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Denise Williams Murder Trial Concludes, Jury Deliberating

December 14th, 2018 by Mike Vasilinda

Sunday marks the 18th anniversary of a murder once thought to be an accident.

Now, after a week long trial, the fate of the widow is in the hands of a 12 person jury.

31-year-old Mike Williams was pushed from his boat, then shot point blank by his best friend during a duck hunting trip 18 years ago this Sunday.

The best friend and widow married, then separated.

When divorce papers were filed, he kidnapped her.

He was arrested and is now serving 20 years.

In May this year, widow Denise Williams was arrested after the best friend cut a deal with the state. Brian Winchester got immunity for implicating Denise in the murder.
“Mr. Winchester, you’re a murderer,” asked defense attorney Ethan Way. “Isn’t it true?”

“Yes sir,” Winchester replied.

“Mr. Winchester, you’re a liar,” Way asked. “Isn’t it true?”

“Yes sir,” Winchester replied.

If not for Mike Williams mother Cheryl Williams, the case many never have gotten to trial.

“In fact you took lots of steps to initiate an investigation, did you not?” Prosecutor Jon Fuchs asked Cheryl. “Put up posters… Wrote the Governor?

Cheryl Williams responded yes to all three questions.

Winchester’s reliability was a major point in the trials closing arguments.

“There’re going to let me [Winchester] get away with this,” said Way. “And as icing on the cake, I get revenge on Denise Williams for turning me into the police.”

Prosecutors contend Denise wanted to be a rich widow rather than a poor divorcee.

“One point seven five million dollars that she is the beneficiary of,” said Fuchs.

Denise Williams faces life in prison on any of three counts of conspiracy, murder, and being an accessory after the fact.

Widow Denise Williams did not take the stand in her own defense.

Her lawyers asked that she be found either guilty of innocent on the charges without the jury considering possible lesser offenses, which the judge characterized as a risky move.

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