Michael Lee King was born on May 4, 1971, in the United States and worked for some time as a plumber in North Port, Florida. By the time of the crime in 2008, he was unemployed and facing foreclosure on his home. King had gone through a divorce and was described by family members as emotionally unstable in the years leading up to the murder.

Family members testified in court that King had low intelligence and had suffered a serious brain injury as a child during a sledding accident. An expert witness referred to the result of the trauma as a "divot" in his brain, and court proceedings noted that King struggled cognitively. However, despite his low IQ, he was deemed legally competent to stand trial and was considered capable of forming intent in the crime.

By January 2008, King had become increasingly isolated and erratic. Unemployed, with few close relationships, he began constructing what prosecutors would later describe as a "rape room" in his house. He had acquired duct tape, restraints, and had mentally prepared a space to commit violent acts. On January 17, 2008, he carried out the premeditated abduction and murder of Denise Amber Lee, a 21-year-old mother of two.

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.