ABC7’s Linda Carson reflects on covering Denise Amber Lee case as killer faces execution

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - ABC7 journalist, Linda Carson, who covered the 2008 kidnapping, rape and murder of Denise Amber Lee is reflecting on the case as Florida prepares to execute the man convicted of the crime.

Michael King, 54, is scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday night.

Carson, who has covered local news for more than 30 years, said the case has stayed with her.

“This is one of the most horrible cases I have ever covered,” she said. “It’s hard to keep from crying when I talk about this.”

Lee was 21 years old at the time of her abduction. She had a 6-month-old baby and a 2-year-old son. She was on her front porch cutting her son’s hair when King, who was driving through the neighborhood looking for a victim, grabbed her, the journalist said.

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Lee’s husband returned home less than an hour later to find the children alone and Lee’s purse still at the house. He contacted her father, a sergeant with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Department, who alerted law enforcement. Officers and others searched the area.

During the abduction, Lee managed to get hold of King’s phone and called 911. “This is Denise. Please help me. Please help me. I just want to see my husband and my babies again. Please help me,” she said, according to the journalist’s account. The 911 operator repeatedly asked for an address and never forwarded the call to law enforcement.

A witness driving behind King’s car also called 911 after seeing Lee banging on the back window and screaming for help. That caller remained on the line for 11 minutes, describing the vehicle and cross streets. Police were in the area, but that 911 operator also did not relay the call to law enforcement.

RELATED STORY | Denise Amber Lee murder: Convicted killer Michael King set for execution Tuesday

King later stopped at a cousin’s house, where additional 911 calls were made, by the cousin and the cousin’s daughter, but those calls also did not reach law enforcement.

“She could have been saved if those calls had gone through,” the Carson said.

Lee’s body was found two days later. She had been shot and killed.

Lee’s husband has since dedicated himself to reforming 911 call-handling procedures to prevent similar failures, and has changed the way 911 reports its calls, the Carson said.