Dates set for preliminary examination in Dee Warner murder case
ADRIAN — A Tipton man accused of murdering his wife can expect to have evidence against him presented in court in March or April.
Dates for a preliminary examination in the murder case against Dale John Warner, 55, were set Tuesday in Lenawee County District Court. Attorneys will first attempt to have the exam on March 12-15. One of Warner’s attorneys, Mary Chartier of Okemos, has a trial scheduled at that time in another county, but District Judge Laura J. Schaedler said Monday that Chartier has agreed to keep the court updated on how that case progresses. If that trial goes on as scheduled, Warner’s exam would then take place April 9-12.
Warner is charged with open murder in the death of his wife, Dee Ann Warner, in April 2021 and tampering with evidence. She was last seen April 25, 2021, at home. Her body has not been found, but the Michigan State Police’s lead investigator in the case, Detective Sgt. Daniel Drewyor, testified in August in a Lenawee County Probate Court hearing that his conclusion is that Dee Warner is dead.
Michigan State Police detectives arrested Dale Warner on Nov. 21 at his home. He is being held at the Lenawee County Jail on $15 million in bonds. Warner has pleaded not guilty. He appeared at Tuesday’s probable cause conference by video from the jail.
The open murder charge allows a jury to determine the degree of murder should the case go to trial.
The March and April dates were selected to give the attorneys time to review the voluminous amount of information that investigators have compiled and avoid scheduling conflicts with other cases on the court’s docket.
A preliminary exam is a proceeding where the prosecution has to prove to a judge that a crime was committed and that the person charged is likely to have committed the crime. The prosecution usually calls some witnesses to testify, and the defense has an opportunity to cross-examine them. The defense typically does not call any witnesses. If the judge finds that the prosecution has met its burden of proof, they will bind the case over to circuit court for further proceedings, including a possible trial. If the judge finds the prosecution has not met its burden of proof, they can dismiss any or all of the charges.
As part of Warner’s bond conditions, Schaedler required that his and his minor daughter’s passports be surrendered to the court so that he cannot leave the country if he posts bond. Chartier turned those over to the court Tuesday.
Schaedler also signed a protective order related to the handling of personal identifying information, such as Social Security numbers or birth dates, in the records that will be shared between the defense and prosecution. The prosecution and defense agreed to the order and presented it to Schaedler for her signature. Schaedler explained to the audience that personal identifying information is usually redacted from court records but sometimes is necessary for attorneys to use to prepare their cases.
Subscribe Now: For all the latest local developments, breaking news, and high school and college sports content.
Before the hearing started, Schaedler admonished people watching in the courtroom from using their cellphones during the hearing to transmit information about the proceedings to others. She said that has happened in prior proceedings in the case and that information had been presented out of context.
Matters related to Dee Warner's conservatorship and Dale Warner being found in criminal contempt by Probate Judge Catherine A. Sala have been appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals.
— Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Dates set for preliminary examination in Dee Warner murder case
