ADRIAN, Mich. — The investigation into Dee Warner's disappearance was handed over to the Michigan State Police on Monday, Lenawee County Sheriff Troy Bevier said.
The decision came more than 15 months after Warner was first reported missing. Bevier said now was the right time for the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office to make the decision.
"I believe in doing the right thing for the right reasons and the right time, and I think this was the right time," Bevier said. "We want justice for Dee. We want this to be solved. We want answers, and we want accountability."
The sheriff made the announcement at the Lenawee County Courthouse where the #JusticeForDee group held a rally to maintain awareness of the case.
Warner would have turned 54 on July 29.
Private investigator Billy Little has been working on the case since early March and said he's determined to solve it.
"I'm going to save this one," Little said. "And the next time, I'll save the next one. I can do what I can one at a time. But I'm not quitting. I'm not going anywhere. If I have to move here, I'll do it, until this case is done."
Kathryn Adams was with the #JusticeForDee group and said she isn't sure how far away an arrest is.
"That's definitely up to law enforcement," she said.
More than a year after Warner's disappearance, Adams isn't letting the momentum stop.
"I feel like it's pretty cut and dry. I'm not a lawyer or in law enforcement. I'm just a girl trying to create awareness so that we can find her and give her family closure."
Adams and Little both named a suspect they believe is responsible for Warner's disappearance, but WTOL 11 will not name that person unless authorities do. Adams also confirmed the Investigation Discovery series "Disappeared" is working on featuring the case in one of their upcoming episodes.