LENAWEE COUNTY, Mich. — Thursday update: A Michigan State Police lieutenant told WTOL 11 that the search was set to wrap up Wednesday, but new information led them to continue on Thursday. The area below is on Paragon Road between Tipton Highway and Wisner Highway.
Original story below:
Michigan State Police on Wednesday continued searching an area off of M-50 in Lenawee County in connection to Dee Warner's disappearance just over two years ago.
An MSP lieutenant told WTOL 11 on Tuesday that detectives from the Special Investigation Section began executing search warrants at 70 Lenawee County properties as a part of the ongoing investigation into Warner's disappearance. The initial scene Tuesday was off of M-50 between Beebe and Pentecost highways in Franklin Township.
On Wednesday, the investigation expanded to the south side of M-50 near Onsted Highway, but there were no further developments. An MSP team with special services, including a marine service team, used diving gear to search bodies of water in the area.
Residents in the area say the search is raising questions and a new sense of curiosity. Many of them want to support the searches and have done so by planting signs that read "Justice for Dee," in hopes of getting more answers for Warner's family.
Kristal Spiteri, a six-year resident of Lenawee County, said the community is close-knit, and the disappearance of their own has hit residents hard.
"It's just unfortunate that it's come to this, two years down the road and we still don't have answers," Spiteri said. "I feel for the family. It has to be hard with it going on this long and I just pray that they're able to find answers."
Warner, 52, was last seen in the early morning of April 25, 2021, at her residence on Munger Road in Franklin Township. Warner has not had any contact with her family or friends since she went missing.
Last year, Warner's brother, Greg Hardy, began offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his sister's remains. He said that even if police were to find her body, it wouldn't bring closure to the case.
"I don't think that's the end all for this case, is finding her remains," Greg said. "I've had to come to grips with that some time ago. It's not the remains that's going to solve this case."
According to an affidavit from a friend, Amy Alexander, Warner was last seen when she dropped off her young daughter with a friend before going to meet her husband, Dale Warner.
While some of Warner's family are in the process of petitioning a judge to declare her legally dead, Dale Warner insists she left to start a new life.
This is a developing story. Stay with WTOL 11 on-air, online and on our free mobile app.
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