Dee Ann Warner's Husband and Stepson in Court

Jaron Warner and Dale Warner. Photo by Tracy Stengel.

Dale and Jaron Warner, father and son, both faced Judge Olsaver today in Lenawee County Courthouse on matters regarding their connection to the murder of Dee Ann Warner. Dale was Dee’s husband. Jaron, 28, was Dee’s stepson.

Jaron Warner was arrested March 1, 2025, and was released the next day on a $125,000 bond. He was arraigned March 3, 2025, on charges of accessory after the fact and tampering with evidence. This morning, Judge Olsaver rescheduled Jaron’s preliminary examination from March 17, 2025, to April 4, 2025, at 9 AM. During the preliminary exam, the prosecutor will need to show there is enough probable cause to believe a crime was committed. If so, the case will go to trial.

Dale Warner was arrested and charged with the murder of his wife and tampering with evidence in November 2023, two and a half years after Dee had been reported missing. He resides in Lenawee County Jail while awaiting his trial that is currently scheduled for September 2, 2025. His bond is set at $15M. Today, during a motion hearing, Dale’s lawyer, Mary Chartier, made an argument for quashing the tampering of evidence charge.

Ms. Chartier pointed out that during Dale’s preliminary exam the prosecution did not address what evidence they had against Dale to warrant charging him with tampering with evidence. “It’s not the court’s job to come in and help the government out when they drop the ball and when they fail to mention a charge, so that is the basis for motion to quash count two,” Ms. Chartier said.

Prosecutor, Jacqueline Wyse countered with, “Mr. Warner was accused of killing his wife. We had our preliminary examination and there was sufficient evidence that there was probable cause to believe that he, in fact, did kill Ms. Warner. Her body was never recovered. [At the time of the preliminary exam.] Her cell phone was never recovered. Obviously, those items were taken off the property by Mr. Warner.”

If Judge Olsaver decides not to quash the tampering charge, Ms. Chartier requested a bill of particulars from the prosecution. “The government has a fundamental obligation and responsibility to detail what are the pieces of evidence that Mr. Warner supposedly tampered with and what is the significance. How did he do it? And what is the significance to an official proceeding? What would be the significance of a curling iron? Or a passport? Or a pocketbook? What pieces of evidence are they talking about? Standing here, I still don’t know,” Ms. Chartier said. She concluded with, “Trial by ambush is not something that any court should allow the government to do.”

Judge Olsaver indicated he had not finished reading the transcript of the preliminary exam. Once he does, he will make his decision.

Dee Ann Warner, 52, was reported missing from her Tecumseh, Michigan farm on April 25, 2021, the day after she planned to tell Dale she wanted a divorce. Her family and friends vehemently denied Dale’s claim that she had run off to Jamaica or Mexico. Dee was a mother of five, a grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. By all accounts, her world revolved around her loved ones.

In August 2024, Dee’s body was found sealed in an anhydrous ammonia tank Dale once used for his fertilizer business. The tank was stored in a sprayer barn on property owned by Dale and Dee.

For background on the case of Dee Ann Warner, you can start here. For all the latest updates, join the Justice for Dee Facebook page.