Family of Murder Victim Attends Killer's Execution

The father and one adult son of a Florida woman who was abducted and killed in 2008 attended the execution of the man convicted in her death and later spoke about the experience in interviews. Denise Amber Lee, 21, was taken from her home on Jan. 17, 2008.

She was sexually assaulted, shot, and buried in nearby woods. Michael King was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery later that year.

King was executed by lethal injection on March 17, 2026. Nathan Lee and his son Noah were present. Nathan Lee said he saw the man blinking and felt tension in the room before a sense of relief afterward. Noah Lee said the man did not apologize or admit to the crime.

Nathan Lee told interviewers that he and his son attended to support Denise Amber Lee. He described the difficulty of the moment but said the family needed to be there.

Lee placed a 911 call from the back seat of the suspect's green Camaro during the abduction. Police traced the call and later found items belonging to her during a search of the suspect's home. A police sergeant said the department would close the chapter on the case after holding the vehicle as evidence for 18 years.

Lee continues to operate the Denise Amber Lee Foundation and speaks to emergency workers about improving 911 response. Noah Lee, now 20, said he credits his mother with protecting him and his brother during the abduction and that he dedicates part of his success to her memory.