A Florida man was executed Tuesday evening for the grisly homicide of a married mother who he raped and shot within the face after her 911 name went unanswered.
Michael Lee King, 54, was sentenced to demise for the 2008 homicide, rape and kidnapping of Denise Amber Lee, a 21-year-old married mom with two sons.
King was pronounced lifeless at at 6:13 p.m. Tuesday following a deadly injection on the Florida State Jail.
“Since discovering Jesus in jail, I’ve tried to reside as His disciple obeying the Two Nice Commandments: To like God with all my coronary heart, my thoughts and all my being, and to like my neighbor to incorporate everybody — my household, Denise Lee’s household, everybody within the gallery,” King stated moments earlier than he was executed.
King didn’t apologize or apologize.
Lee’s father, her widowed husband, and her eldest son watched on from the gallery. All of them wore pink shirts—Lee’s favourite coloration.
Lee was kidnapped from her North Port dwelling on Jan. 17, 2008 whereas her toddler and toddler son had been inside.
King took Lee to his dwelling, the place he sure and raped her, investigators detailed throughout his speedy trial.
Later that day, King drove to his cousin’s home to borrow a flashlight, shovel and gasoline can. Whereas Lee waited, sure in King’s automobile, she managed to succeed in his cellphone and name 911, in response to prosecutors.
Her name and related ones made by her husband and witnesses to her kidnapping all went unanswered. Within the chilling voice message, Lee may very well be heard begging for her life in order that she might see her household once more.
Not lengthy after, Lee was shot straight within the face and buried in a distant a part of North Port.
King was arrested that very same day when a state trooper acknowledged his 1994 inexperienced Chevrolet Camaro from an outline given by a 911 caller who heard screams coming from his automobile at a site visitors gentle. The caller initially reported it as a attainable baby abduction.
Lee’s hair and belongings had been situated in King’s dwelling and car, authorities stated.
The Florida Legislature later handed the Denise Amber Lee Act, which gives amplified coaching for 911 operators. Lee’s husband, Nathan Lee, additionally established a basis in her title aiming to advertise operator coaching and public consciousness.
”I’m simply tremendous blessed that I acquired to know Denise, not to mention marry her and have two superb youngsters together with her,” Nathan stated.
Lee’s father, Richard Goff, hailed his daughter as a hero and scoffed at King’s lack of regret.
“For those who can’t say one thing out of your coronary heart, don’t say it,” Goff stated.
Noah Lee, who was simply 2 years outdated when his mom was killed, stated he nonetheless feels her loss every day, although he “didn’t get the chance to know her and be raised by her.”
King is the fourth particular person to be executed in Florida this yr. The state has two extra executions set for March 31 and April 21.
With Put up wires
