Murder of Denise Amber Lee

Denise Amber Lee was murdered by Michael King on January 17, 2008; the crime followed his kidnapping and raping her earlier in the day. Lee and several others had attempted to call for help through the 9-1-1 system but there was a lack of communication and the police and other emergency services arrived too late. At least four 911 calls were made, one by Lee herself from her abductor's phone and one from a witness, Jane Kowalski, the latter giving a detailed account of events as they unfolded before her. Lee's family lobbied for a new law, called simply Denise's Law, to be passed. The Denise Amber Lee Act was passed unanimously by the Florida Legislature on April 24, 2008. Michael King has been sentenced to the death penalty.

Denise Amber Lee

Denise Amber Lee (née Goff) (August 6, 1986 – January 17, 2008) was born in Englewood, Florida. Lee was the daughter of Sgt. Rick Goff, of the sheriff's office in Charlotte County and Sue Goff. On August 20, 2005, Denise Goff and Nathan Lee were married; the couple had met in Lemon Bay High School where they had both led quite different lives, she as a studious, quietly-spoken and shy young woman, he as one of the most popular pupils at the school. Denise Goff asked Nathan Lee out. Just after their first date, Nathan bought Denise a $40 ring which she never again removed. The wedding ring came only a short time later again. The couple settled down in North Port, Florida and had two sons.

Michael King

Michael King (born 1971) trained as a plumber but had been unemployed for several months previous to the crime. He is divorced.

The Crime

On January 17, 2008 Lee called her husband around 11 a.m., the last time the two would speak. A witness saw a car arrive at her home at around 1pm-2pm, the car later identified as Michael King's dark green 1994 Chevy Camaro. It is known that she was on the back porch at or near this time cutting her son's hair, since the hair and high-chair were found on the porch that afternoon when Nathan came home. It is also known there were no signs of a struggle in the home, and the front door was locked. Speculation of the situation leaves many believing she locked the door (which did not latch) to prevent her son Noah (2 at the time) from opening the door, and she likely left the home with no struggle (it was proven King had a gun) to keep her children from being harmed.

From there, she was bound and taken to King's home in North Port, Florida where he set up what the prosecution in the trial referred to as a "rape room", where King removed mirrors from the living room, covered mirrors, and set up loud music. Duct tape and other evidence was found in this room.

After this, she was taken to King's cousin's home, where King asked for a shovel, gas can, and flashlight. Lee was able to take King's cell phone while he was out of the vehicle and dial 9-1-1. Her desperate 9-1-1 call was released during the trial, which caused a lot of reaction by the public. The operator obtained information from Lee which later helped convict King. The call is several minutes long with Lee begging for her life. She answered the call taker's questions while pretending to talk to King. She clearly tells the call taker she does not know her abductor and just wanted to go home to her husband and two small children. Lee was able to give the prosecutors their best evidence that she was taken against her will and the murder was premeditated. Unfortunately because it was a cell phone, police were unable to trace the call. And Lee was unable to give her exact location (she was likely blindfolded).

At 6:30pm, King was seen driving down US Route 41 southbound, where a witness, Jane Kowalski, called 9-1-1 as well. She was routed to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office as she and King just passed from Sarasota County into Charlotte County and reported she was witnessing someone screaming for her life in a car sitting beside her at a red light. Kowalski slowed to a pace of 20 mph hoping King would go around her. Instead he got behind her. She wanted to get his license plate or follow him). King also slowed down and stayed behind her. Kowalski's call lasted 9 minutes and included cross streets. The Charlotte County Communications Center's call taker did not enter this vital into the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) until 6:42PM. 12 minutes after the call began. And a police car was never dispatched despite several cars being in that area waiting for information as to what to look for.

Sometime after this 9-1-1 call, Michael King shot Lee in the head and buried her naked body in a 4 ft.deep hole. King then proceeded to bury other evidence in areas close by.

Several BOLOs (Be On Look-Out reports) were issued by the Florida Highway Patrol and the North Port Police Depart to 6 surrounding counties starting at 4:59PM including Charlotte County. Unfortunately, the CCSO never responded to the BOLOs and deputies in the field did not receive the information about the green Camaro. According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Internal Affairs Report #08-01-003 the CCSO was understaffed having sent home the person who monitors BOLOs early to avoid paying time and a half overtime and deputies in the field testified they did not know to look for a green Camaro until 6:45PM an hour and forty five minutes after the FHP and NPPD issued their first BOLO where the green Camaro was mentioned.

At 9:15PM, about 6 hours after she was first reported missing, Florida Highway Patrol Officer Eddie Pope pulled King's Camaro over as King tried to enter I-75 from Toledo Blade only a short distance from where he buried Lee.

The dispatchers who did not respond to the BOLOs or dispatch a car were later reprimanded losing 3 days and 5 days pay respectively. The call taker was never disciplined but was asked to take 12 hours remedial training.

One of the most massive searches in southwest Florida history took place to find Lee who was found on January 19, 2008 only 5 miles distance from where Kowalski last saw her.

In total there were five 9-1-1 calls placed that day. One by Lee's husband, Nathan. Two by King's relatives. One by Lee, herself and lastly by Jane Kowalski.

Trial

The trial of the State of Florida vs. Michael L. King officially began on August 24, 2009. Lead prosecuting attorney was State Assistant Lon Arend, lead defense attorney was Public Defender Carolyn Schlemmer. Presiding judge is Hon. Deno Economou, and the trial took place in Sarasota County, Florida.

The prosecution presented DNA and other forensic evidence, including hair and personal articles of Lee's found around and within the Camaro, King's home, and the grave site. Other evidence included King's mysterious change of clothing, duct tape, a shell casing, the shovel, and King's cell phone. The prosecution also brought forth eye witnesses, including Jane Kowalski and King's cousin. The defense attempted to provide reasonable doubt by bringing to the jury's attention of evidence tampering and contamination, and even went so far as to boastfully accuse one of King's friends of the crime, of which the judge did not approve. The defense rested without bringing forth any witnesses.

After deliberating for only 2 hours and 5 minutes, on August 28, 2009, the jury found King guilty of kidnapping with intent to commit a felony, sexual battery, and first degree murder. On September 4, 2009, at 2:45pm, the jury handed down the recommended sentence of death, in a unanimous 12-0 vote.

The Foundation

Lee's husband Nathan Lee and her father Rick Goff lobbied in Tallahassee to get Denise's Law passed, which recommended training for all 9-1-1 dispatchers.

Due to the two mishandled 9-1-1 calls in this case, more research revealed several issues countrywide in the 9-1-1 system, so a non-profit organization with the mission to "To promote and support public safety through uniform training, standardized protocols, defined measurable outcomes, and technological advances in the 9-1-1 system." was established in June 2008 in Lee's name. Her husband and father continue to manage the Foundation, along with many other notable community leaders from the region.

See also

• Jessica's Law
• Carlie's Law

External links

• Denise Amber Lee Foundation - Official site of the non-profit organization started by Lee's widower.
• Peggy Lee's Blogspot - Blogspot set up by mother-in-law of Denise Amber Lee
• Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice - Officially sponsoring the Denise Amber Lee Foundation
• Denise's Law petition - now superseded, as the law has been passed
• Denise Amber Lee shot and tossed in a shallow grave Breaking news from Herald Tribune; January 20 2008, 12:38 p.m (updated 4:55 p.m)
• Are Botched 911 Calls to Blame for Denise Lee's Death? ABC News; July 23 2008; Jim Avila, Rena Furuya, Andrew Paparella
• Prosecutor: Denise Amber Lee was tied to headboard in King’s car Naples News; August 24, 2009; Elaine Allen-Emrich
• Committee passes bill to require more training for 911 operators Tampa Bay Reporter Online, Michael D. Vasilinda; February 16, 2010
• 9-1-1 bill passes through first House committee NBC-2 website; Feb 16, 2010
• Denise Amber Lee Topic page of Herald Tribune, 2010, containing extensive links to other articles
• Denise Lee 911 Call Played at Michael King Murder Trial NowPublic.com; August 26, 2009; Jordan Yerman
• Denise Amber Lee Act Clears Committee News Channel 7; Feb 17, 2010; Mike Vasilinda; Gray Television, Inc