Sneak peek: Cold-Blooded Killer | Forensic Files

this story has always been one that has fascinated people because it's so bizarre that this could
even happen 17 and a half years we have always talked about Mike Williams being missing
not ever finding his body not ever having resolution was very difficult he was gonna wake up early and go duck hind
he was a big duck hunter and so he went off to the lake and then he never came back Mike Williams was a straight
shooter he loved his family he loved his wife he put her on a pedestal Mike did everything that she wanted done Denise
said jump Mike want to know how high they were gonna be celebrating their wedding anniversary and so when he did
not come home about noon when he was supposed to Denise started getting worried and started calling around this
search was the most intensive I've ever seen law enforcement and friends and family combing the lake looking for me
they found the boat his truck the trailer that was all there I got up in the helicopter flew around and looked
for his body and one of the things that I noticed there were no less than 15 to 20 very large alligators swimming all
around this area Lake Seminole is known for having a lot of alligators were in North Florida there are a lot of
alligators I went back out there you know there was more evidence that there was there have been alligator activity
around there that's what you believed happened to Mike yes I firmly believe that I guess you're sort of hoping you
find something and sort of hoping you don't what we was hoping if he was here we would find him and get closure but
now it didn't happen people are attacked by alligators little dogs are eaten by alligators but
you never hear of someone who's just vanished eaten by can't hole by an alligator it is totally impossible for
185-pound man to be consumed by an alligator without a trace I think that's when we started going oh my gosh this is
not what we thought it was many people felt like there was foul play involved Cheryl Williams Mike's mom comes along
every day [Music] Cheryl begins her crusade if you will trying to get answers she'd make picket
signs and stand in front of the church there were billboards you know have you seen my son
she wrote the governor a letter every day for nine years until God chose me in my heart what choice did I cannot give
up looking for he wasn't gonna quit until she had a body or did he didn't just fall out of the boat this
wasn't just a hunting accident this man was murdered and they blamed it on alligators for 17 years

A father goes hunting in a Florida lake and vanishes. Many thought he was eaten by alligators -- but not his mother. Seventeen years later, stunning courtroom revelations: it was murder. "48 Hours" correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports Saturday, June 20 at 9/8c on CBS.

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--- "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. For 27 seasons, "48 Hours" has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives. Check local listings for "48 Hours" broadcast times.

Brief Summary

Mike Williams vanished during a duck hunting trip, sparking a 17-year search and suspicions of foul play.

Key points

The Mysterious Disappearance of Mike Williams. Mike Williams vanished while duck hunting, sparking a massive search effort that yielded no answers.
Cheryl Williams' Relentless Search. For nine years, Cheryl Williams fought tirelessly for answers about her son's disappearance.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

This story has always been one that has fascinated people.

0:05WatchDec 21, 2018

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