Denise Amber Lee was a 21-year-old loving mother, wife, and daughter who lost her battle against a man who came into her home in North Port, Florida. The man took her, raped her, and murdered her. Michael King abducted Denise Lee on January 17, 2008 at her home and kidnapped her. No one knows exactly how she was able to keep him from taking and harming her children, who were both found safe in the crib of her youngest by her husband, Nathan Lee. Nathan Lee called 911 immediately following finding his children home alone. Followed by his 911 call, he called his father-in-law, Detective Rick Goff. It was unlike Denise to have left her children behind without supervision. Detective Goff called 911 immediately.
Michael King drove Denise around while her husband and several people were trying to locate her. Many civilians spotted her bound in the backseat of a camero, and did nothing. Denise was able to get her kidnapper's cell phone, hide it, dial 911, and speak aloud as if she was talking to her kidnapper. She was able to stay on the line long enough for dispatchers to know who she was, her presumed location, and the vehicle she was being held captive in. Unfortunately, she had to end the call. Denise was seen spotted in the back of a green camero bound, screaming, and pounding on the windows. Some eye witnesses didn't call 911. One had his finger on the send button, but decided not to get involved. One man even thought it was a domestic dispute. However, there was one brave woman, Jane Kowalski, who called 911. She was stopped at a red light, sitting right next to the camero, when she heard the woman screaming. Michael King seemed to notice and slowed his car in pace with Jane Kowalski. He eventually slowed down and seemed to start to follow Kowalski's car. While on the phone with 911, Kowalski relayed to the dispatcher that there was a child in the car who was screaming. The dispatcher later stated she only gathered that there was a child in the car who was crying. In the background of Kowalski's 911 call, it did seem that the 911 dispatcher did understand who may have been held captive in the backseat of the camero. They even tried to get Kowalski to follow the car, but she lost sight of the car when he turned abruptly onto another road. She was able to help them in telling them the street they turned on. She wasn't able to get onto the road because she got caught up in traffic and presumed that 911 would do their job in locating the vehicle and rescuing the woman. Unfortunately, 911 dispatchers didn't dispatch out the call. Their excuse was that one thought the other had sent out the call, when indeed, nothing had been sent out. Denise was daughter to one of their own, Detective Rick Goff. Her life could have been saved. A police officer admitted to having seen the car right after the time of the 911 call made by Kowalski, but was unaware because the call was never dispatched out.
At one point, Michael King, stopped at his cousin's house. He asked his cousin for a shovel and a gas can. His cousin, Harold Muxlow, witnessed a woman who was bound and trying to get out of the vehicle. When she did get out, King shoved her back in. Muxlow heard the woman asking him to call the cops. He questioned his cousin about why he needed the gas can and shovel. King stated he was doing yard work and that the lawn mower he was using needed gas. Muxlow let King leave with the screaming, bound, woman in the backseat. He went inside and called his daughter, Sabrina Muxlow, and proceeded to tell her what happened. Sabrina decided to call 911 since her father didn't call. She reported to the dispatcher what happened.
It wasn't until 9pm that night, 6 hours after she was kidnapped, that police officers were able to locate Michael King's car. They pulled him over and took him into custody. Denise Lee was no where to be found. King told detectives a bogus story that he was held hostage with Denise and didn't know where the kidnapper took her. Despite the detectives pleas to locate Denise, King asked for an attorney. It was up to police and rescue searchers to locate her.
Inside Michael King's car, they find a muddy shovel. Denise Lee tried to outsmart her captor, leaving clues just like her father would have wanted. She pulled her hair out strand by strand. She even took from her finger a ring that could only be traced back to her. She left it inside the backseat of King's car. It was the first ring her husband gave her on their first Valentine's Day together. She never took it off her finger.
It was January 19, 2008, a full two days after she was kidnapped, when they found her remains. Her body was found buried less than three miles from her home near I-75 and N Toledo Blade Road. Denise Lee was shot to death by a 9mm gun. Her body also showed signs of brutal rape. During the police investigation, they discovered just hours before the kidnapping, Michael King had been target shooting with a friend at a local gun range.
While North Port Police investigate the kidnapping and death of Denise Lee, her family begins to question the response of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. It was the same office where her father, Detective Rick Goff, worked. Charlotte County did not immediately, nor fully, accept fault. The caller, Jane Kowalski, saw the news report the next day. She ignited a media firestorm and the sheriff blasted back. The public was, at first, unaware of the mistake the dispatchers made. The sheriff stated simply that it was a "missed opportunity" and that they had officers in the area searching for the vehicle. Father of Denise, Detective Goff, stated that he didn't understand how the sheriff could say that because it basically meant that he didn't have any faith in his own office. "I don't know how he can say that in good conscience," stated Detective Goff.
On August 28, 2009 after deliberating for only two hours and five minutes, the jury found King guilty of kidnapping with intent to commit a felony, sexual battery, and first degree murder. On September 4, 2009, at 2:45 pm, the jury handed down the recommended sentence of death, in a unanimous 12–0 vote.
Detective Rick Goff, father of Denise Lee, went to the Florida state capital and made an emotional appeal asking them to improve 911 training. On April 24, 2008, the Senate Bill, CS/SB 1694, concerning the Denise Amber Lee Act, which provides for voluntary training for 9-1-1 operatives, was passed unanimously by the Florida Legislature. The Act's passage into state law continues. Due to Jane Kowalski's mishandled 911 call, more research revealed several issues countrywide in the 911 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 911 system." was established in June 2008 in Lee's name. Her husband, father and father-in-law continue to manage the Foundation, along with many other notable community leaders from the region.
Please join me in helping share Denise's story with as many people as you can. She has touched hearts and saved the lives of millions. I cried as I watched her story on 20/20 and as I read about her on the internet. I truly feel in my heart that I heard about Denise Amber Lee for a reason. I feel it is my purpose to share her story. Maybe I can help her touch more hearts and save more lives.
Please visit her Facebook Page. I also ask that you share my blog with as many people as you can. We need to remember who we are and what our purpose on this earth is. I believe it was Denise's purpose to do just this, touch lives. It breaks my heart that she had to die in the manner she did. I praise her for her courage. She was a remarkable, courageous woman and an angel to many. I know we all say we don't have time and always have an excuse for not doing something. I ask that you share her story as soon as you can. If you don't have time now, please put it on your schedule to make time.
In loving memory of Denise Amber Lee. My heart goes out to the Lee & Goff families.
Update:
I got a response from the family on June 10, 2011.
By Peggy Lee:
On behalf of my family thank you for your kind thoughts, support and prayers. I just came across this. Nathan and the boys are doing well. Noah is now 5 yo and Adam will turn 4 this July. Thank you for remembering Denise. You can check out my two blogs: Too Sad For Words and Homicide Survival.
The first blog gives many sites on 9-1-1 and how to help improve. We are still traveling the country speaking about 9-1-1 reform. Email Me if you have any questions. God bless and thank you!
