His boat and shotgun were found the next day. He wasn't, and for years, everyone assumed alligators were to blame.
Disappearance
Jerry "Mike" Williams, 31, went duck hunting alone near Tallahassee, Florida, on December 16, 2000 — his sixth wedding anniversary with his wife, Denise. He never returned. His boat and shotgun were recovered the following day, but he wasn''t found, and investigators initially theorized he had drowned and his remains had been consumed by alligators in the lake.
Remarriage and Renewed Suspicion
Mike was declared legally dead in 2001. In 2005, Denise married Brian Winchester, Mike''s best friend and a former insurance agent — a decision that, combined with persistent pressure from Mike''s mother, kept investigators'' attention on the case even as it went cold for years.
A Confession
In 2016, Winchester was arrested for kidnapping Denise at gunpoint after she sought a divorce. While in custody, he entered a cooperation agreement with prosecutors and led them to Mike''s remains, confessing that he had shot Mike in 2000 at Denise''s direction, following a failed earlier attempt to drown him during the hunting trip. Winchester testified that he and Denise had been having an affair and had planned the killing together, partly motivated by a $1.75 million life insurance payout Denise later collected.
Trial and a Reversal
Denise Williams was convicted in December 2018 of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and accessory after the fact, and was sentenced to life in prison. In 2020, Florida''s First District Court of Appeal reversed her murder conviction, ruling prosecutors had not proven she directly aided in the killing itself, though the conspiracy and accessory convictions were upheld. She was resentenced in 2021 to 30 years in prison. Brian Winchester was never charged in Mike''s murder, having received immunity from prosecutors in exchange for his cooperation and testimony; he separately served time for kidnapping Denise.
FAQ
Was Denise Williams convicted of murder?
She was initially convicted of first-degree murder in 2018, but that specific conviction was overturned on appeal in 2020; her conspiracy and accessory convictions were upheld, and she was resentenced to 30 years.
Did Brian Winchester face murder charges?
No. He received immunity from prosecution for Mike''s murder in exchange for his cooperation, though he was separately convicted and sentenced for kidnapping Denise in 2016.
How long was Mike Williams missing before his remains were found?
17 years — from December 2000 until October 2017.