(ADRIAN) - A Lenawee County jury has found 58-year-old Dale Warner guilty of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his wife, Dee Warner.
The verdict was delivered Tuesday after about eight hours of jury deliberations, following a five-week trial that drew national attention.
Prosecutors had sought a first-degree murder conviction, but the jury concluded the killing was intentional without premeditation.
Dee Warner was reported missing in April 2021, beginning a three-year investigation. The case took a major turn in August 2024, when investigators found her remains inside a welded-shut anhydrous ammonia tank on property owned by Dale Warner in Tipton.
Warner had previously claimed his wife simply left their marriage.
During the reading of the verdict, Warner reportedly stood quietly, looking at the floor.
He now faces up to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 7 before Judge Michael Olsaver.
Following the verdict, Dee Warner's family said the decision brought some sense of justice after years of uncertainty, though the loss continues to weigh heavily.