Dale Warner has been sentenced for the murder of his wife, Dee Warner, in 2021.
Lenawee County Circuit Court Judge Michael Olsaver sentenced Warner, 58, to 31-60 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections on May 7, ordering an additional prison term for tampering with evidence to be served consecutively — citing the extreme nature of the crime and the profound harm caused to the victim’s family and community.
Warner declined to make a statement before sentencing. He was found guilty of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence by a jury of his peers March 10, bringing an end to a yearslong case that drew nationwide attention.
For the tampering with evidence conviction, Olsaver imposed a sentence of 17 months to 10 years. Warner was credited with 898 days served on the second-degree murder conviction, but received no credit toward the tampering charge.
The sentencing guidelines for second-degree murder ranged from nearly 19 years to 31 years, according to statements made during the hearing.
Defense attorney Mary Chartier raised several objections to the pre-sentence investigation report, including language stating Warner didn’t assist in the search for his wife. Prosecutor Jackie Wyse countered that, while he offered to help dig, Warner didn’t otherwise meaningfully assist.
Olsaver agreed to amend the pre-sentence report, changing the phrasing from Warner not providing “any help” to providing “little help.” Chartier also noted Warner has no prior criminal convictions, continues to maintain his innocence and intends to pursue appellate relief.
“He loved his wife,” she said.
Dee Warner, 52, disappeared from the couple’s Franklin Township home in April 2021, sparking extensive searches across Lenawee County. Despite the absence of a body, Dale Warner was arrested in November 2023 and charged with open murder and tampering with evidence.
Nearly a year later, detectives with the Michigan State Police discovered Dee’s remains inside a welded shut anhydrous ammonia fertilizer tank on property owned by Warner. Authorities said the tank had been deliberately concealed. An autopsy determined Dee’s death was a homicide caused by strangulation and blunt force trauma.
Prosecutors argued during the six-week trial that Warner killed his wife amid marital strife and took deliberate steps to hide her body and mislead investigators. They presented digital evidence, surveillance footage, forensic testimony and witness accounts to support the charges.
Warner’s defense maintained the case was largely built on circumstantial evidence, and that prosecutors failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The sentencing hearing included emotional victim impact statements from family members, who described years of trauma, fear and loss in the wake of the killing.
Rikkell Bock, one of the victim’s daughters, described the lasting impact on her children and siblings, including the loss of childcare, stability and emotional security. She, too, encouraged the court to impose a maximum sentence.
Greg Hardy, the victim’s brother, condemned Warner for killing his sister and concealing her body, calling the acts inhuman and unforgivable. Shelley Hardy told the court the sentencing hearing marked “the day of judgment,” and expressed hope that Warner would never again return to society as a free man.
Olsaver said the concealment of the victim’s body in an anhydrous ammonia tank represented an extremely severe form of evidence tampering, prolonging the family’s suffering and consuming extensive public and private resources.
“If there weren’t a consecutive sentence imposed under these circumstances, I don’t know when it would be appropriate,” he said.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Dale Warner sentenced for killing, hiding wife in Lenawee County
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram / The Daily Telegram
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