's disappearance in 2006, the Tallahassee Democrat published the first ever comprehensive coverage of the Mike William case. The article revealed for the first time that law enforcement were now considering Mike's disappearance as suspicious and were trying to make up for the fact that it wasn't initially handled as a criminal case. One investigator commented, My gut feeling is Mike did not die in Lake Seminole, which is the shared feeling of all law enforcement working this case.

We know we are all at a brick wall and are pounding our heads against it. The investigation soldiered on slowly. By 2007, there were enough technological advances to warrant a new search of Lake Seminole, but it was yet another dead end, and the case eventually went cold. Cheryl Williams refused to let it go. There was another major factor that had always bothered her about her son's disappearance. Mike had met Denise Merrill during the ninth grade. It had been love at first sight for the quintessential American couple.

Mike was a talented footballer and student council president, and Denise was a cheerleader and student council secretary. After high school, they both attended Florida State University. The couple married in 1994 and had their daughter five years later. When Mike vanished on the weekend of their sixth wedding anniversary, Cheryl Williams could never understand why Denise was so quick to accept the drowning explanation and move on. Denise had kept a low profile throughout the ordeal and had refused to speak to the press.

She wanted to mourn in private and move on with her life, yet her hostility towards pursuing an investigation concerned Cheryl. Then, five years after Mike vanished, Denise remarried. The union was a hot topic, as Denise's new husband was none other than Mike's best friend, Brian Winchester. When the couple first went public about their relationship, they were adamant their romantic interest in one another was a recent development. Regardless, people began speculating that they could have been seeing each other when Mike

was still alive, giving them a motive to want him out of the picture. Denise and Brian had declined to speak to the Tallahassee Democrat for the write-up about Mike's case, stating in an email, We love Mike and miss him terribly and would ask that our privacy be respected through what continues to be a very difficult time. Denise had previously returned Mike's hunting equipment to his family, but when Mike's brother Nick was going through the weapons in 2007, he noticed that Mike's .22 caliber Ruger pistol was missing.

Mike had inherited the gun from his father, so it was important to Nick that they got the gun back. Denise claimed she'd lost the gun and had even claimed it on insurance. Nick didn't believe her. He contacted the police to report a missing weapon and a court order was filed. Denise eventually returned the gun to Mike's family. While they were relieved to have it back, that raised the question, why had she tried to hide this weapon?

Cheryl Williams had reason to be suspicious about her daughter-in-law from early on. Mike had three life insurance policies valued at roughly $1.75 million, of which Denise was the sole beneficiary. Mike declared legally dead had allowed Denise to claim on these within six months of him going missing. She'd applied to receive the payout just 19 days after Mike's disappearance. Law enforcement agreed that these elements were suspicious, and in 2008, cold case investigators re-examined the case with a focus on these factors.

Denise's desire to promptly claim on Mike's life insurance wasn't necessarily dubious. After having her baby, Denise had quit her job as an accountant to be a full-time stay-at-home mum. Mike was the sole breadwinner for the family, and after he went missing, the bills piled up quickly. Denise had been so strapped for cash that she'd even resorted to enlisting help from Mike's friends to sell some of his belongings. But the timing of which Mike had taken out the policies did strike investigators as

odd. The largest policy, valued at $1 million, had only been put in place a few months before his disappearance. The person who sold him the insurance policy was Brian Winchester. In Florida, charges relating to insurance fraud carry a five-year statute of limitations, but in special circumstances that can be extended by three years. Mike's case, now eight years old, was taken on by state investigators from the Insurance Fraud Division and given a immediate priority.

Brian Winchester was brought in for questioning. In the year 2000, Brian worked for his father's financial planning company. He told investigators that Mike had discussed taking out a higher life insurance policy ever since he'd become a parent. Brian had simply helped him facilitate this. This was supported by Mike's boss, who said he'd also encouraged Mike to put higher coverage in place once he had a family to support. Brian firmly denied having anything to do with Mike's disappearance.

In December 2000, Brian said he was still happily married to his first wife, Kathy. On the morning of December 16, he was supposed to join his father-in-law for an early morning hunting trip, but he overslept and had to cancel at the last minute. Brian's ex-wife, Kathy, verified his alibi, but she said their marriage had been far from happy. She voiced her suspicions that Brian and Denise could have started an affair well before they went public with their relationship in 2004. Possibly when Mike was still alive.

If this was the case, it added further weight to the growing theory that Brian and Denise could be behind Mike's disappearance. The problem was, there was nothing to prove the pair had been romantically involved back in the year 2000. Phone and credit card records from the time were no longer available, leaving investigators with no way of linking the two. They were now convinced that Mike had met with foul play, but they still had no evidence. Having exhausted every possible lead with no breakthroughs, the case was reluctantly closed.

The only way it could be opened again was if fresh and compelling evidence emerged. Michael Williams was undeterred. She picketed in front of the church that Denise and Brian attended, holding up signs with her son's face on them that read, help solve Mike's disappearance and bring Mike home. She continued posting flyers about Mike around town, and in January 2009 she began writing letters daily to the newly sworn governor, pleading for a special prosecutor to be assigned to Mike's case. All up, she wrote 2,600 letters.

Mike's story was eventually covered on a segment aired on the Investigation Discovery channel, leading to renewed public interest in the case, but no further leads emerged. Cheryl continued writing to the governor every single day, but each request fell on deaf ears. By 2016, Mike had been missing for almost 16 years. The morning of Friday, August 5, started out normally for the now 46-year-old Denise. At 9am, she got into her Chevrolet Suburban SUV to drive to her accounting job at Floral Florida State University.

Part of Denise's morning routine was to speak to her sister. She took out her cell phone to dial her sister's number when she glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed a dark figure in her back seat. It took Denise a moment to realise that the figure was her husband, Brian Winchester. The past four years hadn't been smooth sailing for the couple. A series of affairs on both behalves had led Brian to admit he was a sex addict and the pair had separated in 2012. While Brian hoped they could work things out, Denise had recently filed for divorce, citing

irreconcilable differences. On the morning of August 5, 2016, the couple were scheduled to have an appraisal of their Centennial Loak's home as part of the divorce proceedings. Instead, after launching at Denise from his hiding place in the back seat of her car, Brian grabbed the cell phone from Denise's hands and demanded that she start driving. Denise refused, but Brian threatened to hurt her if she didn't comply. That's when Denise realised Brian was holding something in his hands, a pistol. He rammed the weapon into Denise's ribs and once again demanded that she start driving.

This time, she did as she was told. But she didn't take the route Brian was telling her to. There was a pharmacy near her home that was under constant video surveillance, so Denise drove there instead, parking as close to the door as possible so she could attract help if need be. Brian told Denise he'd been forced to do this because she refused to return any of his calls, emails or messages. On top of the impending divorce, the past few years had been a struggle for Brian.

His mother was suffering from terminal cancer and he'd recently lost shared custody of his son after the teenager found explicit photos on Brian's phone of Brian engaging with sex workers. Brian told Denise that if she went ahead with the divorce, he'd have nothing to live for. Fearing for her life, Denise asked Brian, Are you planning on ending both of our lives today? He replied, Just mine.

Denise did everything she could to calm Brian down. If he let her go, she repeatedly promised she wouldn't tell anybody about this incident. She reassured Brian he could turn his life around if he just tried and invited him to come to her house later on so they could talk properly. After about 45 minutes, Brian seemed to snap out of it. He told Denise to drop him back at his truck and when they got there, he started apologizing profusely. His demeanor changed so much that Denise found it hard to believe this was the same man who

had violently threatened her just moments earlier. Brian got out of the car and went to retrieve some of his belongings from the back of the SUV. Denise watched as he gathered the items up. A large piece of fabric, a plastic sheet, a spray bottle of bleach and a small hammer-sized tool of some kind. As soon as Brian was out of sight, Denise drove straight to the county sheriff's office. Officers took Denise to an interrogation room where she provided a full account of her or

deal. A warrant was immediately issued for Brian Winchester's arrest. Police believed that the items Brian had stashed in Denise's car showed that he had intended to kill Denise and dispose of her body. They commended Denise for her brave actions, saying that her quick thinking had saved her life. However, the police who interviewed Denise were well aware of her connection to the Mike Williams case and her kidnapping story raised some eyebrows.

They immediately wondered what reason Brian had to want Denise dead. Was it possible that she'd threatened to talk about what happened to Mike? Denise was scared that Brian would come after her again and she immediately requested to file a restraining order against him. Realising just how bad their marriage had become, investigators recognised this as their opportunity to get Denise to turn against Brian at last. They took turns grilling Denise. One officer put it to her bluntly, saying, I know Brian did it, and you know exactly

what I'm talking about. He held that over your head forever. Fifteen years ago, Brian walked in and told you he'd done something, didn't he? He killed Mike, and I'm pretty sure the reason he was going to kill you today was he was afraid you were going to say something. Denise strongly disputed this allegation. She said she believed that Mike had drowned in Lake Seminole and she had no reason to think otherwise.

When an officer told her this was impossible, Denise responded plainly, that's just what I believe. As the officers continued to press her about Mike's disappearance, Denise said she was starting to feel uncomfortable. She shifted awkwardly in her chair, looking down at the papers in front of her. She said she only had until the end of the day to file the restraining order, and that was her main priority. She acted confused as to why they were bringing up Mike's death when she'd just been kidnapped.

The officers pressed on about Brian's potential involvement with Mike's disappearance, but Denise continuously switched the subject back to the events of the day. While Denise was being interrogated, Brian Winchester was arrested and charged with kidnapping domestic assault and armed burglary. Realizing they weren't about to extract any information from Denise, the interviewing officer told her, I was hoping you could fill in some of the pieces of the puzzle. You haven't. Brian might.

Think about what I've said. Brian denied that he had any intention of harming Denise. He claimed the so-called spray bottle of bleach was actually a bottle of water he was using to mist up her car window so she couldn't see he was hiding inside. The hammer-like tool Denise had spotted him carrying was an empty clip for the gun. One week later, Brian appeared in court. Through tears, Denise begged that the judge refuse him bail for the safety of herself and her daughter.

The judge agreed. Brian pleaded no contest, and his sentencing went ahead 16 months later in December 2017. In court, Denise read an emotional victim impact statement. Your Honor, I'm here today to ask you to sentence Brian Winchester to the maximum penalty under the law for the crimes that he committed against me on August 5, 2016. It's been 16 months since he broke into my car, hid in the back, waiting on me, scared the life out of me, jumping up while I was driving, shoved a gun in my ribs, and kidnapped me.

I have relived it every single day, and it is always with me. He made the choice to plan and act out the crimes of August 5. He is the reason he has been sitting in jail the past 16 months. He's the reason that he lost me and his children. Since August 5, 2016, I have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and with extreme anxiety. I start each day with the memory of him jumping out of the back, and I end each day feeling the gun shoved in my ribs when I turn on my right side, trying to sleep.

Each day, when I get in my car to go to work, I look back to check the back seats. This is my life now. We all have the right to feel secure and safe, and he took my sense of security and safety from me. He stole it from me, and I will never be the same. He stole it from me, and I will never be the same. I live each day with the fear of his retaliation for my decision to tell. You will finish what he has started, no matter what age he is when he is released.

For all of these reasons, I am asking you to send him to life in prison for the crimes he has committed. It comes down to my life or his, and I am asking you please to choose life. Thank you. What Denise didn't know is that just two months earlier, in October 2017, prosecutors had approached Brian. Florida law dictates that married couples aren't required to testify against one another at court, but Denise and Brian's divorce had officially been finalized in May that year.

This meant that the two were no longer protected by spousal privilege. Recognizing an opportunity, the prosecutors presented Brian with an offer. Tell the truth about what happened to Mike Williams, and not only would they provide full immunity for any charges relating to that case, they'd also remove the potential life sentence for Denise's kidnapping. By this point, almost 17 years had passed since Mike went missing. Finally, Brian started talking. He said it all started during a double date night out between Brian, Kathy, Mike and

Denise in 1997. The conversation took an unusual turn, and somehow they started talking about sex. Brian and Denise had known each other since preschool, and he'd never thought about her in a romantic way before, but the conversation sparked an attraction that Brian felt was mutual. In October that year, the two couples went to see a concert together. While Mike and Kathy went to park the car, Denise and Brian kissed for the first time. Later that night, after the couples returned home, Brian and Denise spoke on the phone

for hours. They talked about everything, including their desires, and it eventually led to them having phone sex. After that, a full-blown affair ensued. Brian and Denise began sneaking around and meeting up regularly for sex, sometimes up to 15 times a week. They'd rendezvous at hotels, in public places, and sometimes at Mike and Denise's place while Mike was at work.

Sometimes when Mike and Denise went out of town for one of Mike's business trips, Brian would follow them and spend time with Denise while Mike was busy with conferences. Things continued this way for years, and Brian felt he had it pretty good. He said, I had a good wife, I had a kid, and I had Denise on the side. In contrast, Denise was unhappy in her marriage to Mike. The two fought constantly and hadn't had sex since Denise was pregnant. Regardless, divorce wasn't an option for Denise. Not only did it go against her religious beliefs, she was worried that she'd lose full custody

of her daughter. Denise also liked to present herself a certain way, and she was worried that leaving Mike would affect her public image. As Brian would later remark, better to be a rich widow than a poor divorcee. Brian and Denise wanted to be together full time. Although Brian couldn't pinpoint exactly who brought it up first, they started discussing ways they could get Mike out of the picture. They considered staging a robbery at Mike's office while he was working late, but ruled

that out knowing that a full investigation would ensue. Another option was for both couples to go on a boating trip which ended in a fatal accident that only Brian and Denise would survive. Although Brian didn't tell Denise at the time, he was against this idea because he didn't want anything to happen to Kathy. While he no longer wanted to be married to her, he didn't wish her any harm. Given that Mike was making good money and had a family to support, in early 2000, Brian encouraged him to apply for a new life insurance policy through his father's financial

planning company. Mike already had a $500,000 policy with another provider, but he figured he could let that one lapse in exchange for a $1 million policy set up by the Winchasters. What he didn't know was that Denise planned on continuing to pay the premiums on the existing $500,000 policy so that too would remain active. Brian told investigators the plan was, quote, "...we would be together and live happily ever after, and as a side note, we'd have all this money and enjoy a wonderful life together."

During this time, Mike and Brian remained close friends. One day, they were on a hunting trip when Mike suddenly walked into some deep mud. It sucked him up like quicksand. Brian had to use great force to pull Mike out of the mud, which seemingly had no bottom. Had Mike been alone, there was a high chance he could have drowned. That's when it occurred to Brian. This could be a great way to make Mike disappear. He could lure Mike to an isolated spot on a lake, making sure he was wearing his waders.

All Brian had to do was push him overboard, and as soon as Mike hit the water, his waders would fill up and drag him down to the muddy bottom. Denise liked this idea. Brian said it sat well with her because she could almost justify to herself that it was a tragic accident. They started discussing ways to make it happen, but time was of the essence. Mike was getting increasingly unhappy with his life and wanted to make some changes. He talked about getting a new job, relocating out west with his family, or him and Denise

trying for another baby. While Mike had no idea about the affair, he suspected that something was going on with Denise. During an interstate hunting trip, Mike confided in Brian that cash had been disappearing from his account. He was worried that Denise might have a problem with the drugs. Brian had to bite his tongue, knowing that Denise had actually used the money to fund out-of-town trips for the two of them.

Mike also voiced his frustration to Brian about their lack of sex life. He hoped their upcoming wedding anniversary would be a chance to rekindle the spark. Denise wanted to act fast. She didn't want to go on the anniversary trip, let alone get into another fight with Mike when she rejected his advances. It was also a matter of time before Mike noticed the premiums for his old life insurance policy being deducted from his checking account. The problem was, duck hunting season only ran from around mid-November to late January

and only on selected days. Furthermore, the lakes around Tallahassee were mostly shallow and not suited to a drowning accident. Brian would have to lure Mike to a further location without anyone else knowing that Brian was with him. All he and Denise needed were solid alibis. Slowly, the plan fell into place. Brian invited Mike to join him on an early morning hunting trip to Lake Seminole on Saturday

December 9, 2000. Brian also arranged to go hunting with his father-in-law later that morning so that someone could verify his whereabouts. Denise would make a few calls from her landline so she could prove she'd been at home all morning. Brian and Denise would have very little contact both before and after the incident so as to not raise anyone's suspicions. Several hours before things were supposed to kick off, Denise panicked and made Mike

cancel his trip. Brian was equal parts relieved and concerned. While he dreaded putting the plan into action, this was something they couldn't afford to be indecisive about. But with Mike and Denise's anniversary trip looming the following weekend, Denise was motivated to try again straight away. On the night of Friday, December 15, Brian took his wife Kathy to a concert in downtown Tallahassee.

He encouraged her to drink as much as possible, hoping that she'd sleep soundly when they got home and wake up late. The next morning, Brian woke before dawn. With Kathy still fast asleep, he quickly snuck off to meet Mike at a gas station near the I-10 highway. Brian had simply told Mike they were going to a special hunting spot where they'd need their waders. To ensure nothing could link the two of them together, Brian told Mike that his phone was

dead and not to bother calling him for any reason. Mike was none the wiser. He met Brian as planned, just like they'd done on countless other hunting trips, and the two friends headed out to Lake Seminole in their respective vehicles. Once they reached Stump Lake and headed out on the water, Brian waited until they were in the deepest part to put the plan into action. When Mike stood up, Brian pushed him overboard. But things quickly went awry.

Mike managed to remove his hunting jacket and waders, leaving Brian in a state of panic. Not knowing what else to do, he picked up his 12-gauge shotgun and shot Mike directly in the head. Everything from that point on was a bit of a blur. In a state of shock, Brian dragged Mike's body to the shore and loaded it into the back of his vehicle. He then pushed Mike's boat back out onto the water. Brian sped home, dismantling his shotgun as he drove and scattering the pieces out the

window. At one point, a highway patrol officer parked next to him at a red light, but didn't suspect a thing. When Brian arrived home, Kathy was still asleep, so he snuck into bed beside her. He then pretended he'd overslept and missed the hunting trip with her father. He called his father-in-law to explain what had happened and cancelled the trip, hoping that phone records would further solidify his alibi. With Mike's body still in the back of his vehicle, Brian drove to Walmart, where he

purchased a tarp and shovel. He drove to a quiet location in Carr Lake 10 miles from his home, dug a shallow hole, and buried Mike's body. While he was there, he ran into a deer hunter, but was able to make small talk without raising any suspicion. After that, he thoroughly washed his car and then assumed the role of worried frant when his father called to say that Mike was missing. As for the accusation that the waders had been planted in the water six months later,

Brian denied this. He couldn't explain why they'd taken so long to rise to the surface. Brian said he'd never told Denise the full truth about what happened, and she never asked. They laid low for as long as possible, waiting for an appropriate amount of time before Brian ended his marriage with Kathy. Only years later, when they felt things had well and truly died down, Brian and Denise finally went public with what they pretended to be their new relationship. They agreed to never tell another soul about what happened to Mike, no matter how much

pressure they were ever put under. Once Denise and Brian were married, he felt somewhat safe in the lie they were living, given they'd be protected by spousal privilege. That all changed when their relationship started to fall apart in 2012. Brian said they both became increasingly paranoid and would often pat one another down before they talked about anything serious in case the other was wearing a wire. They started to fear they were being watched. By the time Denise filed for divorce four years later, Brian was convinced she was going

to talk. His paranoia at its peak, he broke into Denise's car in the early hours of August 5, 2016, and waited until she climbed behind the wheel. After making his confession, Brian led police down a remote, heavily vegetated stretch of road to an overgrown area off Carr Lake in the north of Leon County. The site had changed significantly since Brian last visited there, and he struggled to identify the exact location he was looking for. Pointing to one of the trees, Brian said,

�The best I can tell you is I remember digging a hole near this type of tree.� The specialist team was brought in to excavate the area as delicately as possible, which was no easy feat. But eventually, near the muddy dirt slope that acted as a makeshift boat ramp, they found Mike Williams remains just as Brian had described. Brian Winchester was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the armed kidnapping of his ex-wife. Mike Williams' mother Cheryl was disappointed by the result, later telling reporters, �20 years is not much for my son's life considering they've been free for 17 years,

but we did not want Denise getting away. I guess we have to take what we can get. She may not have pulled the trigger, but she killed Mike, and I want her to pay for that.� Meanwhile, investigators behind the scenes continued building their case against Denise. Although Brian's confession was damning, prosecutors had to convince a grand jury that Denise had been in on the murder plot all along. Their best chance of doing this was to uncover proof that Denise and Brian had started seeing each other long before they went public with their relationship.

These records revealed that when Mike Williams was still alive, Brian's car had been reported as abandoned in a church parking lot not far from the Williams' home. When asked about this, Brian admitted he used to park his car there before walking the back streets to visit Denise so that no one would see him coming or going from her house. At the time, police had contacted the Winchester house to inquire about the seemingly abandoned vehicle. Brian's wife Kathy had answered. Brian had told her he was out of town on a hunting trip, so she was immediately suspicious

that he'd gone to see Denise. Kathy had always suspected that Brian and Denise had started their affair while she and Brian were still married. Regardless, she had maintained a close friendship with Denise over the years. But, an odd phone call she received from Denise one week after Brian's arrest for kidnapping raised some red flags. Denise told Kathy, Tell Brian's father to get a message to Brian that I'm not talking.

Suspicious as to what this meant, Kathy agreed with police to covertly record her phone conversations with Denise. In one call, Kathy pretended that she'd been subpoenaed in relation to the charges against Brian. She said she was worried that Mike's disappearance would be brought up. She told Denise, I've always just pretended like I don't know anything, and I do know. Denise cut her off quickly.

What do you know? Kathy told Denise she knew about the affair, and that she regretted not saying anything to Mike in case it meant he'd still be alive. Denise pressed Kathy to elaborate, but she didn't deny or confess to anything. To investigators, her emotionless response further served as proof that she'd been in on the murder plan. On Tuesday May 8, 2018, six law enforcement officers gathered outside Denise's office at Florida State University and placed the 48-year-old under arrest.

A grand jury had indicted her for first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and accessory after the fact. Denise said nothing and stared straight ahead as she was let out in handcuffs and into a waiting patrol car. Unbeknownst to investigators, it was Denise and Mike's daughter's 19th birthday. When Cheryl Williams heard the news, she told reporters, I'm thankful she is arrested, but I have a granddaughter, and that's her mother. My heart goes out to my granddaughter.

I can not imagine where that baby's head is at. I've got her in my heart. Denise Williams pleaded not guilty to all charges. Her trial commenced in December 2018, almost 18 years to the day since Mike was killed. The defense maintained that Denise had never known the truth about what happened to Mike, and that she had nothing to do with Brian Winchester's murder plot. They argued that Brian was bitter about the failed marriage and was essentially trying to take Denise down with him.

The jury was urged not to believe the word of a self-confessed murderer and kidnapper, with Denise's lawyer stating, There is no tangible evidence or physical evidence tying Denise Williams to this crime. All you will have to go on is the word of the man who actually committed the murder. The issue you're going to have to decide is whether you believe him. For the prosecution, the challenge lay in proving that Brian and Denise had started their affair prior to going public about their relationship in 2005. All they had to go by was the testimony of a few witnesses.

An ex-wife, Kathy, testified that while she was still married to Brian, she'd once found a receipt for an item of jewelry adorned with Denise's nickname. A friend of the group named Angela recalled that when Mike was still alive, he started drinking heavily during a night out because of how affectionate Brian and Denise were to one another. Angela told the court that in 2004, about a year before Brian and Denise publicly became a couple, she and Brian had a one-night stand. While Brian and Angela were in bed together at Brian's house, a woman suddenly burst

into the room before running off. Brian apologized to Angela, saying it was his ex-wife, Kathy. But Angela knew without a doubt that the woman who'd burst in was Denise Williams. And Winchester took the stand as the star witness. He spared no detail as he provided a full account of his affair with Denise and their eventual plot to kill her husband. He broke down in tears on multiple occasions as he spoke about the foiled drowning attempt, saying,

Mike started to yell and I didn't know how to get out of that situation. I had my gun in the boat and so I loaded my gun and I just made one or two circles around and I ended up circling closer towards him. As I passed by, I shot him. Brian said he never wanted to be the one who found Mike's boat, but his dad insisted on searching the area. Through strained tears, Brian said, My dad didn't want to give up.

He loved Mike. During cross-examination, the defense tried to cast doubt on the duration of Brian and Denise's affair, questioning how they could go so long without anyone knowing. Brian said Denise was very smart. The defense put it to Brian that he was actually obsessed with Denise. He responded, Denise and I were best friends. We were Bonnie and Clyde.

We were partners in crime. Were we obsessed with each other? You could say that. The defense asked, When you shot Mike Williams at Lake Seminole with a 12-gate shotgun, was Denise Williams standing there with you? Brian shrugged as he admitted. No, she wasn't.

But he added, She was in my head, behind me. After four days of testimony, the jury deliberated for eight hours before returning their verdict. Guilty on all counts. Denise stared straight ahead in the mostly silent courtroom, as Mike's mother and brother shared a quiet emotional embrace. At the subsequent sentencing, Cheryl Williams delivered a powerful victim impact statement about her 17-year campaign to solve her son's disappearance.

Through tears, she said, There is no manual to tell a mother what to do when her child goes missing. I am Mike's mother, and I did what God told my heart to do. She urged the judge to give Denise the maximum sentence, saying, She has already lived 18 years longer than my son. She got to watch Mike's daughter grow up. We didn't. For the rest of my life, when I try to sleep at night, I will see my son clinging to a

trace dump in Lake Seminole in the dark, knowing that his best friend was trying to kill him. I hear his voice screaming for help. I wasn't there to help him. It will haunt me forever. For her involvement in the murder plot, Denise Williams was sentenced to life in prison. In 2020, Denise appealed her conviction on the grounds that there was no evidence to prove she was involved in Mike's murder. The judge overturned the conviction for first-degree murder and accessory after the fact, but maintained

the conviction for conspiracy to commit murder, and the 30-year sentence that went along with it. Denise appealed the sentencing, and a hearing went ahead in September 2021. Mike and Denise's daughter claimed that Brian Winchester was solely responsible for her father's death, saying he was physically abusive towards her mother, and that she never once saw him consult with Denise about anything. She asked the judge to consider the minimum sentence of just two years. Judge Cheryl Williams asked that the maximum sentence be upheld, saying, 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. The judge agreed with Cheryl, and Denise was re-sentenced to 30 years, including time already served. Denise also faced charges for insurance fraud, but these were eventually dropped after she agreed to sign all of her assets, including the remaining payouts from Mike's life insurance over to their daughter. As part of the conditions, their daughter agreed that she wouldn't use any of the funds

to pay her mother's legal fees. Cheryl always maintained that losing her granddaughter was one of the most painful aspects of the whole ordeal. Cheryl had posted a birthday message for her in the local newspaper every year in the hopes she knew her grandmother was thinking of her. Despite Denise's sentencing, Cheryl told the judge, Not only did Denise kill my son, she stole my granddaughter. For her entire life, my granddaughter was raised in a house with the murderers of her

father while being denied the love of her father's family. She was told that Grandma Cheryl was crazy and would hurt her. There is no amount of prison time that will bring Mike back to me. I don't know if I'll ever have my granddaughter in my life again because of the damage her mother has done. Whether the two were able to rekindle their relationship after Denise's conviction is unknown. However, after Mike's remains were recovered, his daughter agreed to hand them over to Cheryl

so that she could finally organize a proper burial for her son. Cheryl welcomed any of Brian and Denise's friends and family to attend the funeral, saying, I want everyone to come who loved Michael. Even after the convictions, it was important for Cheryl that Mike's memory be kept alive. On the 20-year anniversary of Mike's death, she held a remembrance service for all those who helped bring her son's killers to justice, including members of the press and law enforcement. Speaking about her tireless commitment to uncovering the truth, Cheryl said, I just did what any mother would do.