Michael L. King, the man convicted of abducting and killing North Port mother Denise Amber Lee in 2008, is now scheduled to die for the crime. Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a death warrant that sets King’s execution for March 17, 2026, at Florida State Prison, a development that pulls a deeply familiar case back into the spotlight for many in North Port.
Execution Date and Warrant
The warrant, signed earlier this month by DeSantis, lists the March 17 execution time and recaps the key facts of the 2008 abduction and murder, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay. King, now 54, was convicted in 2009 of kidnapping, sexual battery and first-degree murder, and his post-conviction challenges have been denied. Authorities say the execution would be carried out by lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Raiford.
911 Calls at the Center of the Case
Court records and the state’s appellate opinion trace a harrowing sequence of events. While she was in King’s car, Lee managed to grab his phone and dial 911, and at least three other witnesses also called for help. Miscommunication among dispatchers meant officers did not reach her in time, according to the Supreme Court of Florida. The court’s opinion includes the 911 transcript in which Lee says, “I just want to see my family again,” a line prosecutors highlighted during trial.
Family and the Push for 911 Reform
In the years since the killing, Lee’s husband and extended family have turned their loss into a sustained campaign for better emergency response, a focus they reiterated after the warrant was signed, according to reporting by WWSB (MySuncoast). They created the Denise Amber Lee Foundation, and in 2008 the Florida Legislature passed the Denise Amber Lee Act, which set minimum training and certification standards for 911 telecommunicators. Advocates say the law helped professionalize dispatcher training, although funding and technology gaps still leave uneven response across different jurisdictions.
Where This Fits in Florida’s Recent Execution Pace
King’s death warrant is one of several the governor has signed this year as Florida prepares to carry out multiple executions in March. The state carried out 19 executions in 2025, a modern-era high, according to reporting by WUSF/News Service of Florida. Legal observers note that last-minute filings are common in capital cases and are typically resolved in state courts before any execution proceeds. The Lee family has said its focus remains on training, advocacy and preserving Denise’s legacy.
