Wife's chilling texts precede farmer's murder trial

Dale Warner, a Michigan farmer, is facing murder and tampering with evidence charges in connection with his wife Dee Warner's death. Dee vanished from their Tipton farm in April 2021, and her remains were found in August 2024 inside a fertilizer tank on their property. Authorities determined she died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.

Prosecutors revealed Dee's final text messages, where she expressed her intention to leave the marriage, stating, "I'm ready to move out and be done with this." She described their relationship as having "no intimacy, just secrecy" and that they were "just roommates."

Dee's daughter reported her missing in April 2021 after she failed to show up for their usual Sunday breakfast. Her personal belongings and an overnight bag were missing, but her vehicles remained at the property. Dale Warner reportedly told family members that Dee had left on her own.

The investigation gained traction when family members recalled seeing Dale near the fertilizer tank shortly after Dee's disappearance. Dale's defense attorneys argued that the prosecution lacks proof beyond a reasonable doubt, stating that imagination cannot replace evidence.