A father goes hunting in a Florida lake and vanishes. Many thought he was eaten by alligators, but not his mother. Seventeen years later, stunning courtroom revelations: it was murder. "48 Hours" correspondent Richard Schlesinger investigates.
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the
This story has always been one that has fascinated people, because it so bizarre that this could even happen.
Seventeen and a half years. We have always talked about, might Williams being missing not ever funny.
body not ever having resolution was very difficult,
he was going to wake up
wait and go duck hunting. He was a big duck hunter, and so we went off to the lake and then he never came back. Mike Williams was a straight shooter. He loved his family, he loved his wife. He put her on a pedestal.
I did everything that she wanted done. Denise said jump job want to know how high they weren't we to be celebrating their wedding anniversary and so
He did not come home.
Noon when he was supposed to Denise started
getting worried and started calling around this search was the most intensive ever seen. Law enforcement and friends and family comin
like looking form, they found him about his truck the trailer
was all there are grown up now
flora and look for his body, and
one of the things that I noticed there were no less than fifteen to twenty very large, allocate
it's women all around this area,
legs them at all, is known for having a lot of alligators we're a north florida. There are a lot of alligators back out there
There was more evidence that there was thereby
a greater activity around there. That's what you believe happened tonight, yes, I've. I firmly believe that
Yes, your sword, hoping you find something in order, hoping you don't lose hope
if he was here. We would finally men get closer, but it didn't happen. People are attacked by
again hers, little dogs
eaten biology.
but you never hear of someone who just vanished by whole by an alligator totally impossible,
Eighty five per man to beacon
soon by an alligator without I think that's waste
go on my gosh. This is not what we thought. It was many people. Fellow
There was foul play involve cheryl willie, whose mike's mom comes along
Pray every guy like share all begins per crews.
If you will trying to get answers, he'd make picket signs and stand in front of the church. There were billboards. Have you seen my son?
she wrote the governor a letter every day for nine years, until god,
elsewhere. My heart that challenge. I cannot give up. Looking
one more point until she had about it
alive, he didn't.
Fall out about this, wasn't just a hunting accident. This man was murdered and they blamed on alligators for seventeen years
oh
The
You got a really loved duck hunting to love lakes, seminal
its shallow it swampy and its popular with the local alligators. Mike Williams really did love duck hunting, and
we'll say that's why he came here well, before dawn on December sixteenth, two thousand alone, his wife said the plan was that might
be back home in time to celebrate his wedding anniversary, but twelve
where's later after his wife reported him missing. Lakes seminal would be swarming with rescuers searching for MIKE Williams on the land,
on the water and in the air.
Can you show me the area that you guys searched in precisely this area from here to there
I have. Acres alton renew and David Arnett were among the first law enforcement officers to get a call about a missing duck hunter. What we thought had happened is that he possibly fell out of the boat,
or capsized is an unusual people, a fall out of boats, whether for death,
It's not unusual. It happens quite often now
for grandma it'll, stop storm out early?
The next morning there was a break mike's boat was found on board
where some decoys and his shot gun.
But no sign of MIKE himself went on a grid, search, very slow, meticulous grid, circle back and forth on the third area.
and what began as a search and rescue soon
and into a search for a body. We stayed with that granted to recover this whole area.
Ever dogs were brought in while teams
scoured the murky bottom of lakes, seminal
gruesome search for mike's body that was pie,
intensity and low tech
this tool of your train right. That was
I was actually one of the poles and all you do.
put it in the water and see if you feel anything, the official log is kind of a thorpe kind of a hard top. If it would been her body, you hit it it's kind of like a pillow
Did you feel something ever on? The bottom felt like a banana? Never,
Williams vanished. One day before his sixth wedding anniversary, he met his
I dunno set north florida christian high school. He was a football player.
he was a cheerleader. He was president of the student council. She was the secretary
have they seem together gray couple scott dungeon.
mike and high school. He
his wife, a nyssa were
mike's best friends for new mike
he's got a person.
He's gonna. Do anything everything for you, so Denise now found a job they
Graduated from florida state university Denise became an
out and for the state mike became a
real estate appraiser working for clay catch him
Kid was traders, and here he really
truly was clay and his wife patty got
two no mike well, he
zella, unbelievable worker, and it was not uncommon for him to do fifteen our day.
I mean he would be in their early work until one or two in the morning then, and be right back. He had incredible energy before
Long MIKE's career took off at that
when he married Denise.
Does wife, he eats
would leave the office ngo pop her gas absurd go plumper gas. Yes, she would call
and say MIKE. I need gas and me
would run over thereupon per gas and run back. We
so we want to be married to mine just before mother's day.
eighteen. Ninety nine Denise gave birth to the couples daughter and by chance
Go tallahassee. Tv station was at the hospital
is totally ever went home? She was due tuesday and she would have made me wait another year from others day. She took the scales and was on the way,
I have a whole new respect for my wife and women in general. What they go through to bring on a new child new life into the world night
In months after he became a father MIKE was missing
and the longer the search lasted on lake seminal, the harder it
on the searchers afraid of what they might find one of my own,
friends. Brian Winchester was out there looking for him from the start, and it was Brian who discovered mike's empty boat. Brian
decided that we don't want to be there when mice party was pulled up? Brett Quetcham was with
ryan during the search, so we would get knocked
and drive to a gas station and go get a coat, and it was very emotional trips. I mean it was, you know crying, and it was tough. The search was called off after forty four days. Rescuers too
no trace of MIKE Williams. He was listed officially as still missing in some
People wondered if he had just run off
We knew my cannot run off and I he loved his family need a door to door adored her so might do not run all this was thought some
but was soon. There was another explanation offered for why MIKE's body could not be found that he had been snatched by an alligator alligators. They know each right, then, mrs morbid, to talk about that. They go stuff you somewhere for six months
and then come back later. One of the rescue teams agreed writing the alligators
dismembered and have stored. There remains in a
location that we would not be able to find, but there was
least one person who
serious doubts about that theory. Mike's mother, shower
shea hurting early on believing that there was more to this and that he was not unlike some at all. I think she just thought some something's not right here,
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Six months after MIKE Williams, disappeared investigators had no new leads, no real hope of finding him
What could be a break bubbled up from the muck of lake seminole? That poll is marking the spot where the waiters had popped up. The local fishermen found a pair of waders.
There's like these, which were believed to have belonged to Williams. Did it makes sense to me that they ve popped up here,
You knew would search that area right. We had served it made time well, very well, then, to day
after that makes fishing jacket and his hunting license were found at the same
spock
along with a flashlight. But will you
was still missing. His wife Denise was raised
there are two year old daughter alone.
The niece was voting mother. The project
her life, but scott
Jesus now that Denise was a single mom
money was getting tight powers, helping her with some of the items that needed to be sold and to generate some cash until the insurance money
and there was a lot of insurance money involved. Williams had
repulses policies worth more than one point: seven, five million dollars mike I to make sure his family was taking care of because my conduct and fast and deaths and pretty
risk activity and cling whirling question to load up with her expenses reportedly mounting
he's one day after the insurance money quickly. Why
the search itself is still going on, while he is still actively missing there still actively searching bore her heat she is gone,
and finally, a claim against his life. Insurance jennifer portman covered this
As for the tallahassee Democrat, she was a consultant for forty eight hours
She was really ready to accept the fact that he was missing and presumed dead very early on, but the state of florida was
according to florida law, since there was no proof Williams had died, he would not be declared dead for five years. Denise did not want to wait that long to collect on makes life insurance to how much time has taken this case. It took six
once it was very fast abnormally faster than because
His attorney argued to a judge that the waiters, the vest and the hunting license were proof enough. That Williams was dead
the judge agreed and issued a death certificate cause of death acts.
Gentle drowning wild duck? Hunting on lakes? Seminal body has not yet been recovered
based on that, and that alone was what got him declared
pair waiters fishing like ensign, some others, the exactly
the case of the missing hunters seemed closed and was soon forgotten by almost
everyone, but not by MIKE's, mother cheryl
she believed that her son drownded, like seminal. She never ever believed that her son was in the light, and she
was absolutely committed to finding out what happened,
it's never Adam. Where is this child showing caught theatre?
of the local news he may be done, but it's not in that like and if somebody did her child,
I found, and I want them share all started, keeping notes of everything copious notes of all
You know strange things that we're going on to eventually filled twin
these seven single space pages with lots of unanswered questions like what made the waiters float after six and a half months underwater. Her notes ended,
the plea to anyone who would listen, please help me find my son. She was tried a basin
We compile all of these evidence that she could find and trying to get it in front of someone who would listen to our will to denise helper. Oh no Denise,
Cleanly cut her off Denise was adamant, no investigation. She threatened to withhold Charles granddaughter from her correct. She said if you
continue to press for this investigation. You will never
your granddaughter again so what'd you do. She turned the energy she would have spent.
love it on that child and try to find your daddy, surely press
and started poking holes in the official version of what
to her son.
Four years after MIKE Williams disappeared. There was a theory that the reason his body was never found was that he had been eaten by alligators turns out. There is a problem with that theory.
Charles contacted matthew, arrests go an alligator expert. Florida has a few of them in his response.
He explained that alligators do not feed in the cold
winter months called whether causes the water temperature drops alligators, not feed. What's more
go said that when alligators kill, there is always forensic evidence left behind
and he said attributing mike's disappearance to an alligator attack, maybe a convenient explanation.
And for the authorities, but was virtually impossible.
north florida. There are a lot of alligators. I will give you that, but it is winter. Alligators do not eat human being.
Beings without leaving a trace in the middle of december when it's cold. It just doesn't happen if not for cheryl willie,
There is no way that we would know where my williams was anything that ever happened to him. She was the driving force
sure, Earl Williams new, because an expert told her that her son was not eaten by an alligator, but she did not know much else about how he vanished
one of the things that has been so difficult about this case is that there was an absolute lack of physical evidence. You didn't have a body, you didn't have any of these things. That may be could point
or something but surely had something, those twenty seven
pages of detailed noakes in two thousand for four
years after my disappeared, charles
pain. Finally, caught the attention of the florida department of law enforcement investigators met with her
and then launched a multi
agency investigation. When did you first begin thinking? This was a cry how the first, without
at the time Derek wester was with the jackson county sheriff's office. He was part of the investigation.
She had it all broke down and then, as she lay in the story, all these inconsistencies start adding up
Do you remember what some of those inconsistency were, the insurance it was MIKE's three.
Life insurance policies that caught their attention, particularly the
asked one he bought not long before he
appeared worth one
million dollars. How do
mike Williams, end up with that million dollar life insurance policy, who solidly Brian
esther sold them. The million dollar life insurance policy about sex
was before I went missing brian
esther was an insurance agent? He'd been mike's best
and since high school, where, like MIKE, he met his future wife, Cathy aldrich and from then on the two couples were inseparable,
Now they did literally everything together they went out to dinner together
they bought houses. At the same time, they married at the same time had davies that thing you know they
They were very close rye winter
It was in the insurance business. You us to sort that out that he would sell his friend and insurance Paul's. Now it's not I mean just the timing of it in retrospect, looks a little weird
That was the only thing that started to look weird, those waiters that pops
been lake seminal surfaced, just as Denise Williams needed proof that her husband was dead in order to
get the insurance money. How many days before the court hearing these waiters popped up less than a month I meet with relay clubs, they heads
possibly been submerged in the lake for six months later,
It was in very good shape. They were also not slimy, and what does that mean that they had not been in the water very long? So you looked at that stuff and you thought to yourself what planet it was planet
no one could say for sure who planted it, but as time passes, Denise William
and Brian winchesters started attracting attention, and
suspicion because years
after my disappeared, winchester divorced, his wife Kathy,
and dating denise
then he married her
The wedding was she a suspect in your mind at that point taken mine? I was that, yes, the minister at some point said I've council with this couple and they have no secrets out and clients
what we can have merged each other. While there might be
the boy little secret, you don't know all these things start becoming like player, that we now that the insurance
now that the waiters got that out
In theory, be invested by the experts, so is
building their case. You know they talk to people
getting somewhere one of the first people investigators talk to.
Was Denise Williams.
no emotion, there's no softer than theirs and there's nothing aegis matter of fact and
coal, but Brian Winchester had much more to say he offered detectives an alibi
for the morning, MIKE Williams went missing, he said
he was sixty miles away from the lake in bed. Brand tells us that he was
What happened? What is follow our overslept? You know for a fact that bride was not telling you the truth.
Winchester could not have noted, but detectives already had a witness who said
He saw winchester that morning at lake seminal another
I am personally how many of them have known it all my life and I compose atlanta, and I took it to a job
I once while resume their opponents. Biologists
and he had seen that same
he said when that morning,
there was one more thing: winchester didn't know: police were too
came to his ex wife, and she told them
peace and Brian might have been having an affair.
For years before might disappear. That was deftly us. Both
Cameron are were having an affair.
Well before that December walden
was still married. My guess the plot was sure thickening, but in
today. It still weren't sure what the full story was after two years
the FDA Lee hit a wall, but Charlie
Williams, who had been fighting since the day her son disappeared, was not giving up and it's horrible for the team. She was very, very, very frustrated with f daily and felt that they were not doing their job. They weren't trying.
if she pick it that he or she would have size, baden and walk up and down in front of the charge you every year she would have billboards, but up around town they shut
your mike and miss thing, and if you have any for information whose to contact did you wouldn't have to the governor she
the governor a ladder every day for nine years
the governor received one thousand
Four hundred and seventy two letters that we know of
her suspicion was always worth brian entities, more
with the knees the tube
well, who were considered most likely suspects work together.
unless one of them turned on the other. You were never going to find out what happened here. Did you think this case would get broken?
don t they, wherever men around they turn on each other like rats,
was
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and you're gonna. Tell me my heart, childish jane. I cannot give us looking
as the years dragged on it, looked like the mystery of what happened to MIKE Williams
never be song
Brian and Denise knew anything about mike's disappearance they weren't talking and no one could make them by
florida law, as long as they stayed married, neither could be forced to testify against the other
with Brian and to these being married. You were. How are you ever going to get the truth, because one is not going to turn on the other. Was
but behind the scenes, Denise and Brian's marriage was disintegrating and after seven years in two thousand twelve, they decided
separate,
here,
in a self describes as being of sex. Attics he's trying to please,
we're going to therapy, but ain't getting counselling like he's, jumping throbbings hoops trying to do
things they get her back and she's, not kind of accepting them
for more years of trying to patch things up right
snapped one morning, Denise gets in her car she's riving door and
She sense of something in the back and brian winchester has hidden in the back of her car and is coming over the seat and has got a gun. He's got a gun. He's got a gun.
He had a gun. He had a tarp
the was that he was gonna Keller
he's framing and I'm just like a shaming and he's always hide that people are going to notice, introduce reported her kidnapping to the Leon county sheriff's office I was like. Are you planning on
everything in our lives online. I'm waiting on any of their way to kill mosquitoes. Just said a million times. I want to kill us,
Brian Winchester was soon arrested and charged with the kidnapping, and
aggravated assault of his wife,
What kind of agreeing with whatever he was saying, and it was like- I knew that you love me.
Least quickly realized that the rift in Denise and Brian's marriage presented an opportunity.
The tag team of detectives arrived just see what they
could get out of do needs to see
if she would now flip on her a star,
Inched husband, talk about his involvement in MIKE Williams is disappearing. As I know he did. He knew exactly what I'm talking about the kid
actually detective David and he tried to kill herself and, as you said, you said you didn't talk about your layer. That is the truth. The cranium turned up the heat
the junior. You walk angel dust lebanese here,
This has not gone away, he's called usually he's. You may not know about you, but Denise did not
I urge my today, so special agent might do vainly came in he'd been we're.
The williams case for years compromises.
I do you know. I never had never marry
my heart. She was.
up anything- she was giving up absolutely
Thank you very much.
nature of motion
Is there a hearing?
I believe
he died on the ledge idea. Why
that's what I believe that was historian, sticking to it that left Brian.
As the only possible source of information in the williams cakes. He
facing a long stretch in prison for the kidnapping, but there
No word about what, if anything, he would say about MIKE's disappearance,
But here is data floor, diverse and brand winchester teeth house. Sixteen,
slater Brian pled guilty to kidnapping and assaulting Denise and appeared in court for his sentencing. We had a a plea and we weren't sure what the government was going to ask for. He was crying at times he apologized,
TIM Janson raise Brian winchesters lawyer. Wait in the car
We want fifteen. The state gets up and asks for forty five. A client would like to address the court or the never ever did I have any intentions of harming Denise. Nor would I nonetheless I do know that she was hurt by my actions and again I am truly sorry.
Start by Denise Williams. Jenny showed up at the sentencing. What was she like? There weren't you
she wanted him to go to prison for the rest of his life. I start
each day with the memory of him
out of the bag, and I end
stay
feeling the guns. I've done my ribs when turn on my right side trying to sleep. She was scared. She was compelling
will finish what he has started, no matter what age he is
he's really most people know courtroom operates,
done by it, it was pretty powerful
asking you to send its him to life in prison for the crimes he has committed. It comes down
my life is and I am asking you please choose thanking the monopoly
Client was to dance for kidnapping. Denise Brian was sentenced to twenty years.
iron bars,
He was shackled at the waist and ankles and when they
Shuffled him off to prison
also defeated because
we said they'll never be an air certain.
Our friend, MIKE. Never an won't know well.
we were, they found much body. This was so huge.
Still is really pretty stunning. Just one day after Brian winchester was sentenced for kidnapping, Denise Williams, the florida department of law enforcement held a noose conference and the news really was
huge standing here now. I can tell you that we know what
MIKE Williams. He was murdered.
they know that because,
some time before he was sentenced for kidnapping Brian winchester, cracked and confessed it these audio
hoardings. I went and met mike at a gas station
I followed him to the lake. We launched the boat. It was just like a hunting trip was supposed to be.
Winchester had cut a deal with prosecutors in exchange for his confession. He would not be charged with murder, even though he admitted killing his best friend
I have to stand up and I pushed him and he was in a panic. Obviously I was in a panic. I didn't know what to do and finally
if shooting him. The agreement that we drafted up said that
thing he said that day could not be used against him. Winchester gave prosecutor
what they wanted. Most the location of my williams is body back. My suburban.
Down to the edge of the lake and put his body in the back and pushed his boat
down to the water Brian says he
MIKE's truck and trailer at lake seminal to make mike's disappearance, look like an accident but actually makes
body was nowhere near lake seminal. He was.
It's miles away at car lake, a remote marshy area, just ten minutes from winchesters home.
Brian led investigators, here to the spot he buried MIKE back in two thousand and more pronounced
after you, ve told me the most extensive search they have ever undertaken in the history of the agency to shoot
covered. Mike's skeletal remains and his wedding ring, among other things, and there was horrifying evidence of what happened to it and what they were able to show very clearly was that he had been shot basically at point. Blank range in the face with a shock- and this was a close personal deadly, gruesome at winchester, private,
One final piece of the puzzle. He said it was all Denise idea. She would not get divorced, and so she basically said there's only one solution, as he tells it. She was not willing to endure their public shame of a divorce. So she thought murder was a better answer. I guess it was better to be known as a widow, then a divorce.
Incredibly cold, and wouldn't it be great if we also oh, by the way, collect any now, almost two million dollars and insurance.
we will end up together, we will live happily. Ever after and as a side note, we've got all this money to enjoy the happily ever after part, didn't work out so well.
in may two thousand eighteen five months after they discovery of
its body was announced, Denise
he was arrested and charged with first degree murder conspiracy to commit murder,
and accessory after the fact it was a
very bizarre moment. She said nothing and she didn't look at anybody. She just looked straight ahead. It's a bitter sweet feeling. You are so thankful that she has been added that the true person she is, but a done,
you're still left with the same result, even though you saw her lead away in shackles and an ugly dress and hair that needed a dye job. I gotta tell ya it felt pretty good to me, because I know how important appearances order her
she didn't do it. She had nothing to do with it. She's completely innocent defence return
Ethan way is representing denise. Did she know about it now not before not during not after you are very government, I have an innocent clients, the best kind
the on December, eleventh two thousand and eighteen prosecutor. John Fuchs gave his opening argument at Denise Williams, his murder trial that he likes us out of being a widow much more than a divorce. He obviously can't be column or so
Look like an accident frazier amply early on the state called Brian
winchester. We had an agreement that she would never say anything about me and I would never say anything about her because we felt like that
is neither one of us taught that nobody would ever find out what happened good morning. Ladies and gentlemen,
Ethan way was in an enviable position, for a defence attorney
presenting an accused murderer. The prosecutor
in star witness admits he is the killer. When you shot MIKE Williams with a twelve gauge, shotgun was in each william standing there with you know she wasn't. She was in my head behind me. Denise Williams had no idea that you shot her husband in the face.
Drop in digital, correct, so winchester, your murderers and a true yes, sir
winchester your liars and yes, sir of
sure Williams, Oi suspected her one time. Daughter in law was involved,
the cheryl was now a witness for the prosecution. Initial theory was that he was missing a possibly buy out his prime. He never believed that didn't nurture talented coordinator called you said, I'm sorry! I was wrong all these years.
She never did. Finally, winchesters ex wife, Cathy testified Denise kept quiet as part of a conspiracy of silence between
brian and Denise, for you were the rhine. Winchester cannot do this. Well! Yes, yes about a week after that, the news asked you to do something. Denise asked me to get a message to Brian bad. I'm not talking
after three days of testimony, both sides rested.
The way was so confident the state had no hard evidence that he didn't want the jury to conceal
any charges less
then murder one. This is a strategy decision, as he understand it's a little bit out of the ordinary. I guess for want of a better word. It's a little bit
gamble. Yes, the jury was now facing an all or nothing decision. The attorneys presented their closing arguments.
is not a case about trying to get justice. For my this is a murder case. There's no evidence that supports any of the allegations against my client. We are counting on you to return a verdict that speaks the truth and that verdict is not guilty. Think back three days ago, Brian, when gestures all stand describing how he shot his best friend. Everybody is higher route by the sheer horror of that situation
The one person sat in your absolute stone face getting bad and I didn't share it here that lay right. There was deleted when the jury took eight hours to reach a verdict. The defendant is guilty of conspiracy to commit first degree,
Denise Williams was found guilty, as the girl to the jury found a definitive guilty of first rate. Murder on all counts the definitive guilty of accessory after the fact of first very murder,
MIKE's family and friends waited eighteen years for this day. Sometimes the wheels of justice turn slowly, but they do still turn
sure Williams, it has been a long, heartbreaking fight, but now she can finally lay her son to rest hit her really hard and- and I think she still coming to terms with
I mean the brutality of it, the the finality of it. How anyone could do this to MIKE kind of destroys your your faith in a command to do this to him the way it was done, and it's just unimaginable, you still miss him.
it, was such a good guy. He loved the work he loved his family, he put him on a pedestal and he got killed. Four, that's the
Any of this is the kid did nothing wrong.
the
I
hi
lindsey, Graham the host wanderings podcast american scandal. We bring to life
the biggest controversies in. U s! History, presidential lies environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our new a serious. We look at the kids for cash scandal, a story about corruption inside america, system of juvenile justice.
In northeastern pennsylvania residents had begun, noticing and alarming trend. Children were being sent away to jail in high numbers
often for committing only minor offences, the f b I began looking to local judges and when the full picture emerged it made national headlines. The judges were earning.
fourchan carrying out a brazen criminal scheme, one that would shatter the lives of countless children and force a heated debate about punishment and america's criminal justice.
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he knew he was going to be murdered, tat he knew where and how she had. Why couldn't be stopped? If you.
May this into a movie tomorrow. Nobody believe it actually have forty next CBS
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Transcript generated on 2023-06-02.