On Tuesday evening, Florida carried out the execution of a man convicted in the harrowing 2008 case involving the rape and murder of a young mother. The victim, a married woman with two young sons, had made a desperate 911 call for help while tied up in her car after being abducted.
Michael Lee King, aged 54, was declared dead at 6:13 p.m. following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison, located near Starke. His execution came after being sentenced to death for the crimes of first-degree murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping in connection with the January 2008 murder of 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee.
Just a day before his execution, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected King’s appeal, allowing the sentence to proceed.
Amidst a somber backdrop of overcast skies, the Florida State Prison in Starke became the site of Michael Lee King’s execution for the 2008 murder of Denise Amber Lee.
King had abducted Lee from her home in North Port, where her two children remained inside. Earlier that day, King had seen Lee outside her house while she was with her two sons, then a toddler and an infant.
According to the Denise Amber Lee Foundation, established by her husband Nathan Lee, “As she was cutting her 2-year-old son Noah’s hair on the back porch, she was unaware that a predator was cruising through her neighborhood, searching for a victim.”
King took Lee to his home where he raped her, prosecutors said. Later that day, he drove to a relative’s house to borrow a flashlight, shovel and gas can while Lee was tied up in his vehicle, according to prosecutors.
Despite being tied up, Lee managed to get King’s cellphone and call 911 where she begged for her life, saying she wanted to see her children and husband again.
Michael Lee King, 54, was executed Tuesday for the murder of Denise Amber Lee. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan, File)
King eventually shot her in the face and buried her. He was pulled over a short time later by a state trooper because his green 1994 Chevrolet Camaro matched the description of another 911 call.
A caller said she heard screams coming from the vehicle at a traffic light. Lee’s hair and belongings were later found in King’s vehicle and home.
The Denise Amber Lee Act, a law passed months after her death, provides better training for 911 operators.
At least four other 911 calls, not including Lee’s call, were made the day of her abduction. One came from her husband, as well as others who saw parts of the crime unfolding.
Clouds hover over the entrance of the Florida State Prison in Starke, where Michael King was executed Tuesday for the 2008 killing of Denise Amber Lee. (AP Photo/Curt Anderson, file)
However, communication failures and other issues prevented help from being sent.
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