Dee Warner vanished from her Lenawee County, Michigan farm on April 25, 2021. Her husband Dale Warner told investigators he last saw her sleeping on the couch that morning before leaving for work. Four years later, no body has been found, and prosecutors have not filed criminal charges—but the case remains open as investigators grapple with the fundamental question: can you prove murder without a victim?
Background
Rikkell Bock, one of Dee's four children from her first marriage, went to her mother's farmhouse that Sunday morning for their weekly breakfast. Dee was nowhere to be found, despite being someone who rarely went anywhere without her phone. "If my mom could glue her phone to her hand, she would," Rikkell told investigators. "If I didn't respond to a text message in five minutes, I was getting another one, 'Hello?'"
All of Dee's vehicles—her Cadillac and a Hummer—were parked at the property. Her makeup bag, curling iron, phone, and passport were missing, leading Dale Warner to suggest she had left intentionally. However, Dee's family noticed troubling inconsistencies in his account and grew suspicious almost immediately.
Dee and Dale Warner ran three businesses from their farm: a trucking company with about 15 employees, a chemical company selling fertilizer and seed, and the farm itself. Friends and family described the marriage as troubled. Dee had been planning to divorce Dale and sell the profitable trucking business—something she had discussed with her children the day before she disappeared.
The Investigation
The Lenawee County Sheriff's Office initially led the investigation, conducting at least seven searches of the property and interviewing Dale Warner multiple times. In August 2022, the Michigan State Police took over the case, bringing additional resources and experience.
Dale Warner told investigators he and Dee had argued on Saturday night after she accused him of talking about her behind her back to employees. He said she had complained, "You don't care about me, nobody cares about me, and what does it matter if I'm even here?" The next morning, he claimed she was sleeping on the couch when he left around 6 a.m.
Investigators noted several suspicious circumstances: Dee had left her wedding ring—reportedly worth up to $40,000—on Dale's desk, something she had never done before. Her 9-year-old daughter Lena had stayed at a cousin's house the night before, and Dee hadn't come to get her, which family members said never happened.
The family hired private investigator Billy Little, who traveled from Missouri to assist. "You've got a lot of equipment, you've got a lot of chemicals, there are a lot of ways to dispose of the body on a farm," Little noted. In September 2022, Dee's family filed a petition to have her declared legally dead, a step toward potential civil action.
Legal Challenges
Proving murder without a body presents extraordinary challenges for prosecutors. In Michigan, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a victim is dead and that the defendant caused that death—both difficult tasks without physical remains.
As Billy Little noted on the television program "48 Hours": "You don't have a body. So what? You don't get to get away with murder because you're good at disposing of bodies." This sentiment drove the family's push for continued investigation.
In December 2022, police interviewed Dale Warner again about allegations that Dee had been taking money from the business. An employee had reportedly confronted her about "taking this money" shortly before she vanished. However, investigators have not publicly stated they have evidence linking Dee to any theft.
Key Takeaways
- Dee Warner, 46, disappeared from her Lenawee County, Michigan farm on April 25, 2021
- Her husband Dale Warner was the last person to see her; family members grew suspicious of his account
- Dee had been planning to divorce Dale and sell their trucking business, family members say
- Michigan State Police took over the case in August 2022; no charges have been filed
- Family members hired a private investigator and petitioned to have Dee declared legally dead in 2022
- Investigators face the challenge of proving murder without a body, which requires strong circumstantial evidence
What's Next
The Michigan State Police investigation remains active. Authorities have not announced any imminent charges, but the case continues to generate interest in Lenawee County, where a billboard reading "Help Dale Find Dee"—ironically paid for by Dee's brother Gregg Hardy—remains at a major intersection near the farm.
Family members continue to push for answers. "The evidence that she's dead is the absence of evidence that she's alive," Billy Little said. "No surveillance cameras, no electronic signature, her phone's not found, her bank accounts were never accessed... Even the ring—she didn't even take that."
The family awaits any breakthrough that might provide definitive answers about what happened to Dee Warner, while investigators work to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to pursue homicide charges despite the absence of a body.