"48 Hours" interview used as key evidence in murder trial

A "48 Hours" interview became a key piece of evidence in the murder conviction of a north Texas woman in the 2011 shooting death of her wealthy husband.

"She thought that she could go on '48 Hours' and say this outrageous, crazy thing," prosecutor Jack Strickland said in closing arguments Monday, referring to Michele Williams' "48 Hours" interview with correspondent Peter Van Sant.

"That's a fantasy world she lives in," Strickland said.

It was a world away from Williams and husband Greg's once-glamorous life -- there was a mansion, exotic cars and lavish parties.

"Greg treated me like a queen...he was the most amazing father to Makayla," Williams said on "48 Hours."

The life of privilege world came crashing down in October 2011 when Williams said an intruder attacked her then shot Greg dead with his own pistol.

"My husband was just shot," Williams could be heard saying in a 911 call.

When police interviewed Williams, they found her story hard to believe, and after hours of interrogation, she changed it.

"If he did it and you covered it up, just tell me," the detective said in a recording of the interrogation.

"He did," Williams responded.

"Huh?"

"He did," Williams repeated.

She told police Greg had committed suicide and that she cleaned up the scene and staged it as a murder to protect her daughter. But cops weren't buying that story either. They believed Williams was the killer.

But with no evidence, prosecutors offered her a plea deal -- up to 18 years in prison if she admitted she tampered with evidence and wielded a firearm.

"Who shot Greg?" Van Sant asked her on "48 Hours."

"I have my assumptions," Williams said. "And that person is letting me sit here."

But in an interview with "48 Hours" just before her plea was finalized, Williams changed her story yet again -- back to the intruder theory.

"I'm saying he had his own weapon," Williams said.

The judge was furious. He revoked the plea deal and ordered Williams to stand trial for the murder of her husband.

"If she's talking she's usually lying," sister Laura told "48 Hours." Laura said Williams has been a pathological liar her entire life.

Almost three years after Greg was shot dead, Williams went on trial last week for his murder.

With no forensic evidence that case was purely circumstantial.

The defense surprisingly never raised the intruder theory but was back to claiming it was a suicide.

"I'll say it again, Michelle panicked," defense attorney Clay Graham said.

During the trial in closing arguments Williams' interview with "48 Hours" came back to haunt her.

The jury deliberated for 7 hours -- the verdict guilty of murder. Williams could get life in prison.