Jury selection begins Monday in the trial of Denise Williams, accused of orchestrating and trying to conceal the truth surrounding the mysterious disappearance of her first husband Mike Williams nearly 18 years ago.

What many people long suspected was proven true last fall — the 31-year-old real estate appraiser didn't accidentally drown in a boating accident on Lake Seminole only to be eaten by alligators and vanish without a trace.

From cold case to boiling point:Trial set to begin for Mike Williams murder Monday

Mike Williams was murdered that morning.

His best friend, Brian Winchester, admitted last fall he did the killing, but prosecutors will argue Denise Williams was the mastermind behind it.

Her attorney will tell jurors that is categorically untrue — that she did nothing, knew nothing and is completely innocent.

Seating a jury is expected to take two days, followed by roughly four days total of testimony from both sides.

With the highly anticipated trial set to begin questions are swirling:

Will Denise Williams take the stand?

It’s anyone’s guess whether she will testify in her own defense.

She cannot be compelled by the state to do so and her lawyers aren’t telling. It’s a rare and risky move to put the person on trial on the stand.

Her direct testimony could be compelling to the jury but taking the stand opens her up for cross examination by prosecutors. Her defense team doesn’t need to prove she’s innocent, it’s the state’s job to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

What happens if she is found guilty?

If she is found guilty on the murder charge, she would face a mandatory life in prison sentence.

If she is found guilty of either conspiracy or accessory after the fact, the judge could sentence her up to life in prison.

It’s not certain where she would be incarcerated. Brian Winchester, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her armed kidnapping last year, was sent to the nearby Wakulla Correctional Institution where his family can easily visit.

What if she is acquitted?

She still faces separate charges of insurance fraud, but she would be able to post bail pending resolution of that case, which would fall apart if she is acquitted.

In addition, no one would be convicted of Mike William’s murder.

State Attorney Jack Campbell gave Brian Winchester full immunity from prosecution in the murder case in exchange for his confession and leading investigators to his late friend's buried body to give Mike Williams' family some closure.

More:Read the immunity agreement between Brian Winchester, State Attorney

How easy will it be to seat a jury?

That’s the million-dollar question.

The Democrat has reported extensively on the case for the last 12 years and along with other local news outlets it’s been the subject of several national broadcasts, including 48 Hours just this fall.

Ten media outlets are expected to cover the trial. Mike Williams, Denise Williams and Winchester all grew up, lived and worked in Tallahassee, and potential jurors could be struck for cause because they are closely associated with key players.

Many jurors also could be disqualified because they have formed an opinion about the widely known case.

In addition, both the state and the defense can each strike 10 jurors with no questions asked. If it appears 12 jurors and two alternates can’t be selected, the judge could call for a change of venue, delaying the trial.

At the moment, there are no plans for the jury to be sequestered.

Chronicling the case

GAVEL TO POST GAVEL ANALYSIS

Each day after jury selection, the Tallahassee Democrat will livestream the murder trial of Denise Williams at tallahassee.com and on our Facebook page. After court concludes, come back 30 minutes later for analysis on the day’s events provided by courts reporter Karl Etters and news director Jennifer Portman, who has covered the murder of Mike Williams for more than a decade.