User:Iadmc/(factsheet) Murder of Denise Amber Lee/The crime

The Crime

On January 17, 2008 Lee called her husband around 11 a.m., the last time the two would speak. A witness saw a car arrive at her home at around 1pm-2pm, the car later identified as Michael King's dark green 1994 Chevy Camaro. It is known that she was on the back porch at or near this time cutting her son's hair, since the hair and high-chair were found on the porch that afternoon when Nathan came home. It is also known there were no signs of a struggle in the home, and the front door was locked. Speculation of the situation leaves many believing she locked the door (which did not latch) to prevent her son Noah (2 at the time) from opening the door, and she likely left the home with no struggle (it was proven King had a gun) to keep her children from being harmed.

From there, she was bound and taken to King's home in North Port, Florida where he set up what the prosecution in the trial referred to as a "rape room", where King removed mirrors from the living room, covered mirrors, and set up loud music. Duct tape and other evidence was found in this room.

After this, she was taken to King's cousin's home, where King asked for a shovel, gas can, and flashlight. Lee was able to take King's cell phone while he was out of the vehicle and dial 9-1-1. Her desperate 9-1-1 call was released during the trial, which caused a lot of reaction by the public. The operator obtained information from Lee which later helped convict King. The call is several minutes long with Lee begging for her life. She answered the call taker's questions while pretending to talk to King. She clearly tells the call taker she does not know her abductor and just wanted to go home to her husband and two small children. Lee was able to give the prosecutors their best evidence that she was taken against her will and the murder was premeditated. Unfortunately because it was a cell phone, police were unable to trace the call. And Lee was unable to give her exact location (she was likely blindfolded).

At 6:30pm, King was seen driving down U.S. Route 41 southbound, where a witness, Jane Kowalski, called 9-1-1 as well. She was routed to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office [CCSO] as she and King just passed from Sarasota County into Charlotte County and reported she was witnessing someone screaming for her life in a car sitting beside her at a red light. Kowalski slowed to a pace of 20 mph hoping King would go around her. Instead he got behind her. She wanted to get his license plate or follow him). King also slowed down and stayed behind her. Kowalski's call lasted 9 minutes and included cross streets. The Charlotte County Communications Center's call taker did not enter this vital into the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) until 6:42PM. 12 minutes after the call began. And a police car was never dispatched despite several cars being in that area waiting for information as to what to look for.

Sometime after this 9-1-1 call, Michael King shot Lee in the head and buried her naked body in a 4 ft.deep hole. King then proceeded to bury other evidence in areas close by.

Several BOLOs (Be On Look-Out reports) were issued by the Florida Highway Patrol [FHP] and the North Port Police Department [NPPD] to 6 surrounding counties starting at 4:59PM including Charlotte County. Unfortunately, the CCSO never responded to the BOLOs and deputies in the field did not receive the information about the green Camaro. According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Internal Affairs Report #08-01-003 the CCSO was understaffed having sent home the person who monitors BOLOs early to avoid paying time and a half overtime and deputies in the field testified they did not know to look for a green Camaro until 6:45PM an hour and forty five minutes after the FHP and NPPD issued their first BOLO where the green Camaro was mentioned.

At 9:15PM, about 6 hours after she was first reported missing, Florida Highway Patrol Officer Eddie Pope pulled King's Camaro over as King tried to enter I-75 from Toledo Blade only a short distance from where he buried Lee.

The dispatchers who did not respond to the BOLOs or dispatch a car were later reprimanded losing 3 days and 5 days pay respectively. The call taker was never disciplined but was asked to take 12 hours remedial training.

One of the most massive searches in Southwest Florida history took place to find Lee who was found on January 19, 2008 only 5 miles distance from where Kowalski last saw her.

In total there were five 9-1-1 calls placed that day. One by Lee's husband, Nathan. Two by King's relatives. One by Lee, herself and lastly by Jane Kowalski.

Criticism of above text

• WP:Wikilinks need resolving  Done
• Reads like a witness statement
• References need to be de-barelinked  Done
• Some of the more technical terms need further clarification and/or WP:wikilinking, eg BOLO, remedial training  Done (mostly: rest probably fine)
• Section title is not quite accurate: the section actually describes not only the crime but also the calls for help, the detection, the manhunt and some of the consequent disciplinary actions etc
  • Therefore, some of the information belongs elsewhere, mostly in an Aftermath section, eg the third paragraph from the end
  • And, either the title should be changed or [a] new section[s] should be created to deal with the witnesses and the detection process etc

Facts to verify

Legend

• Italic text indicates the fact is not yet in the article but is sourced from at least one RS
  • Underlined text indicates further that the fact is crucial
• Bold text indicates the fact is in the article and easily sourced from at least two independent RSs (supplied immediately after)
  • Underlined text indicates further that the fact is crucial
• Plain text indicates a claim in the article as yet unsourced or only sourced from one RS
  • Underlined text indicates further that the fact is crucial
• Stricken text indicates a claim that cannot be verified from any RSs and must be removed

Chronology of the day's events

• On January 17, 2008 Lee called her husband around 11 a.m., the last time the two would speak.
• A witness saw a car arrive at her home at around 1pm-2pm... CNN 911
• ...the car later identified as Michael King's dark green 1994 Chevy Camaro CNN 911
• It is known that [Lee] was on the back porch [? around 1pm-2pm] cutting her son's [? = sons' ?] hair
• From there, she was bound and taken to King's home in North Port, Florida...
• ...where he set up what the prosecution in the trial referred to as a "rape room"
• After this, she was taken to King's cousin's home where King asked for a shovel, gas can, and flashlight. HT BrN 2 CNN 911
• Lee was able to take King's cell phone [while he was out of the vehicle (?)] and dial 9-1-1. Authorities logged the call at 6:14 p.m. She answered the call taker's questions while pretending to talk to King. She clearly tells the call taker she does not know her abductor and just wanted to go home to her husband and two small children. HT BrN 2 CNN 911
• At 6:30pm, King was seen driving down U.S. Route 41 southbound...
• ...where a witness, Jane Kowalski, called 9-1-1 as well. CNN 911
• She was routed to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office [CCSO]...
• ...as she and King just passed from Sarasota County into Charlotte County...
• ...and reported she was witnessing someone screaming for her life in a car sitting beside her at a red light. CNN 911
• Kowalski's call lasted 9 minutes and included cross streets.
• Kowalski's call was never passed on to officers. CNN 911
• The Charlotte County Communications Center's call taker did not enter this vital into the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) until 6:42PM. 12 minutes after the call began.
• And a police car was never dispatched despite several cars being in that area waiting for information as to what to look for.
• Sometime after this 9-1-1 call, Michael King shot Lee in the head and buried her naked body in a 4 ft.deep hole. King then proceeded to bury other evidence in areas close by.HT BrN 1 HT on verdict CNN 911
• Several BOLOs (Be On Look-Out reports) were issued... to 6 surrounding counties starting at 4:59PM including Charlotte County.
• Unfortunately, the CCSO never responded to the BOLOs and deputies in the field did not receive the information about the green Camaro.
• At 9:15PM... Florida Highway Patrol Officer Eddie Pope pulled King's Camaro... only a short distance from where he buried Lee.
• In total there were five 9-1-1 calls placed that day. One by Lee's husband, Nathan. Two by King's relatives. One by Lee, herself and lastly by Jane Kowalski.

NB The following text is copy/pasted from CNN website

Other witnesses also helped establish the timeline for the terrifying final hours of Lee's life.

Lee's former neighbor, Jennifer Eckert, 24, testified that she saw the green Camaro circle the block three or four times between 1 and 2 p.m. and pull into the Lees' driveway. She said she was certain of the time, because she was watching her favorite TV soap.

King's cousin, Harold Muxlow, testified that King stopped by his house between 5:30 and 6 p.m., and asked to borrow a flashlight, a gas can, and a shovel.

He testified that a "girl's voice" from the car asked him to "call the cops" but Muxlow said King told him, "Don't worry. It's nothing."

References

1. "HT DAL Act passed" - "'Denise Amber Lee Act' clears Senate". HeraldTribune. Thursday, April 24. Retrieved 1 March 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. "Denise Amber Lee Act" - "CS/SB 1694 - 911 Emergency Dispatchers [SPCC]". Florida House of Reprentatives. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
3. "NBC-2 King sentence" - Brahney, Marisa (Dec 04, 2009). "Michael King sentenced to death". NBC-2 News Online. WorldNow and WBBH. Retrieved 1 March 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
4. "dateline transcript" - Murphy, Dennis (7 June 2008). "The detective's daughter (transcript of Dateline episode)". msnbc.com. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
5. "HT on verdict" - Eckhart, Robert (August 28, 2009). "Michael King found guilty of first-degree murder of Denise Lee". Herald Tribune. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
6. "CNN penalty" - O'Neill, Ann (28 August 2009). "Jury: Death for man who murdered cop's daughter". CNN.com. Cable News Network. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
7. "UPI followup" - "Jury recommends death for kidnap, killing". UPI.com. United Press International, Inc. Sept. 4, 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
8. "HT breaking p3" - Staff Reporter (January 20, 2008). "Denise Amber Lee shot and tossed in a shallow grave". HeraldTribune. p. 3. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
9. "MSC day two" - "An emotional day two in Michael King murder trial". WorldNow and WWSB. August 25, 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
10. "MSC 911" - Anon (25 August 2009). "911 call from woman who followed Michael King released". WorldNow and WWSB. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
11. "HT Map" - McCarthy, Barry. "Map of crime scene". HeraldTribune.com. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
12. "CNN 911" - O'Neill, Ann (28 August 2009). "Woman's frantic 911 call helps convict her killer". CNN.com. Cable News Network. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
13. "HT jury" - Carroll, Scott (4 September 2009). "King should die, jury recommends". HeraldTribune. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
14. "dateline timeline" - Anon (June 6, 2008). "Calls of distress". Dateline NBC. msnbc.com. Retrieved 7 March 2010.
15. "ABC botched" - Avila, Jim (July 23, 2008). "Are Botched 911 Calls to Blame for Denise Lee's Death?". ABC News. ABC News Internet Ventures. pp. 1–4. Retrieved March 7, 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
16. "SPT crime report" - Anton, Leonora LaPeter (April 18, 2008). "North Port mother died as deputies were left unaware". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved March 8, 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
17. "ABC reform report" - Zak, Sarah (2010). "Murder victim's husband takes reform battle to the Senate". ABC (Scripps TV Station Group). Retrieved 2010-03-01.
18. "NC7 911 bill" - Vasilinda, Mike (Feb 17, 2010). "Denise Amber Lee Act Clears Committee". News Channel 7. Gray Television, Inc. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
19. "NBC-2 911 bill" - Anon (Feb 16, 2010). "9-1-1 bill passes through first House committee". NBC-2 News Online. WorldNow and WBBH. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
20. "CS/HB 355" - "CS/HB 355 - Public Safety Telecommunicators". Florida House of Representatives. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
21. "CS/SB 742" - "CS/SB 742 - Public Safety Telecommunicators/E911 [SPSC]". Florida House of Reprentatives. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
22. "BH bill" - Bonfiglio, Jim (3 March 2010). "Support bill that requires 911 training". bradenton.com. Bradenton Herald. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 3 March 2010.

Followup

• One of the most massive searches... [for] Lee who was found on January 19, 2008 only 5 miles distance from where Kowalski last saw her.
• The dispatchers... were later reprimanded... The call taker was never disciplined but was asked to take 12 hours remedial training.

Structure for rewrite

Short summary lead followed by:

Background

Abduction and detection

Rape and murder and detection

Manhunt and followup detection

Info removed from article

• Not necessarily relevent at the point included:

It is known that she was on the back porch at or near this time cutting her son's hair. His hair and high chair were found on the porch that afternoon when Nathan came home at 3:30 p.m. It is also known there were no signs of a struggle in the home, and the front door was locked.

• Speculative:

She possibly locked the door (which did not latch) to prevent her two year old son from opening the door, and she likely left the home with no struggle (it was proven King had a gun) to keep her children from being harmed.

• Rework to avoid repetition:

At 6:30 p.m., King was seen driving down U.S. Route 41 southbound, where a witness, Jane Kowalski, called 9-1-1 to report seeing an abduction taking place in the car sitting next to her at a red light. When the light turned green Kowalski slowed to a pace of 20 mph hoping King would go around her to get his license plate. Instead he fell into traffic behind her. King slowed down and stayed behind her. Although Kowalski’s call lasted 9 minutes and included cross streets Charlotte County Dispatch failed to dispatch a car. The call taker did not enter Kowalski’s information into the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) until 6:42 p.m., a full twelve minutes after the Kowalski's call began.