Human remains found on husband's property in search for Michigan woman missing since 2021

Police in Michigan said human remains have been found on a property belonging to the husband of Dee Warner. The woman went missing in 2021 and is presumed dead.

Aug 19, 2024 - 08:15
Human remains found on husband's property in search for Michigan woman missing since 2021

Investigators searching for a Michigan woman, who has been missing for more than three years and is presumed dead, have found human remains during a search of a property that belongs to her husband.

The family of Dee Warner reported her missing on April 25, 2021, Michigan State Police (MSP) said. 

On Sunday, state police announced that detectives from its special investigations section found human remains while executing a search warrant on a Lenawee County property belonging to Dale Warner, the husband of Dee Warner. 

"The remains are currently in the process of being recovered and there will be a great deal of work and testing completed before positive identification is made," MSP said in a statement.

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MSP said it has been in contact with Dee Warner’s family and advised them of the latest findings. 

"This continues to be an ongoing investigation," MSP said. 

Dale John Warner, 56, was charged in November with open murder and tampering with evidence in her disappearance. He has pleaded not guilty.

Family members told WTVG-TV and WTOL-TV that the remains were found Friday in a sealed, empty tank meant for anhydrous ammonia, which is used as fertilizer for crops.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.

Dee Warner was 52 when she was last seen on the morning of April 25, 2021, on a road in Franklin Township, about 70 miles southwest of Detroit. Since then, she has had no contact with her family or friends.

Dale Warner is being held in the Lenawee County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 4 for a pretrial hearing.

"We're waiting for confirmation that the remains are Ms. Warner," Dale Warner's attorney, Mary Chartier, told Fox News Digital. "But this appears to be another tragic turn of events for all those who loved and cared for her." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.