Family of Dee Warner confident in evidence against missing woman’s spouse
New information released last night could lead to an arrest in the case, if the sheriff’s office pursues that course of action.
TIPTON, Mich. — It’s the case that rocked a small Michigan community. A mother, grandmother, sister disappears without a trace. Her family watches on, waiting for a break in the case. They needed hope and hope did come, in the form of a private investigator who was relentless in his search.
“He will be arrested. There’s no question about that. There will be an end to this, whether it’s today, tomorrow or a month from now,” said Billy Little Jr., an attorney and the family’s private investigator.
Little is referring to Dee’s husband, Dale, who the family claims is responsible for her disappearance. But Dale Warner, however, has yet to be named a suspect in the case.
A source tells me that at the start of the investigation, Warner was reportedly allowed to remain on the premises, even turning investigators away from a pile of nitrogen fertilizer. The source claims he said it would have killed their dogs. The only problem with that is that the chemical is harmless to people and animals.
A call to the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office has not been returned. Meantime, Little said he will address that aspect of the investigation once this case comes to a close.
“Now that we have this person of interest, this person we believe is responsible for it, now that we’re there, I want to be careful about my criticism of law enforcement,” he explained. Adding, “The honest truth is, could I have done things differently? Yeah, I probably could have done things differently and better, too.”
It’s been over a year since Dee’s disappearance, as every day we learn more about the strained relationship between her and the man she married, who was also her business partner. Gregg Hardy, Warner’s brother, teared up at the thought of what she likely endured, which wasn’t as well-known at the time.
“Dee definitely had an escape plan for that marriage. She knew that this was not ending well. Part of her escape plan was to purchase a lakehouse, just down the road,” said a visibly emotional Little.
Caught in the middle of this tension between the family and Dale, is the young daughter the couple shared.
“She was with her sisters — all the time,” said Dee’s sister-in-law, Shelley Hardy. “We tried to communicate with her in different ways, but he’s caught on to a lot of them and stopped everything. I think he’s even blocked her phone.”
The nephew of the missing Lenawee County woman, Parker Hardy, tells me today’s announcement brought the thing they needed all along.
“There’s just a feeling of hope. A feeling of energy. Good energy. Always good energy when we’re moving forward. We just want this to be over — more than anything,” Hardy expressed.
To view the evidence in its entirety, and come to your own conclusion, visit ‘The Interview Room’ YouTube page.
