(WXYZ) — What happened to Dee Warner? That’s a question the Michigan State Police are hoping they can answer. They’re now taking over the investigation into the missing mother of five.
RELATED: What happened to Dee Warner? Michigan mother of 5 has been missing for more than a year
“Having the Michigan State Police take over the Dee Warner Case is in the best interest of the investigation, best for the family, and is the right thing to do,” said Lenawee County Sheriff Troy Bevier, who requested the state police take over the case.
Dee Ann Warner has not been seen since April 2021.
“My family and I need to know something,” Rikkell Bock told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo.
Bock is one of Dee’s 5 children. She says she’s grateful the case is now getting transferred from the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office to the Michigan State Police.
“I feel like they do have more resources and more background in this kind of case,” said Bock.
Sheriff’s investigators, along with the state police and FBI, have searched Warner’s home and farm in Tipton, MI. They’ve also used sonar, drones, and cadaver dogs in an effort to find clues about what happened to Dee.
Detectives say Warner’s husband was the last person to see the 52-year-old alive, and the Lenawee County Sheriff has said Dale Warner is a person of interest.
Dale Warner’s lawyer previously told the 7 Investigators that his client has cooperated with law enforcement; he also said Dale Warner did not kill his wife, nor did he have anything to do with her disappearance.
Dee’s family asked former military investigator and attorney Billy Little to help them solve this mystery. He has been critical of how the Sheriff’s detectives have handled the case. Little also alleges Dale lost his temper after Dee asked for a divorce the last night she was seen alive; Little has made Dale Warner the focus of his investigation.
“She had reached bottom with the marriage and decided okay, this was it – it was time to get out,” said Little.
Now it will be up to the Michigan State Police to try to solve this mystery.
“I am hopeful that more people will be able to be involved, there will be a different new set of eyes on the case, and hopefully things will get moving faster,” said Bock.
Anyone with information about Dee Warner is asked to call the Michigan State Police tip line: 855-MICH-TIP or www.michigan.gov/MICHTIP.