Two DNA tests matched the remains to his mother's sample. The assets given to Anslee Williams include four pieces of Tallahasseereal estate valued at about $877,000, including her home on Centennial Oaks Circle, purchased by her parents when she was a baby. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Denise Williams has been resentenced to 30 years in prison for a conspiracy conviction in her husbands death. I never once saw him consult with her about anything," said Anslee Williams, who was only 18 months when her father went missing. Meet Mike Williams surviving daughter, the guy whose cold case enraged Florida. [13], According to Denise Williams, on the morning of December 16, 2000, a Saturday, her husband awoke early, leaving the house on Centennial Oaks Circle[2] well before dawn, boat in tow, to go duck hunting at Lake Seminole. [15], "The circumstances surrounding this case raise many serious and troubling questions," said DIF's lead attorney, Mark Schlein. 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. He offered these details and led investigators to Williams' remains in exchange for immunity in his case. The head of a private search firm that supplemented official efforts near the end of the search offered a possible explanation. Her arrest Tuesday coincided with their daughter's birthday. This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 02:55. She spoke in court, asking leniency for her mother, Denise, and insisted that it was her step-father, Brian, and not Denise who plotted the December 2000 murder of her father. Brian Winchester confesses to killing Mike Williams. Denise Williams resentenced to 30 years in prison for conspiracy in husbands death. After rejecting plans for a murder at Mike's office meant to look like a robbery, Winchester hit on the idea of an apparent hunting accident after he saved Mike from quicksand when the two were hunting in Arkansas. Where Are Survivors Brandon Lafferty and Marty Thomas Now? The one-hour special broadcast implicates the true criminal, Mikes high school sweetheart, and shows us who she really is. Just before Mother's Day in 1999, Denise gave birth to the couple's daughter. [3], The court decision allowed Denise Williams to immediately proceed with claims on her husband's life insurance policies, from which she received $1.5 million. Danny Fujikawa Mother Melissa Linehan Is Getting Her Backyard Remodeled On TV, Yellowstones Lilli Kay Announces Relationship With Girlfriend Juli Kocemba With PDA on Instagram, Olivier Richters Girlfriend Desiree Stuijt Is Not Only His Lover But Also His Best Friend, Brittney Palmer Bio: Family, Husband & Net Worth, Molly Eskam Age, Net Worth & All Biography Updated Dec 2022, Morgan Ketzner Wiki, Bio, Age, Boyfriend, Fitness and More. Some investigators felt aspects of the case were not consistent with the alligator theory. "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. [12], The state's star witness was Brian Winchester, who testified at length about how he and Denise had never really ended their high school relationship, even after they both married others. 1972) and Kevin (b. He helped police recover Brian's body, and testified against his former lover Denise, who had for years escaped justice as a grieving widow. "These waders, we don't know where they came from," Austin said. [11] She was found guilty that December, after Winchester testified to shooting Michael at Denise's behest when their original plan to stage a boating accident failed, and was sentenced to life in prison in January of 2019. In it, Brian confessed to pulling the trigger but claims the killing was Denise's idea. Published June 9, 2021 at 1:39 PM EDT. Had it not been for an intuitive mom who suspected foul play after her son's disappearance in 2000, people would still be convinced that Mike Williams actually drowned and got eaten by alligators. 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. What that agreement required of Winchester, if anything, beyond his guilty plea has not been disclosed. Also Read:Where Are Survivors Brandon Lafferty and Marty Thomas Now? The corporation, on the other hand, reduced its accusations in exchange for Denises property being passed down to Anslee under certain circumstances. Some nights got as cold as 19F (7C);[16] a fire was built in a 55-gallon drum on the shore for searchers to stay warm. She did not speak to the media about how she reacted to the news. Rumors were circulating around Tallahassee that a grand jury had been hearing evidence and would soon hand down indictments. The boat launch where his Bronco was found, which he would presumably have used to put his boat in the lake, was an undeveloped patch of mud. They were good friends with Brian Winchester and his wife. Williams was married to her middle school sweetheart Kendrick Williams from 1971 until 1975, before she relocated to California in the early 1970s. They formed a connection, a relationship, and fell in love hard and fast. Each time she brought it up, Denise attempted to change the subject,[12] but at one point asked "What do you know? Court adjourned. Regina Krieger Murder: Where Are Gilberto Rodriguez and Cody Thompson Now? She shares Matt Healy, 32, who is a band member in The 1975, with and . [21] Winchester is now imprisoned in the Wakulla Correctional Institution. 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. The couple went on to live in the same house where Denise and Mike had lived prior. He acted independently of her. She now attends Florida State University and she also competes in pageants. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Anslee, an optimistic teen who saw a bright future in pageantry, recently severed her links to public appearances. Before he went to it, he took a tan sheet, a different-colored plastic sheet, a spray bottle of bleach, and a tool from Denise's car. After four days of testimony, the jury took eight hours to convict Denise of all the charges. 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. Anslees life was flipped upside down when her father, Mike, vanished without a trace, and an inquiry revealed her mother guilty of her fathers death nearly seventeen years later. At the time of the trial investigators said Denise's motives were to get out of the marriage and collect nearly $2million from life insurance. Her fate, in which she could have been. Audio of Brian Winchester's interview with the FDLE was played in court. "They could not have hurt me more if they had punched me in the face. He distinguished himself as "the hardest-working man I ever saw", according to the company's owner. Derrick Wester, an investigator with the Jackson County sheriff's office, agreed that they were "trying to make up for" not having considered the possibility that things might not have been what they seemed in 2000. Denise Williams will remain in prison, after a judge resentenced her to 30 years for conspiring to murder her first husband. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 30 years. Out on the water, he had gotten Mike to put the waders on, then pushed him out of the boat, thinking he would be unable to resurface and thus would drown. Denise requested protection orders, saying she feared for her life and her daughter's. Secretly recorded phone conversations in which Denise Williams was confronted about her first husband's . Denise Eger, Jewel Thais-Williams, Maxine Waters, Irwin Rappaport, Phill Wilson, Sharon Stone and Jeanne White-Ginder are seen at the AIDS Monument. "Truth is Williams could have stopped this". She continued to do what she could to publicize the case, taking out ads in the Tallahassee Democrat. 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. She didnt want to be known as a divorcee or share custody of their daughter, so she got Brian to help her in getting rid of her husband for once and for all. [9] Cheryl Williams promoted it heavily in the days before it aired. She was able to calm him down and took him back to where he had parked his own truck at a nearby park. Cheryl Williams' emotional statement at Denise Williams' sentencing. Mikes best friend and an insurance agent was Brian. "[3], Doubts that Williams had drowned became much more serious when investigators learned that, in fact, alligators do not generally feed during the winter months due to the colder temperatures. By the time investigators began to realize that they should have asked some more questions, the opportunity was gone. Since Mike's death could no longer be passed off as a boating accident, Winchester buried the body where it was later found, then cleaned out his truck and went to a family Christmas party, where he learned that a search was underway. In 2006, after the closure of the first FDLE investigation, she wrote a lengthy story about the case. Listen to Brian Winchesters account of what happened the day that he killed Mike Williams. [32] In November 2020, the murder conviction was overturned, but the conspiracy to commit murder conviction was upheld including the 30 year sentence that accompanied it. [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. Read More:Bruce Cleland Murder: Where Are Rebecca Cleland, Alvaro Quezada and Jose Quezada Now? There Mike excelled, serving as student council president, playing football and being active in the Key Club. [27], After discreetly rekindling the relationship, the two began to consider killing Mike so they could marry, as Denise's family frowned on divorce for religious reasons. A FLORIDA woman found guilty of plotting her husband's murder with her then-lover decades ago has been re-sentenced. "She was taken away from her family at the snap of a finger," Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees told Oxygen.com. "[18] FDLE officials said in 2011 that Cox had not found anything requiring further investigation. "Michael would have wanted her to be taken care of for the rest of her life.". 5 years after that, they even happily welcomed their daughter into the world. Her efforts had severely strained her relationship with her former daughter-in-law.[6]. [3], A possible new lead emerged in October 2007, when Michael Williams's older brother found a photograph and the serial number of a .22-caliber Ruger pistol that had once belonged to their father. I will honor Mikes memory by fulfilling my purpose.. Later that year, Williams told his mother, whom he had been consoling, that he would have liked to have $50,000 to take the next year off. On the morning of December 16, 2000, Williams seemingly disappeared during a duck hunt. That's all I can do for Anslee is love her, and I do love her.". The following year his father died. After Williams's boat was found abandoned on the lake, the initial theory was that he had fallen out of it after a collision. Five years later, she married Brian Winchester,[15] who had sold Mike some of the policies a few months before he disappeared. She was convicted in December of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the 17-year-old cold case. Contact News Director Jennifer Portman at jportman@tallahassee.com. [33], In the early 2000s, Cheryl Williams had posted flyers, put up signs, and run newspaper ads soliciting information about the case. Suzanne Santo and Husband Nic Pizzolatto Got Married At A Beautiful Wedding At The Backyard, Kritika Khurana (That Boho Girl) Height, Age, Boyfriend, Husband, Family, Biography & More, Diipa Khosla: Age, Height, Education, Biography, Boyfriend, Family and more. He did not want the divorce and felt he had nothing to live for if it went through. By then, officers had learned that alligators do not, in fact, eat during the winter months, as the water is too cold, and as such, it was suspected that foul play might have occurred. Denise Williams has revealed how she rebuilt her life after her two sons were brutally murdered by her ex-partner Credit: BBC Two / Victoria Derbyshire. 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. [20], In December 2017, Winchester was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the kidnapping, with credit for 502 days time served, to be followed by 15 years' probation. 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. Denise was arrested for the murder of Jerry Michael Williams in May 2018 and was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and accessory after the fact. His coworkers said he was as devoted to her as he was to his work. "Further," the statement said, "it was the wishes of Jerry 'Mike' Williams'smother and brother that his heir be 'taken care of.'". Williams defense attorney, Phil Padavano, said the court considered her murder conviction in previously imposing the 30-year maximum sentence on the conspiracy charge. They found his 1994 Ford Bronco near a remote boat launch in Jackson County, on the Florida side. Denise met Mike back in North Florida Christian High School when they were both just teenagers. [17], Despite the failure of a third investigation to discern the fate of her son, Cheryl Williams persisted. 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. [3], The FDLE closed its case, convinced that the alligator theory was wrong, but without any leads or evidence that could allow it to further investigate. NurPhoto via Getty Images, FILE. Bruce Cleland Murder: Where Are Rebecca Cleland, Alvaro Quezada and Jose Quezada Now? Searchers thus assumed that Williams had hit a stump with his boat, fallen out, sunk into waters 812 feet (2.43.7m) deep when his waders filled, and then drowned when he was unable to extricate himself. [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. It took its name, Stump Field, from the many remaining stumps that protruded above and below the water level,[3] requiring careful handling of any powerboat in the area. Her daughter Brooke succumbed to complications of Lupus in 2017 at the age of 18, and the event is . Denise Williams will have to serve out a full 30-year sentence for her role in conspiring to kill her husband Mike Williams more than two decades ago. Williams-Winchester has been serving her time at the Florida Womens Reception Center, located in Ocala, Marion County, Fla. However, a lengthy and exhaustive search of the lake bed in the area failed to find his body: at that time, it was the only known occasion when no remains or body had been discovered after a drowning death in the lake. Anslee, who is now 20 years old, was rewarded all the insurance money. 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. On November 13, 2020, True Crime Network featured the case in season 1, episode 11, of Meet, Marry, Murder.[35]. Midway through the year, the couple bought a $1 million life insurance policy on him through Brian Winchester,[6] a childhood acquaintance of Merrell who had also become best friends with her husband. [25], In late June 2018, Denise Williams was ordered held without bond, with trial date set for September 24. He and Denise had bought a home in a small upscale subdivision on the east side of the city. 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. Way said his client would appeal the conviction. Deniece Williams was born "June Deniece Chandler" on June 3rd, 1951 in Gary Indiana. [12], In February 2019, Denise was sentenced to life in prison. Family members of murder victim Jerry "Mike" Williams repeated a startling allegation against his widow Denise Williams on Wednesday. Mike Williams'body was discovered in 2017 after Winchester told investigators in detail how he and Denise, who'd been having a years' long affair,planned to get rid of him, make it look like an accident and collect on his life insurance policies. The chilling disappearance and murder of Jerry Michael Williams, or Mike as he preferred to go by, has been covered by CBSs 48 Hours. And with it, we have gotten to know a lot more information about the parties that were involved and how they got away with being criminals for almost two decades. [19], Cheryl Williams expressed hope that this development could lead to the resolution of her son's disappearance. Mike Williams disappeared in December 2000 while on a duck hunting trip on Lake Seminole with his friend Brian Winchester. At that time, the case was still considered open. "I don't find that [Williams] was a relatively minor participant" Carroll said. [16] Denise Williams, who had avoided media attention during the search for her husband, accepted that her husband had died. They remain estranged. He found it convenient that the indictment came after Winchester had been imprisoned for several months. It would be very, very unusual to have the complete disappearance of a full-grown man. Anslee has made up her mind to stay in her hometown and confront her familys awful fate. The 51-year-old's 2018 first-degree murder conviction was dropped last November by an appeals court, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. Also Read:Regina Krieger Murder: Where Are Gilberto Rodriguez and Cody Thompson Now? [16], Ten days into the search, a camouflage-patterned hunting hat was found, but it could not be connected to Williams. Years ago, because of her insistence that Mike's disappearance be investigated, Denise cut ties between Cheryl and Anslee. 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. [24], Ethan Way, Denise's lawyer, said his client was innocent of all the charges. "[18], Another possible lead that year proved fruitless as well. "As much as he preached that to me," the friend said, "why would he be wearing his waders while driving the boat? Instead of going where he wanted her to, she pulled into a CVS drugstore parking lot, close to the door. [13] On the water, he never put his waders on until he had reached the point where he planned to get out and start hunting, following a common safety procedure in order to avoid the type of accident from which he was later believed to have died.