ADRIAN, MI (WTVB) – In a Lenawee County courtroom Tuesday, a jury found 58-year-old Dale Warner guilty of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his wife Dee Warner in 2021.
The verdict followed roughly eight hours of deliberation and a five-week trial that has drawn nationwide attention.
Though prosecutors sought a first-degree conviction, the jury ultimately determined the killing was intentional but not premeditated. Warner, who initially claimed his wife had simply walked away from their marriage, remained stoic as the decision was read, staring at the floor in silence.
The case reached a critical turning point in August 2024, when investigators discovered Dee’s remains hidden inside a welded-shut anhydrous ammonia tank on a property owned by Dale in Tipton.
This discovery ended a three-year mystery that began when the mother of five was reported missing in April 2021. With the conviction now secured, Judge Michael Olsaver has scheduled sentencing for May 7, where Warner now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Following the announcement, Dee’s family expressed a mix of relief and lingering grief, finally finding a measure of justice after years of uncertainty.
Comments