Wednesday, February 6th:
*Sentencing (@ 9am ET) – FL – Jerry Michael “Mike” Williams (31) (Dec. 16, 2000, Tallahassee; found Dec. 9, 2017) – *Denise Merrell Williams Winchester (48/29 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (5/7/18) with 1st degree murder, conspiracy to commit 1st degree murder & accessory after the fact. Plead not guilty. No bond (denied 6/19/18).
Also charged (8/10/18) with 3 counts of insurance fraud. Plead not guilty. Bond set at $50K for each count. Leon County-can’t access. Trial started 12/10/18 is just for Murder charges.
Her ex-husband Brian Winchester (45) was indicted (8/9/16) for kidnapping, domestic assault & armed burglary of Denise. Plead no contest (10/16/17) to plea agreement where assault charges were dropped. Sentenced 20 years in prison. They were married in Dec. 2005 & separated in 2012, divorced in 2016. 6/1/18: Brian took a plea deal with immunity & confessed to killing “Mike”.
8/10/18 Update: Williams obtained three life insurance policies totaling $1.75 million from two insurance companies following the death of her husband, Mike Williams. Court documents state Mike Williams applied for life insurance coverage worth $250,000 in February 1995 due to his recent marriage to Denise. Brian Winchester is listed as the agent for the policy. In March 2000, Mike applied for additional life insurance from a different company, with a policy amount totaling $500,000. In April 2000, Mike completed another life insurance application worth $1 million, with Winchester listed as the agent.
12/14/18 Day 5: Jury instructions. Closing arguments. Jury started deliberations at 11:30am ET. Jury ended deliberations at 7:30pm – and verdict: Guilty on all 3 charges. Case Management hearing on 12/18 to set sentencing date. Defense requests a pre-sentencing investigative report be started.
12/18/18 Update: Order granted in part defendant’s motion to exclude extra judicial statements by Winchester; order granted denying defendant's first motion in Limine; order granted defendants motion to preclude the imposition of the death penalty; order granted in part the State's motion in Limine; defendant's motion renewed re motion for judgment of acquittal & defendant's motion for new trial. Sentencing date scheduled for 2/6/19.
12/20/18 Defense files Motions for Judgment of Acquittal on each 3 charges & Motions for new trial. 1/2/19: Motions hearing for Juror interview scheduled for 1/23. Motion denied.
1/23/19 Update: Defense files motion for new trial. Motion hearing on 1/25. 1/25/19: A Leon County judge dismissed the accessory after the fact but has denied a motion for acquittal and a new trial. Sentencing is scheduled for 2/6. Faces life in prison.
