Suspect arrested in Dee Ann Warner murder

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Police in Michigan said Tuesday that authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of a woman who went missing in Lenawee County more than two years ago.

Michigan State Police said a suspect has been arrested in the murder of 52-year-old Dee Ann Warner, but his name is being withheld pending arraignment. Police said they plan to release additional details on Wednesday.

The arrest comes as family members sought to have her declared legally dead in court last year. During the court proceedings, Dee’s husband, Dale Warner, was sentenced to more than three months in prison for contempt of court. The charge stems from his lack of cooperation with the conservatorship regarding the assets of Dee Ann Warner’s estate. Authorities previously named him a person of interest in the case, but he never faced charges related to Dee’s appearance.

Earlier this year, investigators searched the Warner family property for clues to Dee’s disappearance in April 2021. An MSP spokesperson said that at the time, authorities were acting on based on the information they had received. Dee’s family members told 13abc in May that there was a house fire in 2021 shortly after Dee disappeared at the same location investigators were searching for.

The 52-year-old disappeared April 25 from his home on Munger Road in Franklin Township. The Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office is working with the FBI and Michigan State Police on the investigation. Authorities also searched Warner’s property in October 2021 with heavy machinery, drones and K-9s, but nothing yielded Warner’s location.

Her family has been pushing for answers in the case since her disappearance, creating a Justice for Dee campaign to raise awareness.

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