The story of the Mike Williams murder is usually centered on the "Black Widow" Denise Williams or the man who pulled the trigger, Brian Winchester. But if you dig into the court transcripts from that 2018 trial, there’s a name that pops up constantly. A woman who lived in the eye of the storm for years without actually knowing the house was on fire.
Kathy Thomas (now Kathy Aldredge) was Brian Winchester's first wife.
She wasn't just some background character in a true crime documentary. She was the one sitting on the double dates. She was the one taking the photos. She was the person who, quite literally, wore a wire to help bring the whole house of cards down.
Honestly, it’s wild to think about. You’re married to a guy you’ve known since high school, you’re raising a kid together, and all the while, he’s plotting a literal execution with your best friend’s wife. It sounds like a bad movie script, but for Kathy, it was just her life for nearly two decades.
The "Double Date" Illusion
Brian Winchester and Kathy Thomas were the quintessential Tallahassee couple. They were high school sweethearts. They went to the same church. They ran in the same tight-knit circles as Mike and Denise Williams.
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If you look at the old photos from their 1990s spring break trips to Panama City Beach, you see four friends who look inseparable. In fact, they were so close that Kathy later testified she often felt like a "third wheel" when the four of them were together. That’s a heavy thing to say in hindsight. Imagine feeling like an outsider in your own marriage because your husband is so magnetically pulled toward another woman—who happens to be the wife of his best friend.
A Tangled Timeline
The affair between Brian and Denise didn't start the day Mike died. It had been brewing since at least 1997.
- The Concert: It all supposedly kicked off at a Sister Hazel concert at Floyd’s Music Store.
- The Overlap: While Kathy was at home or at work, Brian and Denise were meeting in church parking lots and hotel rooms.
- The Pregnancy: In a bizarre twist of fate, both Denise and Kathy were pregnant around the same time in the late '90s.
Brian eventually confessed that he and Denise even considered killing Kathy too. They didn't go through with it because Brian "didn't want to kill the mother of his child." Not exactly the most romantic reason to spare someone's life, but in this twisted saga, it’s as close to mercy as Kathy was going to get.
Why Kathy Finally Walked Away
Most people assume Kathy left Brian because of the murder. Actually, she didn't know about the murder when they split. They divorced in the mid-2000s, long before the body was ever found.
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The marriage just... rotted. Brian was obsessed with Denise. He was erratic.
One of the most heartbreaking details from the trial testimony was about their final divorce hearing. Brian Winchester, the man who supposedly did all of this to be with Denise, was sitting in the back of the courtroom sobbing. He didn't want the divorce. He was begging Kathy not to leave him. It’s a weird glimpse into his psyche—he wanted the secret life with Denise, but he also wanted the stability and "good wife" image that Kathy provided.
The Sting Operation That Changed Everything
Fast forward to 2016. Brian’s second marriage (to Denise) is falling apart. He’s desperate. He kidnaps Denise at gunpoint, which leads to his arrest. This is the moment the "alligator" theory—the idea that Mike Williams was eaten by gators—finally starts to crumble.
This is where Kathy Thomas steps back into the spotlight.
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She didn't just sit back and watch. She worked with Mike's mother, Cheryl Williams, and eventually with law enforcement. Kathy did what the police couldn't do for 17 years: she got people talking. She wore a wire. She recorded phone calls with Denise Williams.
In one of those calls, Kathy straight-up accused Denise of planning Mike's death. Denise didn't deny it. She just stayed quiet. That recording was a massive piece of the puzzle that led to Denise's conviction and Brian’s eventual 20-year sentence for the kidnapping (and his immunity deal for the murder).
Kathy Thomas Today
She’s Kathy Aldredge now. She’s moved on from the Winchester name, and who can blame her? In recent interviews, like her appearance on the ABC series Mr. & Mrs. Murder, she’s been open about the "dark place" she had to revisit to help solve this case.
She still feels like there are missing pieces. She thinks Brian and Denise were protected for a long time by people in their community who didn't want to believe two "good" church-going people could be monsters.
Actionable Takeaways from the Winchester Case
The story of Brian Winchester's first wife is a masterclass in trusting your gut. If you’re looking at this case and wondering how to spot these kinds of red flags in your own life, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Trust the "Third Wheel" Feeling: If you feel like an outsider in your own relationship when a specific "friend" is around, don't ignore it. Emotional affairs often manifest as an exclusion of the spouse.
- The "Good Person" Fallacy: Don't assume someone is incapable of harm just because they have a high standing in the community or church. Proximity to "morality" is often used as a shield.
- The Power of Persistence: Kathy and Cheryl Williams prove that if a story doesn't make sense (like the alligator theory), it’s usually because it’s a lie. Keeping the pressure on, even years later, can lead to the truth.
If you find yourself in a situation where you suspect a partner of serious deceit, the best move is to document everything and seek legal counsel before confronting them, especially if there's a history of volatile behavior.