ABC’s ’20/20: Life on the Line’ sheds light on the shocking case of 21-year-old mother Denise Amber Lee, who was abducted in January 2008 from her home in North Port, Florida. Despite a distressed 911 call from herself and from other witnesses, the mother of two was unfortunately killed. The episode explores the details surrounding the investigation that led authorities to arrest the killer, Michael Lee King. It also features detailed accounts of the accounts through interviews with her loved ones and the law enforcement officials who raced against time trying to save Denise.
Michael King Became the Suspect After His Car Was Linked to the Abduction
On May 4, 1971, James and Patsy King gave birth to their son, Michael Lee King. According to his family members, he had a low IQ and usually struggled with intellectual limitations. Eventually, he trained as a plumber and started working in the profession. However, reports state that in 2007 he lost his job and was also facing foreclosure on his house. In adulthood, he got married and welcomed his son into the world. However, cracks began to appear in his relationship, leading to a divorce. On January 17, 2008, Michael came under the scrutiny of law enforcement when his vehicle, a green Chevy Camaro, was tied to the kidnapping of 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee.
At the time, Denise was living on Latour Avenue in North Port, Florida, with her husband Nathan Lee and their young sons, Adam and Noah. Around 3:30 pm on January 17, Nathan arrived home to find her nowhere and quickly called 911. As an intensive search for the young mother began, officials learned from her neighbor, Jennifer Eckert, that she had seen a green Camaro driving in the neighborhood around 2:30 pm. According to reports, the car then pulled into Denise’s driveway and stayed there for over 15 minutes before leaving. Four hours later, dispatchers at Sarasota County received a call from a distressed Denise, who used the kidnapper’s phone to inform them about her location, as per reports.
Police records state that after the call disconnected, experts were unable to determine her exact location, but did discover that it originated from a phone registered in Michael’s name. Additionally, records revealed that he owned a green Camaro. Around 6:23 pm, authorities received another call from a woman named Sabrina Muxlow. Investigative reports state that she told detectives her father, Harold Muxlow, told her his cousin, Michael, came to his North Port home with a woman in a Camaro. According to official reports, Michael had borrowed a flashlight, a shovel, and a gas tank, among other items, from his cousin, claiming that his lawnmower had broken down. Shortly after Sabrina’s call, Harold reportedly called 911 to report the same incident.
Detectives Built a Case Against Michael Using Witness Testimony and Physical Evidence
Meanwhile, law enforcement searched Michael’s home, where they discovered a piece of duct tape with blonde hair on it and Denise’s hair tie, but she was nowhere to be found, according to records. Further court records indicate that an eyewitness, Jane Kawaiski, contacted officials to report that she had witnessed a “child” banging their hand on the window of a Camaro at Cranberry Boulevard on Highway-41. On the call, Jane reportedly stated that the car then turned onto Toledo Blade Boulevard. According to court records, Jane’s 911 call was routed to Charlotte County, which was not the location (Sarasota County) where the dispatchers working on the case were based. Reports confirm that the misrouting prevented police from being dispatched to the location on time, but authorities later maintained that a faster response wouldn’t have changed the unfortunate outcome.
Around 9 pm, a highway trooper spotted Michael’s car and pulled him over. He was promptly arrested at the scene, and the detectives noted that he was soaking wet from the waist down with mud, per records. Official reports state that when his car was searched, they didn’t find Denise but did uncover her hair and ring from the backseat of the vehicle. They further discovered a gas tank and a muddy shovel inside. When Michael was questioned at the station, he claimed that he was also kidnapped with Denise and denied his involvement. According to police records, he refused to further speak with the detectives, following which he was arrested and charged with kidnapping. Simultaneously, the search for Denise continued.
On January 19, 2008, authorities discovered her remains in a grave near Plantation Boulevard in North Port. A few days later, forensic experts discovered a 9 mm shell casing nearby. Official reports suggest that an eyewitness, Robert Salvador, came into the police station. He informed law enforcement that on January 17, Michael had met him at a gun range, where the assailant admitted to having a 9mm gun and asked for ammunition from Robert, as per records. As per records, ballistic experts determined that the shell casing recovered from the crime scene matched the ones from rounds Michael fired at the gun range. Ultimately, he was charged with first-degree murder and involuntary sexual battery.
Related
Michael King Was Executed in a Florida State Prison at the Age of 54
The jury trial of Michael King officially began on August 24, 2009. During the trial, the prosecution presented forensic evidence showing that Denise was shot to death, and the defendant’s DNA was found on her remains. Court records specify that the evidence also revealed that she was sexually assaulted. The prosecution reportedly called several witnesses to the stand, including Harold, who testified that he had seen Michael struggling with a woman in a car. According to his testimony, the woman asked Harold to call the police before the defendant drove away with her. On the other hand, the defense argued that the prosecution had failed to prove their case against Michael and challenged some aspects of the forensic evidence.
The defense reportedly claimed that an injury from a childhood accident had likely affected his cognitive functioning. On August 28, after deliberation, the jury convicted him of first-degree murder, kidnapping with intent to commit a felony, and involuntary sexual battery. On September 4, 2009, the jury voted unanimously, recommending a death sentence. Michael was ultimately sentenced to death by lethal injection on December 4, 2009. Following that, he appealed his judgment multiple times, and the State Court consistently upheld his convictions and sentence. Michael was serving his sentence at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida, when he was executed by lethal injection at 6:13 pm on March 17, 2026, at the age of 54.
