TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Closing arguments will start Friday in the murder trial of Denise Williams.
The Tallahassee woman is accused of plotting to kill her husband, Mike Williams, in December 2000.
The final witness for the state was Katherine Thomas, the now ex-wife of Brian Winchester. She was also a close friend of Mike and Denise Williams.
Thomas had known Mike since elementary school, and met Denise and Brian in high school.
She says she suspected that Brian was having an affair with Denise in the late '90's, but never caught the two.
Thomas seemed to get a little flustered, and at times confused, during the defense's cross examination. She did wipe away tears as she told her story.
After her testimony, one of the jurors asked Thomas how Denise acted in the days following Mike's disappearance.
"She did not seem distraught in those days after Mike was gone," said Thomas.
Thomas also said that she didn't think that Denise and Brian were acting different the day Mike was killed.
Thursday was also the first time we heard from defense witnesses in this case.
No, Denise chose not to take the stand.
But we did hear from other witnesses who had spoken to her in the months following Mike Williams' disappearance.
One defense witness was a lawyer back in 2001.
Curtis Hunter said Denise Williams and Brian Winchester contacted him trying to petition for a presumptive death certificate.
Hunter indicated during the state's cross examination, that those are rare, especially in a missing persons case.
"Under the statue, there is a -year presumption if somebody is missing from their last known domicile and there's no satisfactory explanation of where they are, after five years, the person can be presumed dead," said Hunter.
The defense also called a marital law attorney, who worked with Denise when she later tried to divorce Brian Winchester. The jury was not present for that testimony.
But here's what it boiled down to, Denise had about $1.4 million in assets that were separate from her marriage to Winchester.
Now again, closing arguments will begin Friday morning and the jury will begin deliberating afterward.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Day three of testimony in the Denise Williams trial closed without a testimony from the accused.
Williams is the Tallahassee woman charged in the murder of her husband Mike.
Mike went missing after a hunting trip on Lake Seminole in Jackson County back in 2000. His body was found last December, 17 years after his disappearance.
WTXL reporter Jennifer Meyers is in the courtroom following the case.
Here's the latest:
12:50 p.m.:
The court is now back from lunch. Denise will not testify in the trial. The defense has rested their case. Court is dismissed for the day. Closing arguments will begin tomorrow morning.
11:23 a.m.:
The jury is now on break for lunch until 12:45 pm.
10:59 a.m.:
The first witness for the defense is now on the stand. Curtis Hunter was a local lawyer in 2001. He says that Denise came to him to help get a presumptive death certificate for Mike so she could get his life insurance money.
Upon cross examination by the state, Hunter says that it's rare for someone to try to get a presumptive death certificate in a missing persons case, especially so soon after someone went missing.
10:25 a.m.:
The state has now rested their case. Court is in a short break before the defense starts.
9:50 a.m.:
The defense is now cross examining Kathy. They are continuing to talk about the taped recording. Kathy believes that there were 4 to 6 recorded calls that were sent back to FDLE.
She seems to be flustered and confused at some of the questions during cross examination, but does not mean to be "evasive." The jury now has the chance to as questions.
Kathy says that Denise "did not seem distraught in the days after Mike was gone." Kathy also did not notice any strange behavior from Brian or Kathy following Mike's death.
9:29 a.m.:
Kathy agreed to be a confidential source for FDLE and tape phone calls with Denise to get information. The state is now playing the taped recording. During this call, Denise is saying she doesn't know what happened to Mike.
9:18 a.m.:
Katherine (Kathy) recalls feeling uncomfortable around Brian and Denise after Mike was killed. She suspected that Brian was having an affair with Denise, and felt like a third wheel to them.
9:03 a.m.:
Katherine Thomas, Brian Winchester's ex wife is now on the stand. She is explaining the friendship she had with Denise, Mike, and Brian.
8:56 a.m.:
The state has one more witness that will testify.
