Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Cold-Blooded Killer’ of CBS’ ’48 Hours,’ the disappearance and murder case of the duck-hunting enthusiast Mike Williams is explored in a detailed manner. It took more than one and a half decades for the entire truth to come to light, thanks to the unexpected confession of the killer, Brian Winchester. Providing the details of the murder and how he committed the gruesome act, Brian even led the police to the site where he buried the victim.
Brian Winchester Was Having an Affair With Mike’s Wife
Brian Winchester was one of the best and oldest friends of Michael “Mike” Williams. So, when he heard that the latter had gone duck-hunting on the morning of December 16, 2000, on Lake Seminole, he and his father went over to the lake and the surrounding areas, looking for any sign of the missing man. The following day, they were able to locate his boat near a remote boat launch. Upon getting questioned by the authorities, he claimed that he was miles away from the lake at the time of the death. However, he was briefly considered a person of interest when a witness came forward and testified that he was around Lake Seminole on the fateful morning.
Since the lake was notorious for its alligator population, the police concluded that Mike’s death was a mere accident and he had been eaten alive by the vicious reptiles in the lake, which is why they couldn’t find any evidence even after months of investigation. Not only did they suspect him of murder, but the police also suspected that he was having an affair with the victim’s wife, Denise Williams, at the time, despite having a wife named Kathy Aldredge. This suspicion soon turned out to be true as five years after Mike’s demise, the two got married in 2005. The new couple resided in the same house where she lived with Mike previously.
Later, Brian would go on to testify that he and Denise had a history of dating each other back in high school, and it never really came to a closure, even after their marriages. Mike and Denise used to go on double dates with Brian and Kathy quite regularly, which made Brian fall for Denise harder than ever by 1997. Eventually, the marriage between Brian and Denise deteriorated, reportedly due to his sex addiction, and they decided to separate in 2012. After about three years, the latter filed for divorce, but Brian was not in favor of it. On top of that, he was ordered to give an appraisal of their house in August 2016.
When Things Went Sour, Brian Confessed to Murder and Took Down Denise With Him
When the day approached, on August 5, 2016, Brian Winchester attacked his estranged wife in her car. He pulled out a gun at her and took her phone away while giving her directions to where he wanted them to go. Brian claimed he did not want the divorce and was planning to take his own life with the gun in his hand. After Denise somehow managed to calm him down, he apologized for his aggressive behavior, but she immediately drove to the police station to inform them of the incident. Soon, the police arrested and charged him with domestic assault, armed burglary, and kidnapping. When Denise requested the court for protection against him, they held Brian without bond.
Wanting to get back at his former wife, Brian Winchester let the authorities in on a dark secret that would crack open the cold case of Mike Williams’ disappearance and death. In 2017, Brian made a shocking confession to the police that he was the one responsible for pushing Mike into the lake in an attempt to drown him. But when he managed to stay afloat, Brian shot him in the head with his shotgun. He admitted that he then proceeded to take out Mike’s body from the lake and drove it to Carr Lake, where he buried it. He also told the detectives that it was all Denise’s plan as she wanted to claim his life insurance money and start a new life with the killer. In exchange for immunity from prosecution, Brian led them to the burial site of Mike Williams and agreed to testify against Denise in her trial.
Brian Winchester is Serving His Sentence at a Florida Prison Facility Today
As for his kidnapping charges, Brian Winchester pleaded guilty and received a two-decade imprisonment sentence for the same in December 2017, with credit for over 500 days of time served and an additional 15 years of probation. His crucial murder confession also led to the arrest of Denise Williams, who was charged with murder, conspiracy to murder, and accessory after the fact. On December 11, 2018, Brian testified against her in court, claiming that she plotted the murder of her first husband. Currently, he is behind bars at Madison Correctional Institution at 382 Southwest Mci Way in Madison, Florida, while awaiting his release.
Read More: Cheryl Williams: Where is Mike Williams’ Mother Now?
