Michael Lee King was born on May 4, 1971. He grew up in a small community in Florida. As a child, he had an accident while sledding that caused injury to his brain. This injury left a mark described by experts as a "divot." It affected his learning abilities, and he was reported to have a low IQ.

King trained to be a plumber and used to work in this field. However, in the months leading up to the crimes for which he is known, he was unemployed. He faced foreclosure on his home in North Port, Florida, which added stress to his life. At the time, he was married but later became divorced.

On January 17, 2008, Michael Lee King abducted Denise Amber Lee from her home in North Port, Florida. After being taken, Denise was tied up inside King's vehicle. Many people saw the car as it drove around. Later that day, King raped and murdered Denise. He then buried her body in a shallow grave, which was discovered on January 19, 2008.

That day, Denise had a conversation with her husband, Nathan Lee, at 11:21 a.m. Shortly after, a neighbor noticed a dark green 1994 Chevrolet Camaro parked at the Lee home around 2 p.m. Nathan returned home around 3:30 p.m. to find the windows closed and Denise missing. This prompted him to call 9-1-1.

Witnesses reported seeing Denise in the car, including Jane Kowalski, who heard screaming at a stoplight. She believed it was a child abduction and called 9-1-1 to report what she saw. Around 9:15 p.m., King was arrested roughly six hours after Denise was reported missing.

During the trial, which began on August 24, 2009, prosecutors provided evidence, including DNA and items belonging to Denise. Eyewitness testimony also played a crucial role. After just over two hours of deliberation, the jury found King guilty of kidnapping, sexual battery, and first-degree murder on August 28, 2009. A week later, he was sentenced to death.

King is currently in Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida, waiting for his execution. The case drew national attention due to the issues with the 9-1-1 calls made before Denise's death. This led to changes in training for emergency responders in Florida.