Michael King - Kidnapping/Murder of Denise Lee - Trial 11/08
Police charge Michael King with Denise Lee's death Tuesday, January 22, 2008 SARASOTA (Bay News 9) -- Sarasota County police released new information Tuesday linking Michael King to the murder of Denise Amber Lee, last week in North Port. Investigators found a woman's ring inside King's green Camaro. Lee's husband confirmed it was his wife's. A second witness called 9-1-1 reporting a woman in distress screaming from inside a green Camaro. And three officers who went inside King's home found balled up duct tape that had long strands of hair attached. King remains behind bars at the Sarasota jail. In the meantime, his family said they're still shocked about what's happened. According to Harold Muxlow Jr., who lives in North Port, his cousin, Michael Lee King, came by to visit Thursday night and asked to borrow a shovel, flashlight and gas can. However, Muxlow's father and King's uncle, Harold Muxlow Sr., said his son didn't realize it was a request that may have had murderous consequences. "He then asked if he could borrow a gas can because his lawn mower was stuck in the mud and it ran our of gas, and he said, 'well it's my cousin and I'm going to loan that to him,' " Muxlow Sr. said. Muxlow Sr. said his son told him as he talked to King he heard a woman scream to call police. He said his son told him King then shoved the woman inside the car and told Muxlow Jr. to not worry about it and quickly drove away. Muxlow Sr. said his son didn't think much about it because of King's past. "Mike kind of hung out with girls that were wacky," Muxlow Sr. said. Muxlow said moment's later his son had a feeling he should check on the situation. He called his daughter and told her about the situation. She immediately called 9-1-1, but still Muxlow procrastinated. However, after driving to King's home, Muxlow Sr. said his son found no sign of a lawn mower stuck in the mud. He said that's when his son knew something was wrong and he also called 9-1-1. Muxlow Sr. said he believes his son did everything he could under the circumstances. "He's a witness," Muxlow Sr. said. "Let's face it, if it hadn't been for him it would have been another missing persons and nobody would have known what happened to her." Investigators are still looking for a gun and other evidence to help with the investigation. Authorities have not said if Lee and King knew each other or if they believe this was a random act of violence. King had Citrus County connections Before the search for Denise Lee and before Michael King was in jail and charged with the kidnapping and murder of the 21-year-old mother of two, King lived in a mobile home in Homosassa. Neighbor Crystal Sabian would pick up her younger siblings from King when they would go over to jump on the trampoline in his back yard. "I thought he was a nice guy, but I guess not," Sabian said. King is charged with first degree murder, accused of shooting Lee in the head and burying her in a shallow grave in North Port last week. Sabian is scared to think her 10-year-old and 6-year old would play at King's old house. "I had no idea, actually," Sabian said. "I had no clue whatsoever. It's scary." Other neighbors said they never had a problem with King and rarely saw him. Records show King lived in Homosassa for about six months last year. Neighbors said he lived there with a woman and two children. King waived his court appearance in Sarasota Tuesday morning. Sarasota County prosecutors said they will formerly charge King with Lee's murder and they will seek the death penalty. E-mail TV reporter Jonathan Petramala http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/1/22/319176.html?title=Police+charge+Michael+King+with+Denise+Lee's+death

More released in Denise Amber Lee case Wednesday, June 11, 2008 MANATEE COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Hundreds of documents, audio and a video tape have been released in the case of the kidnapping and murder of 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee. On Jan. 17 Denise Amber Lee was snatched from her North Port home. A surprising call from Lee came into 911 three hours after her husband first reported her missing. The call came in just hours before she died, the last time anyone would hear from her. Michael Lee King, 37, is the main suspect in the case and has been charged with killing her. According to the dispatcher who took the call from Lee, the 911 phone call ended when Lee's kidnapper realized she was on their cell phone. Sarasota County Sheriff's Office dispatcher: "He did not know that she was on the phone." North Port police dispatcher: "Ok who did he think she was talking to?" Sarasota County Sheriff's Office dispatcher: "No she had the phone next to her." North Port police dispatcher: "Ok, ok." Sarasota County Sheriff's Office dispatcher: "He was like where's my phone? She's like I don't have your phone, and finally when he took phone." The call came in at 6:14 p.m. to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office dispatch center. It was the first time authorities learned she was being held against her will. Two days after the 911 call North Port police found Lee's body in the woods. Police said they found evidence linking King to the crime, including tape they said contained Lee's hair. The documents released did not reveal if King and Lee knew each other before the murder or a possible motive. Prosecutors are not releasing the 911 call made from Lee. They said it is exempt from public records laws because King made statements that are admissions. Lee left behind a husband and two young sons. According to court documents, DNA found on Lee's body has been matched to King's DNA. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for King if he's convicted. http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/6/11/356186.html

Video shows home of Denise Lee's alleged killer Last updated on: 6/12/2008 11:57:31 AM by Meaghan Smith NORTH PORT: Never before seen video from inside the home of accused killer Michael King has been released. We also got a hold of an interview with King's cellmate. The new video, according to investigators, is crucial to knowing what went through King's mind before prosecutors say he raped and murdered Denise Amber Lee. At first glance of King's home, you can't help but notice it's almost complete emptiness. In the living room, you only see a TV and suitcase stashed by the door. When investigators moved over to the kitchen, cameras captured a cell phone, a random business card, and roll of duct tape on the counter. King's arrest affidavit mentions the duct tape. As police moved to a bedroom, they found a make-shift bed on the floor. Next to it, there was what appeared to be a wad of duct tape. The police report states officers found long, light brown hair stuck on it. Wednesday night, we learned that while in jail, King spent time in a suicide watch area with a man named Charles Boggs who was arrested on the same evening as King, but for a completely different reason. "He stared for like 10 hours and that's why I felt sorry for him. So I went up and talked to him," said Boggs. "I was asking him questions like what he was in for. He said something about hijacking and I knew right then and there who it was." On his way to jail, Boggs says he told investigators he heard about the search for Denise Lee over police radios. In his interview, Boggs says King claimed he and his Camaro were the ones hijacked that night. But as time went on, he says King grew more depressed. "He said, 'I'll never go to prison. I'll kill myself first.' That's what he said, 'I'll find a way to kill myself,'" said Boggs. Denise Lee leaves behind her husband and two little boys. King's trial has been set for November. http://www.nbc-2.com/Articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=19784&z=3

Published on: Sunday, November 16, 2008 King defense: Insanity, please NORTH PORT -- Michael King is the second man facing murder charges in North Port in a month to raise the possibility of using an insanity plea. King, the primary suspect in the Jan. 17 abduction and murder of 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee of North Port, may never face charges if declared incompetent. He would then be sent to a state hospital for treatment, where he would remain unless declared sane. Only then could he be tried. Carolyn Schlemmer, King's public defender, has asked for a competency hearing, although no date has been set. Another accused killer, Patrick Dewayne Murphy, is also preparing for a possible insanity defense in the Coralrose Fullwood murder trial. Murphy's public defender John Scotese said his client waived his right to a speedy trial to undergo a monthslong battery of psychological tests, which could trigger use of an insanity defense. The 27-year-old Murphy faces the death penalty if convicted of the rape and killing of 6-year-old Coralrose Fullwood of North Port on Sept. 17, 2006. King's defense resembles Murphy's in requesting more time. This is King's second defense request for more trial preparation time in a month. Schlemmer was granted a four-month trial date extension in October after saying she had 94 possible state witnesses to depose. Paul S. Kling, a licensed psychologist who conducts mental health evaluations for the five-county 20th Judicial Circuit, reviews whether defendants are competent to proceed to trial. "That means a person is capable of understanding the situation and participating in their defense," Kling said. "People should not go into court and not know what they're doing." Conducting a competency evaluation may take months, depending on whether the person has an existing mental illness and a history of mental health problems. "You can't just become crazy the day before you did it," Kling said. The evaluation and competency hearing process may delay a case indefinitely if a defendant needs treatment. An insanity defense could imply a person suffers from a mental disease or defect, which caused the defendant to not know what he was doing. Or, if he knew what he was doing, he didn't understand the behavior was wrong. The state is seeking the death penalty for the 37-year-old King, who was to go on trial Nov. 10. Twelfth Circuit Court Judge Deno Economou set a new trial date for March 30, 2009. Schlemmer said she was unable to start working on King's defense until she concluded involvement in another murder case in April. "This is a capital case, which requires much more preparation and time than normal felony cases," Schlemmer said. "Counsel has much more to do, including additional motions, in order to adequately represent the defendant." Schlemmer said she's already conducted more than two dozen depositions in venues including Sarasota, North Port, Fort Myers, Tampa, Deerfield Beach and Quantico, Va. The state lists 94 witnesses she could possibly depose. King, an unemployed plumber from North Port, pleaded not guilty to charges he raped and murdered Lee after a Feb. 6 indictment. E-mail: toconnor@sun-herald.com By TERRY O'CONNOR North Port Assistant Editor http://www.sunnewspapers.net/articles/pnnews.aspx?NewsID=426628&a=newsarchive2/111608/ch3.htm&pnpg=0