A woman’s body was found in a shallow grave on Saturday afternoon. A press conference was give Sunday morning declaring that the body found was indeed that of Denise Lee. Holding their infant son, Denise Lee’s husband Nathaniel proclaimed his love for his dead soul mate and thanked the city for it’s support.
NORTH PORT – THis is a crazy story. Denise Amber Lee’s husband came home to find that she was missing and their two young children were home alone. Lee is the daughter of Charlotte County Sheriff’s Lt. Richard Goff. Six hours later, following an all-out manhunt that included canine teams, helicopters and dozens of officers from several agencies, authorities arrested Michael Lee King, 37. They still have not found Lee.
King was arrested on two key incidents. One being that somehow, Lee was able to call 911 on a cell phone and alert authorities to her situation. The call involved a conversation between Lee and King and the nature of the conversation alerted them that Lee had been abducted. Goff confirmed the voice was his daughter and police were able to trace the call back to King’s phone.
Also, King’s cousin states that King came to his residence and asked to borrow a shovel and some gas because his lawnmower had broken down in a ditch. After giving the items to King, he saw Lee tied up in the back of King’s Camaro. He immediately called police.
His Chevrolet Camaro was located on Interstate 75 near the Toledo Blade exit after 9 p.m. and King was arrested. They are still searching for Lee. From the reports, Lee and her family did not know King, even though he lived near them. There has never been any know contact between the two.
This looks like it will turn out badly, and such a shame too. She was clever enough to use her abductor’s own phone to alert authorities, and it may still be too late. However, if any of you ever plan on abducting anyone, take notes as King has just displayed every thing you could possibly do wrong. Thanks for the story, Susan!
9:32 am on January 18th, 2008
Where do these guys get off!? It’s like they read all the other stories about men killing & burying their wives or girlfriends, and try to out-do eachother.
9:39 am on January 18th, 2008
It sucks that she’s probably dead, because she did everything right to get her abductor caught.
If he’s killed her, you want to take bets on whether he lives long enough to stand trial? Killing the daughter of a LE officer is a bad, bad idea. In fact, i’m betting there’s a little unofficial interrogation happening right now.
9:59 am on January 18th, 2008
Maybe she knew this guy somehow, secret love affair gone bad? hmmm.
10:11 am on January 18th, 2008
Ummm, Irondawg, judging by the picture of him, I highly doubt that!
10:34 am on January 18th, 2008
Watch…we’ll find out that her Dad had arrested this dirtbag at some point.
11:13 am on January 18th, 2008
Pausing a moment to say, “Bravo” to the dirtbag’s cousin, who “immediately called police.” Whatever the outcome, it’s nice to see a family member DO THE RIGHT THING.
Hope there is a happier ending than it looks like there will be…
11:29 am on January 18th, 2008
How frustrating it will be for everyone involved if they find her charred, buried corpse in the area around the highway he was arrested at. So close. That’s enough to haunt any of the authorities, searchers, and family for the rest of their lives.
11:59 am on January 18th, 2008
[...] were home alone. Lee is the daughter of Charlotte County Sheriff’s Lt. Richard Goff. … credit : [...]
12:22 pm on January 18th, 2008
bastard
2:25 pm on January 18th, 2008
He borrowed gasoline and a shovel and he had a woman tied up in the back of his truck. Where could that be leading to?
2:28 pm on January 18th, 2008
Why did he not claim that he was out of gasoline and his shovel was broken. Granted, he called police, but it was a bit of a dumbass move to give him the things he asked for. No??
2:45 pm on January 18th, 2008
agreed, wry and ash… kudos for calling the cops, but a kick in the ass for not getting in your car and following them… if she was dead, at least they could find her. if she was alive, she mightve stayed so……
4:33 pm on January 18th, 2008
They just put up a timeline on the Tampa Tribune:
According to a probable-cause affidavit, here’s what happened in the disappearance of Denise Amber Lee:
THURSDAY
2:30 p.m.: Neighbor Jennifer Eckert sees a green Chevrolet Camaro parked in the driveway of Lee’s home,7912 Latour Ave., North Port.
3:20 p.m.: Nathaniel Lee, the missing woman’s husband, arrives home to find his 2-year-old and 6-month-old children home alone in a crib. Denise Lee’s car, keys and cell phone are still there.
3:29 p.m.: Nathaniel Lee calls police.
6:14 p.m.: A 911 dispatcher receives a call and hears Denise Lee crying and pleading with someone, authorities say. It is determined the phone is King’s and that she has managed to dial for help. Authorities confirm a Chevrolet Camaro is registered to King.
6:23 p.m.: Authorities receive a call from King’s cousin saying King has borrowed a gas can and a shovel. When King drives away in a Camaro, a woman is visible tied up in the backseat, the cousin tells authorities.
9:16 p.m.: Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Eddie Pope is northbound on Toledo Blade Boulevard near Interstate 75 when he sees a Camaro matching the “be on the lookout” description. He stops King on southbound I-75 at Mile Marker 178. King is taken into custody and his car is impounded as evidence by the North Port Police Department.
FRIDAY
3:15 a.m.: Police talk to a witness, whose name has not been released, and determine there is probable cause to arrest King.
4:49 pm on January 18th, 2008
The way I read it, he didn’t see the woman until he was leaving. After he had given him the items.
5:28 pm on January 18th, 2008
not looking good…………
Earlier on Thursday, North Port Police officers surrounded King’s house and went inside. They say they did find evidence that Lee had been in the home. Sources say they also searched his car, and reportedly found hair, blood, or both inside it. Police also reportedly found the gas can, shovel, and flashlight he had borrowed from his cousin, and all of the items were soaked in water.
Investigators say though King is in custody, he is not cooperating with detectives. They say when they arrested him, he was also drenched in water.
North Port Police, Sarasota and Charlotte County deputies, and the Florida Highway Patrol are all involved in the search for Lee. They are reportedly going near her home looking for her.
They’re also searching the area around King’s home – including some canals.
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5517369&version=35&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
5:29 pm on January 18th, 2008
Investigators have found clothing in an area where they are searching for Denise Amber Lee, whose kidnapping yesterday from her North Port home sparked an exhaustive search.
The clothing was found on the north end of Salford Avenue, south of Interstate 75, not far from the home of Michael Lee King, who authorities say abducted Lee, a 21-year-old mother of two young children. King was arrested last night, charged this morning with one count of kidnapping and booked into the Sarasota County jail.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080118/BREAKING/677386723/-1/RSS01
5:31 pm on January 18th, 2008
At 6:23 p.m., police received a 911 call from King’s cousin, who told investigators about the shovel, gas can and flashlight. He also said Lee tried to leave the Camaro, but King shoved her back in.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080118/BREAKING/677386723/-1/RSS01
holy shit… why didn’t the cousin do more?
5:33 pm on January 18th, 2008
I will never understand what motivates someone to do something like this. The guy even parked his car in front of her house! Apparantly he got her inside her own home?? How did he get in? There has to be so much more to this story. Are they doing an all-out search for her? He might have left her somewhere and she might still be alive. I can’t believe they found him, but not her yet. This guy is obviously a dumbass, how could he hide her that well?
5:33 pm on January 18th, 2008
more on the cousin
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080118/BREAKING/863522753
5:34 pm on January 18th, 2008
NORTH PORT — Neighbors of Denise Amber Lee said they had seen her reported abductor, Michael Lee King, drive by Lee’s house several times, including early yesterday morning.
Neighbor Jennifer Eckert said she saw King park his green Camaro in the driveway of Lee’s Latour Avenue home at about p.m. yesterday. Eckert said she came outside when she heard the Camaro pull in and made eye contact with the driver, presumably King. The driver then sped off, Eckert said.
Eckert told police what she saw, and that information helped identify King and his Camaro as a suspect. She said Lee’s husband later tearfully thanked her for the help.
“He was totally distraught. He didn’t know what to think,†Eckert said.
5:36 pm on January 18th, 2008
Friends and family portray Denise Lee as a loving mother
By KATE SPINNER
Denise Amber Goff graduated magna cum laude from Lemon Bay High School in 2004, and married Nathaniel “Nathan†Lee, a 2001 Lemon Bay graduate, on Aug. 1, 2005.
The couple moved to Tampa to attend the University of South Florida, but withdrew after Denise got pregnant.
Public records indicate that for a time after that, they moved into the home of her parents, Richard and Susan Goff. The Goffs are descendants of William and Mary Goff, pioneers of Englewood who came to the area in 1878.
Denise and Nathan moved out of the Goff’s home after their first child, Noah, was born 1 ½ years ago. They since have had a second child, Adam, six months ago. Neighbors say the couple moved into the home on Latour Avenue about a year ago.
Nathan works full-time at Florida Power and Light as a meter reader, and also plays saxophone in bands and earns a little money coaching little league. Denise Lee stays home with the children.
This summer she kept up with friends on the Lee family’s Myspace.com page, posting photos of her children, reports on the progress of her pregnancy, and news of the deer that popped up in her front yard twice in May, once with a foal.
In August, she wrote about the day that she took the two boys to the mall to buy sunglasses, and was already getting tired after going to just one store.
“I let Noah play in the play area so I could get a chance to just sit. Noah was knocked down twice by older boys running around wild. Of course then Adam needed changing and I couldn’t take my eyes off of Noah or else he’d run out of the play area. So I put them both on the changing table and changed both their diapers. Fun fun.”
By the time she found a pair of glasses she liked at JC Penney, both of the boys were crying, the blog says.
“So I put Noah down and picked up Adam,” she wrote. “Noah thought it would be funny to try to run away again. So i caught him while holding Adam and put Noah in the stroller. An old man commented that I must have my hands full and said he checked in the bottom basket of the stroller to make sure I didn’t have a third one in there. LOL, can you imagine if I had three?â€
Lee’s grandmother, Nancy Bates, said Nathan worked hard so the young couple would have enough money to live on their own, so she could stay home with the children.
“Things were getting easier and going a lot better” for them, Bates said. “I’m just waiting for that phone to ring with good news.â€
5:39 pm on January 18th, 2008
Trying to think from his frame of mind, he probably thought that was the best he could do. If I were him, I would be thinking the police will catch him before he could get too far. But in restrospect, he should have followed in the car, to at least be able to tell the police where he is.
I changed my mind, it doesn’t look like she ’s alive anymore
5:43 pm on January 18th, 2008
Why didn’t the cousin tell King to let her go. I can’t imagine him letting him drive off and then calling the police. I think that’s how I read it. He saw the Lee tied up? So just take off cuz and call me when you get done with whatever nasty deed it is your doin. I’ll call the police later? Geez!
5:48 pm on January 18th, 2008
if you read the articlde – he didnt even call right away… he drove past kings house a few times, then went to a payphone and made an anonymous report….
he seems remorseful now (end of article)…and I hate to speculate she’s dead… but if it turns out that way, those extra minutes might’ve saved her life.
5:51 pm on January 18th, 2008
Aww, I feel kind of sorry for the guy. If I read correctly, he did go to King’s home right after he left, and then called the police. I agree, it was a stupid thing to do, but this is one of those incidents that no one could even imagine or prepare for.
5:59 pm on January 18th, 2008
When I think about it more though, the fact that he was borrowing a gas can and shovel shouold have really alerted the cousin that the situation wasnt just some psycho girlfriend, as he says. He really made a big mistake. Possibly a life-threatening one.
She really knew what she was doing, I bet she left that ring on purpose. Man, she really did a damn good job trying to stay alive
6:08 pm on January 18th, 2008
God, imagine being at home in the middle of the day, you live in a normal neighborhood, you are just sitting there playing with your kids…
Then a minute later someone kidnaps you and you know you are about to be fucking killed. Jesus Christ, you really just aren’t safe anywhere, no matter who you, no matter where you live.
7:27 pm on January 18th, 2008
How about the cuz takes the shovel and cracks King on the back of the head with it and then lets Lee go. That could be a posible solution, but now it’s too late and he’s sorry? Too nuts for me. I’m gald he called police but I think he could have done that A LITTLE SOONER!
9:47 pm on January 18th, 2008
That’s what I was thinking! How scary is that. She most have asked him to not hurt the kids, can I put them somewhere safe. Seems like she did all she could, made smart decisions. That makes it even harder to except. I’m so sorry for this family! I hope he comes clean and tells them what he has done.
11:54 pm on January 18th, 2008
I really am surprised he hasnt cracked yet. It seems that the nutjobs like this give up quick where the body is.
3:52 am on January 19th, 2008
i just saw the family’s myspace page. This family looks so happy and her children are so beautiful. I am literally in tears for her. One of the posts on the page says this:
“We are all praying. PLEASE anyone viewing this page PLEASE pray for my niece’s safe return and her family. ”
this breaks my heart. I am praying so hard that they find her and that she is alive. Her kids and husband need her.
5:36 am on January 19th, 2008
At 6:14 p.m., a call came in to the Sarasota 9-1-1 Center. Reportedly, voices of a woman and a man could be heard. Denise Lee’s cousin, Sheana Goff, said that during the call, the woman asked, “When are you going to take me, Denise Amber Lee, back to Latour Avenue?” possibly to leave clues as to what was happening.
According to Estrada, the 9-1-1 operator concluded the woman was in distress from the tone of her voice. It was speculated that Lee may have somehow obtained her abductor’s cell phone and dialed 9-1-1, then conversed with the man.
Estrada said the number from which the 9-1-1 call came was found to belong to a cell phone owned by King. Police began searching for King’s car, a 1994 green Camaro with a black grill cover.
Shortly after the 9-1-1 call came in, police received a call at 6:23 p.m. from someone stating that King had gone to his cousin’s house and asked for a shovel, a gas can and a flashlight. The cousin, believed to be Harold Muxlow Jr. of Karluk Street, reportedly gave the items to King, and at that time saw a woman tied up in the back seat of King’s car.
Muxlow did not contact police directly, but Estrada said a relative of the cousin did inform police of what the man had seen. Police issued a “Be on the Lookout” bulletin for King’s car.
Estrada said the information from the cousin’s relative was “absolutely critical” to the police search.
At 9:16 p.m., FHP Trooper Ed Pope saw a green Camaro traveling north on Toledo Blade Boulevard, not far from the I-75 onramp. He confirmed its license plate matched the BOLO’s, so in his unmarked car, Pope followed the Camaro when it entered I-75 heading south. Pope soon pulled the Camaro over at the 178 mile marker and found King inside. Lee was not in the vehicle. Pope placed King into protective custody.
According to Estrada, King was “completely soaked” from the waist down when he was taken into custody. Also found in King’s car were a gas can, a wet shovel and a flashlight. A woman’s ring was discovered on the Camaro’s rear seat. Estrada said a blond hair was also found inside, but he was not aware of any blood being found in the car.
King was initially uncooperative, according to police. Later, after he was questioned by North Port Police Lt. Kevin Sullivan, he did talk with officials, but police are not disclosing what he said. King reportedly gave information that led police to begin a search near King’s home.
King was said to be an avid outdoorsman and intimately familiar with the wooded areas around his house where the search began Thursday night, wrapping up around 2:30 a.m. The search resumed at daybreak Friday and is expected to continue at 7 a.m. today.
_________________________________
So it seems he may have told them where she is? I am hoping against all hope that she is by some miracle still alive.
6:43 am on January 19th, 2008
I find this odd…. where is the kids mother geeeesh – did king off her and get away with it – another drew peterson ? (he moved to fla close to where his parents live and doesn’t take his son – not saying he didnt try but maybe isn’t allowed to remove the child from MI State… maybe child was takin away from both parent and placed with the uncle. If no charges were filed – it would appear his record was clean with no priors)
Patsy King says her son was facing a foreclosure on his North Port home, and had about 90 days before he had to move out. He had been debating whether to head back to Michigan, where King figured on getting a job and being closer to his 12-year-old son.
His son lives with King’s brother and sister-in-law in Michigan.
This is sooooo terribly sad – I feel bad for the cousin – he hadnt seen him in awhile. seems king remained calm they had a short conversation about his foreclosure etc. in real life situations it does take a few mins to set in. It was common for him to have drama with g/f’s apparently. If it had been the “mean girls” one of them probably would of been dragged down the street while holding on the door handle.
The cousin got on the phone called his daughter and were discussing what had happen then reacted by driving to kings house making a call at a nearby pay phone whether it is annonimous call or not (as we constantly beg others to report abuse this way if need be – we can’t knock him for that). He helped to interrogate king until 530 am – tried everything he knew to get him to talk – bless his heart…
King soaked and the borrowed items were soaked with water – DOES ANYONE KNOW the weather conditions for 630 – 9pm in that area for Thurs
– check the sewer … what is in the mind of a plumber ?
anyone know what evidence they have that lee has been to kings house, as i read there was only a mattress and stand up mirror in the home.
very sad story !
8:00 am on January 19th, 2008
“Muxlow said that King, his cousin, had a “psycho” girlfriend and that such drama was not necessarily unusual.” I can’t imagine saying that hearing someone yelling, “Call the cops” from the backseat of a car is just daily living.
This poor woman did everything right to try to help herself in this kidnapping and she is probably dead.
Why is it when so many guys “snap,” they seem to think that killing a woman is the proper course of action? It’s as if we owe them something and they decide that the time has come to collect. “I’m mad at life and there’s a woman, so now I’m going to get me my raping and killing time.” “Gee, I’m mad a life and instead of raping and killing myself or someone who is responsible, I think I’ll punish some woman I barely know or just saw shopping in a store.” What is going on with this?
8:36 am on January 19th, 2008
sad that her husband is already working 3 jobs to make a good life for his stay at home wife and 2 infant children. Horribly sad that kids will be without a mother and father will need childcare in order to work and most likely end up with a stepmother to care for them
Praying for a miracle ! ♥♥♥♥
3:14 pm on January 19th, 2008
Someone posted over on Websleuths:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1923874&postcount=18
“according to foxnewstv he has given LE a general idea of where to look for her. it doesn’t sound good!”
5:40 pm on January 19th, 2008
They found a body
http://www.heraldtribune.com/
This story in unbelievable!
I wish they could take him out there and feed him to the gators! let them chew one limb at a time off.
6:01 pm on January 19th, 2008
They confirmed it’s herbody. God fucking damn it. All it took was three hours! If the cousin had given the cops King’s address when he called, the cops could have gone straight there instead of waiting to spot the car! Isnt that where she was killed, at his house???? They could have gotten there in time! How the hell do you tell a 2 year old that their mom is never coming home???
6:16 pm on January 19th, 2008
I read so much true crime that it doesn’t usually affect me as much as it used to, but the story of Denise Lee has brought me to tears. If only…you know? I suspect we’ll be hearing about the suicide or attempted suicide of King’s cousin in the next weeks or months.
6:16 pm on January 19th, 2008
Now maybe we can find out WHY…..
6:18 pm on January 19th, 2008
So fucking sad this really makes me want to cry *actually I am crying*, and make sure my doors are dead bolted, fucking piece of shit. Not even safe in are own homes wtf!
6:35 pm on January 19th, 2008
He saw her, he wanted to rape and kill her, and he did. That’s probably about as much “why” as we’re ever going to get unless it turns out there’s a connection to her father’s LE work.
Why.. because there’s evil in the world, that’s why.
6:47 pm on January 19th, 2008
The cousin that he borrowed the shovel, gas and flashlight from is the one I’m having a problem with.
The last man to have seen North Port resident Denise Amber Lee said Friday that she screamed for him to call the police before she was sped away by accused kidnapper Michael King.
Harold Muxlow Jr., 45, was startled by the incident outside his North Port home but said he did not immediately understand that there had been a kidnapping.
Muxlow said that King, his cousin, had a “psycho” girlfriend and that such drama was not necessarily unusual.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080118/BREAKING/863522753
I think the cousin was hit hard on the head at some point in his life.
7:13 pm on January 19th, 2008
Yeah. I just read the article yo linked. He just isn’t that intelligent. I mean, he did do the right thing, just 30 minutes later than he should have. He genuinely seems tore up about the whole ordeal, though.
7:19 pm on January 19th, 2008
I agree. Unfortunately, this guy could have and should have saved this girl’s life. But I really believe that he is just stupid and dense, and didn’t mean for this to happen. I keep thinking that after being able to call 911, and shout to someone to call 911, she must have thought that she would be saved for sure
I would have.
7:30 pm on January 19th, 2008
I agree impqueen, there is evil in the world BUT there could be many different “reasons” he chose her.
Could be rape or maybe they did have a past relationship or maybe she cut him off in traffic and he was pissed or maybe he just gets off on killing or maybe it was revenge for….whatever or maybe she did something that pissed him off (like his neighbors, he slashed car tires and threw eggs) or….
You get my drift. I want to know what HE says was his motive. So I can just shake my head in disbelief.
8:04 pm on January 19th, 2008
I would like to know too, where he saw her, how he knew there was a young woman home alone, etc. But I have a feeling, based on what we know so far, that it’s going to be as simple as “I saw an attractive woman in public, followed her home, determined she was home alone, and kidnapped her so I could rape and kill her. “
8:31 pm on January 19th, 2008
Another thing I want to know is, how did he get her in his car without anyone seeing? There were neighbors who noticed his car driving by, and his car in the driveway, but noone saw him forcing her into the car? Maybe he just had a gun to her back, but still seems so unlikely that he could have gotten her in there so easily.. Anyone have any ideas, or something I’m missing?
8:49 pm on January 19th, 2008
One thing that has always bothered me is that some states have the property appraiser online. FL was one of the first states to do this. From what I understand unless your in law enforcement you have to petition the court to have it taken off and you have to have a darn good reason. I read in one article that her husband worked for Florida Power and Light.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080119/NEWS/801190343
He was a meter reader so I doubt he cut the guys power off. It’s just to easy to find people these days. I had a old boyfriend that I had not seen or heard from in 20 years and never wanted to see or hear from again contact me because he found me on the internet. He knew where I lived, my parents lived and my siblings lived. He knew when I got married and divorced. It was chilling. I did a search on him and found out he’s had several domestic assault charges against him. If someone knocks on my door I don’t know I don’t answer. If I get a phone call from a number I don’t know I don’t answer it. My friends and family know if they call from a strange number to talk to the machine.
6:24 am on January 20th, 2008
i clicked on that link and found 2 moms and 2 babies (indianpolis killing) 4 men arrested pound of pot in the house http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080120/APA/801200570
going to read what i can about Denise Lee and head to bed. I am sad this turned out so bad for all involved.
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