(ADRIAN) - A jury has begun deliberations in the murder trial of a Lenawee County man accused in the death of his wife whose body was later found in a fertilizer tank.
The Detroit News reports jurors began weighing evidence and testimony Thursday afternoon in the case of Dale Warner. The 58-year-old from Tipton is charged with the murder of his wife, Dee Warner, 52, of Tecumseh.
Prosecutors say the couple's marriage was deteriorating in the weeks leading up to Dee Warner's disappearance in April 2021. Lenawee County Prosecutor Jacqueline Wyse told jurors the couple argued frequently about finances and their farming and trucking businesses.
Wyse also said Dale Warner suspected his wife of having an affair and monitored her activities by installing cameras in their home and placing a GPS tracker on her vehicle.
Dee Warner's body was discovered in 2024 inside a sealed fertilizer tank on the family's property, three years after she was reported missing.
Medical testimony during the trial indicated Dee Warner died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.
During closing arguments, defense attorney Mary Chartier argued the case against Warner relied largely on circumstantial evidence and said the prosecution's timeline did not allow enough time for Warner to commit the crime and hide the body.
The six-week trial included testimony from 35 witnesses over 12 days. Warner did not testify during the trial.
If convicted, Warner could face up to life in prison.