The 48 Hours episode “Cold Blooded Killer” investigates the disappearance of Jerry “Mike” Williams. The 31-year-old property assessor went missing on December 16, 2000. He woke up early that morning to go duck hunting on Lake Seminole in Tallahassee, Florida. Police found Williams’ boat, truck and trailer at the lake but no body. What they did find were about a dozen large alligators in lake, which isn’t unusual for that area. For 17 years, people believed that Williams, a 185-lb. man was consumed by an alligator without a trace.
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Williams’ widow Denise Williams married Brian Winchester, a friend who helped her take out a $1.75 million insurance policy on Williams six months before he disappeared. In 2016, Winchester was charged with kidnapping Denise, who was divorcing him. One day before Winchester was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Williams’ body was discovered. In May 2018, Denise Williams was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and accessory after the fact. Winchester confessed to pulling the trigger but claimed it was Denise’s idea. Williams denies all charges. In September 2018, it was announced that Williams’ trial will be re-scheduled likely early 2019. Her attorney, Ethan Way, said “We’ve had some logistical issues with getting people deposed and getting witnesses served. So, we just needed a little bit more time.” 48 Hours airs Saturdays at 10 pm on CBS.
