North Port neighbors: We want to search for Denise Amber Lee

By: Tammie Fields

Nerth Port, Florida – A stroll in Joe Parker and Christine Jacquez’s neighborhood on this day has a whole new meaning. Friday afternoon they walked their two golden retrievers, Nikki and Nova. Their teenaged daughter and son walked along with them. The family is just trying to come to grips with the disappearance of 21 year old Denise Amber Lee. She's a housewife that lives nearby.

Christine Jacquez says “When we found out this morning why all the helicopters were going my heart sank.” The couple says they’re leaving their weekend open in hopes that police will ask for the public’s help in searching for Lee. They already volunteered once but were turned away.

Joe Parker says “We just feel like if it was our daughter we would want everybody that can help to help. So the minute the word comes from officials that they want help from the civilian sector we’ll be right there to answer the call.”

The kidnapping really hits close to home for them because their teenaged daughter’s school bus stop is at the kidnapping suspect’s home.

Christine Jacquez says “It’s very scary. I’m at a loss for words that’s how scary it is. You see these things on TV all the time and you think oh well its 50 miles south or 100 miles north. When it’s 2-houses down from you it kind of gives you a wake up call.”

Not only does 36 year old Michael King, the suspect in the kidnapping, live a few doors down from the family but he also lives right across the street from an elementary school. He remains locked up though after North Port police say he borrowed a flashlight, shovel and a gas can from his cousin claiming his lawnmower was stuck in a ditch. But as King was leaving the cousin noticed a woman believed to be Lee tied up in the back of King’s green Camaro. King was later stopped by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and arrested but Denise Amber Lee is still missing and that really bothers Christine and Joe.

Christine Jacquez says “We’re hoping for a happy ending and we want to help in any way we can and a happy ending to me is let’s find her and she’s okay and return her home to her family okay.”

The search for Lee is expected to resume on Saturday morning.

After Lee went missing rescue crews spent Thursday evening and most of the day Friday searching for Lee near Michael King’s home on Sardinia Avenue along Interstate 75. There was a second search in a rural area in Parrish which is in Manatee County. Both searches were called off when it got dark.

There are reports that a sandal and some clothing was discovered during the searches.

Michael King's father lives in Ellenton, a few miles south of where the search took place in Parrish. He says his son had been in Michigan for quite some time. Michigan is where the family is from. He says his son just returned this week to find work as a plumber. Michael's mother says he was having some financial problems and his house in North Port was in foreclosure. Michael King has a 12 year old son who lives in Michigan.