Dale Warner of Lenawee County was found guilty by a jury of his peers March 10 of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his wife, Dee Warner, bringing an end to a yearslong case that drew nationwide attention.
The verdict was returned around 4:40 p.m. March 10, roughly seven hours after jurors resumed deliberations following a long weekend recess.
Before the verdict was read, Judge Michael Olsaver praised the jury’s commitment and warned spectators against outbursts, saying the case carried deep significance for the state, the defendant and the victim’s family.
When the guilty verdict was announced, Warner stared at the floor and shook his head in apparent disbelief. He faces up to life in prison.
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.
In finding Warner guilty of second-degree murder, jurors rejected the prosecution’s request for a first-degree murder conviction.
Sentencing is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. May 7.
— 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: Lenawee County man found guilty of murdering wife, Dee Warner, in 2021
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram / The Daily Telegram
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
