Loading summary

Transcript134 lines

[00:00]
A
Insurance is not one size fits all. That's why drivers of trusted Progressive's name your price tool for years. Just tell Progressive what you want to pay and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Visit progressive.com to find a car insurance rate that works for you. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match, limited by state law with no fees or minimums on checking accounts. It's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about. In a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com BankGuy Capital One NA Member FDIC.
[01:02]
B
Hi, everybody. I'm Josh Mankiewicz and we're all here to play Password. Wait, sorry, different program. I'm Josh Mankiewicz and we're talking DATELINE today with Andrea. Hi, Andrea.
[01:17]
C
Hey, Josh.
[01:19]
B
So we're here to talk about Andrea's episode which is called the Day Dee Disappeared, which is actually one of the very few DATELINE stories that two Dateline correspondents covered. These two, both of us, you for
[01:32]
C
Missing in America and me for tv.
[01:34]
B
Yes. Now, if you've not seen this episode, you can watch it on Peacock, you can listen to it on the Dateline podcast feed and then come back here. And then later we have an extra clip about a psychics theory about what might have happened to Dee Warner. But first, let's talk Dateline. Now for, for anybody who did not see the broadcast, here's what you need to know. The victim was De Warner, and she was a success farmer and businesswoman. She was reported missing in April of 2021. Now, from very early on, investigators suspected her husband Dale had killed her. And they ended up arresting him in November of 2023, even though they had not found Dee's body. Her body was found much later and they found it on the property hidden in a fertilizer tank. Dale ended up being convicted at trial and he was sentenced to to 70 years behind bars. So, you know, one of the things that I thought was really interesting about this when I was looking at it for Missing in America is, you know, it seemed impossible to imagine that de Warner was not on that property somewhere. I mean, everything she had was there, her car was there. Like, like she didn't just go away. She was somewhere on that Property. It certainly seemed that way from the beginning.
[03:02]
C
That was the thought of most people close to the case. And one person from law enforcement told us, and we didn't include this in the show, but that they had actually had an FBI profiler looking at the case at one point who said that they believed that Dee was somewhere on the property and. And likely buried. So the buried part was not accurate, of course, but there. The. You know, what went into this theory by the FBI certainly panned out.
[03:36]
B
So when I was. When I was first working on this story, you know, I. I heard about this giant property on which Dee was missing, you know, because it's not just the. The buildings there, but obviously, you know, many, many, many more acres around it.
[03:52]
C
Yeah, it's huge.
[03:54]
B
When I saw the farm, I mean, it looks like a farm, like out of a movie. And. And I sort of didn't think of it as sort of that pristine and camera ready. It's interesting what your. What your mind does, because when I was hearing about it on Missing America, I was like, this is some, like, giant, sprawling property where the buildings are all a couple of mil. But that's not true. It's all kind of. The working part of it is actually concentrated, and then the fields are spread out around it.
[04:29]
C
Yeah. Acres and acres and acres of land. I mean, and it's beautifully kept, as you say, beautiful.
[04:38]
B
And all of that had to be searched because nobody knew where she was. But they strongly believe she was out there somewhere.
[04:45]
C
Yeah, and that's a. You know, it's such a daunting task. You know, they use drones, they use dogs. They had the PI Use drones, the state police used drones, the county police. I mean, they looked everywhere for her, and they just could not find her. And that's where Dale's diabolical plan was working for a long time with the tank.
[05:09]
B
You know, let's sort of put yourself in his mind. What do you think the end game was here? How was he gonna get away with this? Eventually he was gonna just dispose of the tank some, you know, sometime in future, just drive it off the property somewhere, bury it. I mean, break it open and move her again.
[05:28]
C
I mean, I don't know. There was a search he had done for how to move, you know, a very large tank. So, like, I don't know if he was planning on moving it at some point. It was, you know, his plan was working until it wasn't. It was. To me, it was sort of like this evil genius of, like, you know, I'm going to use My skills and cut this tank open and put her in. And, you know, it's pretty. Oh, like, it gives you chills when you think about someone going to those lengths.
[06:01]
B
Well, it really does.
[06:02]
C
To hide a body.
[06:03]
B
And, you know, it. I mean, it had so much more impact in your story than it did to me, you know, in my story, which is like seeing him moving that tank around right in front of investigators, that was just. That was just absolutely chilling.
[06:23]
C
I mean, he's brazen now. You know, no one knows 100% that the D was in the tank he was moving around. That was one of the defense's argument. But they believe that it was because
[06:34]
B
there are other tanks there.
[06:35]
C
Right, but there are a lot of tanks.
[06:37]
B
Right. If she wasn't in that one, that he was moving at that moment, she was in another identical tank like that.
[06:43]
C
Yeah. And, you know, it was. Everything was right in front of them. The family, the police. You know, all the clues were there. They just weren't seeing them yet in the way that they needed to see them. It's just, you know, how it goes, Josh, with these. The pieces aren't always put together for a while, and then suddenly the puzzle comes into focus, and you. You put your final piece in, and that's really. That's really what happened. And it was, you know, it was Greg going back Dee's brother and saying, you know, I remember Dale working on a tank, you know, and Parker said the same thing, and then kind of hit them years later. They were like, wait a second. What if. You know, what if the tank is. Has something to do with this? And then I found it so interesting how law enforcement was afraid to open the tank because, you know, what's in there? Is it going to explode? You know, are we going to die from chemical fumes? And. And, you know, and Dale had even talked about those chemicals during the early days, trying to keep, you know, saying, keep the cadaver dogs away. There's chemicals here. Like.
[07:50]
B
And I will say he did a good job of misdirection there, because, you know, I mean, the cops are certainly listening very carefully for anybody who says, yeah, you can search the entire property, but don't look in there, whatever you do. Right. I mean, they're trained to sort of pick up on that kind of thing. And he did a very good job of saying, like, look, I'm. You guys do what you need to do, but be careful. There are chemicals here, you know, with.
[08:15]
C
Right. And he even talked about his dogs, that they had issues with their paws, you know, Stepping in the chemicals. And so, you know, here they are. They've got this, this tank that is now sticking out like a sore thumb because it's freshly painted, it has the decals on it. It's like been, you know, moved to this barn. And so what do they do? They put it on a flatbed and haul it to the Ambassador Bridge. Because where can you X ray giant items but at customs at the Canadian United States border.
[08:47]
B
At the border.
[08:48]
C
Right. And they did it. And. And then there was the silhouette, you know, of. Of Dee, which.
[08:54]
D
Who.
[08:54]
C
I mean, I like, I haven't seen many stories, cases like this where I agree, you make a discovery like that and someone was that diabolical, and there she is in a tank in her pajamas.
[09:06]
B
Yeah, no, you know, that was. That outline of her body is chilling. Because the thing is, like, a lot of times when law enforcement finds a body, it doesn't really look like a body anymore, you know. Yeah, but this did preserved. This looked like exactly like the silhouette of a body.
[09:27]
C
She didn't have the elements, you know, that bodies usually face. You know, they. Who knows? I don't know if the chemicals preserved her at all, but being in that tank, she was pristine.
[09:38]
B
I thought your interviews were really good in the story.
[09:42]
D
Thank you.
[09:42]
E
Thank you.
[09:43]
B
Your interview with the family, I thought was really, really great.
[09:46]
C
Yeah, they were, they were.
[09:47]
B
They were good.
[09:49]
C
Really nice down home, you know, farmers, as you would expect, business people. Really great, really great people. We did have an incident outside of the barn where I was trying to interview Greg and Dale's brother was out in the field doing plowing the field, and the tractor came by the interview and coated us with a very, very heavy coating of dust to the point where we had to stop the interview. And I was breathing in dust and it was going in my eyes and I was coughing. I was like, my eyes hurt. But yeah, that was the first time I've been dust bombed by someone involved in a story. Did you like my plaid dress, Josh?
[10:33]
B
I liked your. I thought you had exactly the right wardrobe for this one.
[10:37]
C
I kind of just, you know what? I was like, why not try something different? Now, of course, Greg and Shelly. Greg shows up in a suit, and Shelly's dressed beautifully, and I'm in the plaid dress.
[10:48]
B
And you look like a country and western star. You know, this is a. This might be interesting for Dateline viewers and listeners, which is, you know,
[11:01]
D
what
[11:01]
B
to wear in interviews is sort of an ongoing discussion at all times with all correspondence. You know, you don't want to look much more formal than the people you're interviewing. Right. I mean, if they're wearing T shirts, you don't want to come in, you know, wearing a suit and tie. Right. You know, you also don't want to look sort of disrespectfully casual to people who, you know, might be, maybe have dressed up for their only Lifetime TV appearance. But like, you know, when I generally, when I'm interviewing defense attorneys or prosecutors, it's always safe to wear a suit and tie.
[11:41]
C
Oh, yes, absolutely. Yeah.
[11:43]
B
Much harder is when you're in the home or you're sitting across from the family of the, of the, of the victim, you, you want to wear something that doesn't make them feel uncomfortable. You want to feel, you know, accessible and approachable. And sometimes a suit can be kind of a barrier to that. So I, I, yeah, sometimes don't do that. I mean, you know, not all of us can, you know, throw on, you know, Converse All Stars. I mean, you know, some people.
[12:14]
C
Who are we talking about here?
[12:15]
B
Look, it's a personal call for all of us at Dateline. Well, almost all of us.
[12:23]
C
Let's just say, yes, we love you, Keith, and we love your style. It's what makes him Keith, Josh.
[12:35]
B
It is what makes him Keith.
[12:37]
C
People love the Converse. He's cool. He's cool, right? He is cool, though. And I'm not saying that to be like, I'm actually saying I think he's cool.
[12:45]
B
Oh, no, Keith is effortlessly. It's Keith's world. We just live in it always. Yes. Okay, so when we get back, we have an extra clip about a psychic's visit to the Warner's house and what she believes happened to Dee inside.
[13:06]
A
When it comes to affordable, convenient graduate education, Southern New Hampshire University delivers, offering career focused master's programs, online courses with no set class times, and some of the lowest online tuition rates in the U.S. southern New Hampshire University makes going back to school possible. Ready to add master's degree to your resume? Visit snhu. Edu Dateline to get started. That's snhu.
[13:35]
B
Edu.
[13:39]
D
Mazda has been named Consumer Reports safest new car brand. It starts with our approach. Every Mazda comes standard with proactive safety features so you're more aware of what's around you, more focused on the road ahead, and ready before problems ever start Mazda. More of what matters most to you. Go to mazdausa.com to learn more. Consumer Reports does not endorse or promote any product. Grainger knows when you're a procurement manager for an office park you're not managing one building, you're managing all of them. And to stay ahead, you need to see through walls and around corners. Lights about to fail. Filters ready to clog H Vac on its last leg. If you wait until something breaks, you're already behind. Count on Grainger for quality products, easy reordering and 24. 7 support. Call 1-800-Grainger click granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.
[14:41]
B
So let's talk a little about, about D and Dale. You know, I love the idea that she was both sort of, you know, rugged and, you know, perfectly comfortable, you know, in boots and Carhartt and also, you know, dressed up in a, in a boardroom. Yeah. And also leopard print, right?
[15:00]
C
Cheetah, Leopard everywhere. Yeah, Yeah. I mean, didn't you love the image of that? Dee wouldn't, you know, go to the gas station without full hair and makeup. And she had her daughter, her little mini me, who also wore the cheetah. And, you know, and Dee just sounds like a riot on the farm.
[15:20]
B
So often on Dateline, I hear about the people who are no longer with us. And as their family and friends are describing them, one of the things I think to myself is, man, I wish I knew them because they sound like a blast. And Dee is one of those people. I am positive that if we all sat down for lunch, we would have a terrific time.
[15:42]
C
Yeah, I'd like to have a strawberry daiquiri with Dee, just have a drink, talk.
[15:49]
B
I think we have fun and swap some stories.
[15:52]
C
Absolutely. Fashion advice.
[15:57]
B
So she and Dale both left their spouses to marry each other, and then their spouses who had been dumped end up marrying each other. And then, you know, and then Dee and Dale are together and she's sort of doing the business part of it and he's kind of handling the hands on part of it. And they build this like, very successful multi business empire.
[16:31]
C
Yeah. And it was, it was struggling there near the end, they. Because Dale did a lot of the, you know, the, the hard labor, the farming. Dee handled the employees. She handled the trucking company, which was hers, her baby. But, you know, while, while they had a lot of land, so they were, they were definitely rich with property. The farming side of the business was struggling and that's why Dee was ready to just get out. She was just done.
[17:02]
B
And what I remember is that she was telling people that if she left, she was going to take the trucking business for herself since she had sort of built that herself. And that Was that was the part of the business that was making the most money.
[17:17]
E
Yeah.
[17:18]
C
And I think there's definitely some more reporting to do on that, because I don't think it was quite that simple because they were married. I don't know that there was a prenup. So Dale might have been entitled to some of that. I'm not really sure, you know, how many searches.
[17:36]
B
How many times they searched that property before somebody figured out, like, maybe we should, like, drag that tank to the Canadian border and X ray it?
[17:47]
C
I mean, I'm sure they've. They probably lost count of how many times they searched. The one person who the family says did not search was her husband, Dale.
[17:58]
B
So I. I will say, I mean, that is. That is sort of the brightest of red flags in a lot of episodes of Dateline is not just who searches for the missing person, but who does not.
[18:09]
D
Who does not.
[18:10]
B
You've seen that or. No, I've seen. I've seen that before, and I know you have, too.
[18:14]
C
Right. Or who doesn't show up to the press conference, you know, with the family who's, you know, trying to get help from the public. That's always a red flag to me, too. I mean, if you. If you love this person and this is your spouse, the mother of your child, you know the farm better than anybody. It's your farm, and you're not looking according to the family. I mean, that's just unacceptable and bizarre.
[18:40]
B
Right. So let's talk about hiring a psychic now. You know, in law enforcement, the use of psychics is one of those things that's kind of cyclical. There are times when it's very much not in vogue. And then there are times when you hear investigators, particularly lead investigators, say, I don't really want to leave any stone unturned here. And we've tried a bunch of things. I mean, it's certainly not the first thing you do, but it is something that investigators sometimes do when they feel like they're kind of coming up blank on all the usual avenues.
[19:24]
C
Yeah, I mean, I don't know how effective they are. I certainly wouldn't turn it down. If I had a loved one missing and a psychic wanted to help, I probably would welcome any help I could get. I think.
[19:37]
B
I think that I would be saying that to police if I. If it's my family, I'd be like, wait, that's where we are now. You know, we're turning to the supernatural. Like, you guys are. You're out of bullets. That's it. But on the Other hand, there is no question. And there's plenty of anecdotal evidence of psychics actually helping in investigations. And there's also plenty of evidence that they. They were wrong about things.
[20:01]
C
But, right. I mean, I say it can't hurt. In this case, the psychic reached out to the family, and the family felt like, you know, we're desperate at this point. We're happy to hear what you have to say. And we actually have some extra sound with Dee's nephew Parker, who talks about the psychic coming on the farm.
[20:19]
B
Let's listen to that.
[20:21]
F
I was put in contact with a lady named Kathy. And I said, kathy, I said, I'll be just completely honest with you. I don't want to offend you. I said, I just don't. I've never had any psychic experience or never really believed in it, to be honest. But I said, I will tell you that I am so desperate to find my aunt that I'll do anything at this point. And so my mother and I went down to Dee's house with her, and she said, you can record me, but you can never guide me. She said, I don't want you to guide me. I don't want you to say a word. She said, you have to be completely mute. And so I said, okay. And so I turned on my recorder, on my phone, and we just followed her. And my mother, before this had even happened, had this theory of what happened to Dee. And the theory was that something happened upstairs by the Murphy door. She was either pushed or shoved or drugged down the stairs, and then she was drug out the sliding glass door. And we didn't know the rest of the story at that point. Well, Kathy walks in this house and completely reiterates that story without even knowing it. She said, why do I feel drug out that door? The very door that we said that we thought she was drug out. And so this woman became Dee. I can't even explain it. We got through kind of that reading, and she would go upstairs and she felt lots of pain to her head by the Murphy door. And basically meaning like she had been beaten. And then she said, why do I feel drugged down these stairs? And why do I feel drugged out these doors? And she just went all around the house and just had this reading of Dee.
[22:10]
G
Wow.
[22:10]
C
Well, Dee. The medical examiner said Dee had blunt force trauma to the head. And they also believe that a front loader vehicle pulled up to the doors of the house. This is what they believe. Cause some deputies saw big tracks by the door. So they think that Dale Pulled her out of the house and put her in the front loader and took her to the barn where the safe was, put her in the safe, this giant safe, and then eventually moved her to the tank. So the, you know, this information was not out when the psychic was there.
[22:51]
B
Right. So. And it, I mean, and does fit. It does fit. You know, it's certainly provocative. Years and years ago here in Los Angeles. This is like going back more than a quarter century. A friend of mine told me that she was going to go to a psychic reading and asked if I wanted to come along. And I was like, sure. So I went and we walked in with, to this place with this, with, with this, the psychic and this woman did not even know my name. And I was on local television in la, but I mean, this was way before Dateline. I was not a well known face. I'm pretty sure she didn't know me or what I did for a living. And she told me a bunch of things that were going to happen in my life, none of which have happened yet, but also they haven't been disproven either. I'm not going to go into what they are. They were not.
[23:52]
C
Wait, why?
[23:54]
B
Well, they were not important, major things, but they were sort of smaller, smaller things that might or might not be true. But one amazing thing happened was she said to me at the end, is there anything you want to ask me? And I said, well, my car got stolen the day before yesterday and I'm kind of interested as to whether or not, yeah, I'm gonna get my car back. Because also my, my briefcase was in the car and so I lost a lot of valuable stuff in there. I wasn't as concerned about the car and I didn't even tell her anything about like what kind of car it was or where it was, right. And she said to me in front of Aardvarks, which was the name of the children's clothing store in Hollywood where I had parked it. And I was like, yeah. And she said, yeah, there's a balcony above Aardvarks for some other stores. She goes, they were standing up there and they were watching you as you parked. And so of course I went back there and, and there is a balcony up above Aardvarks. And maybe somebody was there that I gotta say was weird. And there's incredible. Absolutely. There is no way she could have known that otherwise.
[25:08]
C
Did you get your car back?
[25:10]
B
I did get my car back, but I didn't get my briefcase back. And the car had been significantly damaged by the time I did get it back. Yeah.
[25:20]
C
I went to a psychic with my mom and I was single. And I think the question was like, will I find someone? Or whatever. And the psychic said, your future husband is up in the air. And I was like, oh, well, that's nice. I mean, that's vague, right?
[25:37]
E
Come on.
[25:37]
C
But Josh, Josh, I married a fighter pilot.
[25:41]
B
I know he was up in the
[25:43]
C
air at that time.
[25:44]
B
Yes.
[25:44]
C
He probably literally was up in the air. So that was kind of cool.
[25:49]
B
Come on. That's perfect. Yeah. Now, you know, the only thing that the psychic said is that you will one day work with a tall, white haired man who will resent you deeply and try to undermine you at every turn. And that hasn't really. That hasn't really happened.
[26:08]
C
Did they say that he would wear Converse?
[26:10]
B
I think they did mention that, actually. Yeah. Yeah, she could really see into the future. All right, anyway, back to real life here. Dale was arrested before Dee's body was found.
[26:24]
C
Yeah, they really went out on a limb arresting him without the body. I mean, that was, that was a bold move by the prosecutor, but the family wanted them to go. The prosecutor to go forward. The prosecutor felt that they could do this. And, you know, it was a miracle that they found Dee. It obviously just helped their case immensely and propelled them into that trial, you know, to a, to a guilty verdict.
[26:53]
B
So when we come back, we're going to answer some questions from social media, but we're going to be answering them with the producer of this episode, not with you, because. Let me guess, you're going up in the air with your husband.
[27:07]
C
I am going on assignment, Josh. I'll be shooting a new dateline that'll.
[27:14]
B
That'll make viewers and listeners very happy. Andrea, thank you.
[27:18]
C
Thanks.
[27:19]
B
Coming up next, I will be joined by Dateline producer Sergey Ivanin to talk about this episode and to answer your questions from social media. This episode is supported by FX's the Shards, a seductive drama from executive producer Ryan Murphy. Set in 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows a group of glamorous, deeply entangled high school seniors drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties and excess.
[27:48]
F
At.
[27:49]
B
At its center is Brett, whose reality begins to unravel when the arrival of a new student coincides with a series of mysterious murders. FX's the Shards premieres August 5th on FX and Hulu. Hey, I've got the campaign brief ready. Built from last quarter's data and the competitive landscape.
[28:07]
D
Approved. Oh, agents, where would we be without you?
[28:10]
B
Somewhere with a lot more tabs open.
[28:13]
D
Create your first Monday agent in minutes@Monday.com
[28:17]
H
traditional home security only alerts you after a break in and that's too late. Simplisafe is changing that.
[28:23]
B
Stop. This is Simplisafe.
[28:25]
F
Police are on the way.
[28:26]
H
We don't just alert, we stop crime before it starts. Simplisafe plans starting around a dollar a day. Save 50% on your new system with professional monitoring at simplisafe.com sxm or with promo code sxm Outdoor deterrence requires a
[28:40]
F
Simplisafe active guard outdoor protection plan starting at 49.99amonth.
[28:42]
B
Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information.
[28:44]
F
Tennessee 2012.
[28:50]
B
Welcome back. And we're joined by Sergey Ivanen, producer of this episode. And let's go right to social media. Here's an audio question. So let's listen to that.
[29:01]
G
My name is Jen Smith. I've been a long time watcher and I was struck by the initial responding officer. It seems like he responded to the call and questioned Dale and seemed to accept what Dale was saying at face value. So my question is, did he walk through the house? Did he walk through the outbuildings? Because since Dee was determined to have not been placed in the tank for a number of days, it seems like if he had shown up willing to treat the initial missing persons call as a crime, then he may have seen some indications of foul play. Thanks again for your show. Watch and listen to it constantly. No, live 10, 15 hours a day.
[29:52]
B
Sergei, you above or below 10 or 15 hours a day of Dateline?
[29:56]
E
I think she beats me on that for sure.
[30:00]
B
Yeah. Okay, so that's an interesting question because a lot of times when law enforcement, when they do a welfare check, I think they generally expect fact. It's going to turn out that it was much ado about nothing. I mean, I did one, I did a story a few months ago in which the, the officer was looking in the windows of the house and he's whistling while he does it because he's like, you know, this is, you know, this is not a dangerous thing that I'm doing and it's not going to go anywhere. And then of course, it turns out he sees a body and he calls medical right away. So what about that? You know, you think officers maybe sort of were fooled by Dale early on? I mean, he certainly had a little time to sort of perfect his story.
[30:46]
E
Well, yeah, Josh, the short version of it, the deputy treated this as a grown woman who'd walked out after a fight. This is not a crime scene. This is a missing person because the story that Dale tells him is that there's nothing on the surface that contradicts it. And also remember that Dee did this before. After a fight, she would go to the lake house. She would disappear for a couple of days. So when Austin Hall, Deputy Austin hall of the Lenaway county shows up, he just responds to a missing person. So nothing really tips him off that there's foul, something foul at play here.
[31:24]
B
Right. And, you know, that's one of the things that families of missing people hear all the time, which is this person's an adult and they can do whatever they want. And so all the families that I cover on Missing in America, they run into that and then they say the same thing, which is, yeah, I get that you don't understand. I'm telling you, my daughter, sister, husband, friend would not be out of touch like this for no reason. Right. And again, D might have left. She might have left Dale, she might have walked out of the property, but. But not without that little girl. So now a question about exactly that, about Dale and D's daughter, Angelina. Alexis, FDT wants to know, I'd like to know who's raising the little girl. I'm assuming a sister. Is that assumption correct?
[32:15]
E
That assumption is not correct. Angelina is being raised by the Warner side of the family.
[32:22]
B
Was there a battle over that?
[32:26]
E
Not to my knowledge. Because, you know, when Dee goes missing, it's not a crime at the time. She stays with the father until he's later charged and convicted of murder, and then.
[32:37]
B
And then he just calls his relatives and hands her over.
[32:42]
E
Exactly. So essentially, Angelina lost both of her parents. Right. So that's a, that's a real tragedy in cases like that. And unfortunately, we do see that quite often when we cover stories like this.
[32:57]
B
Sergey, thank you for joining us on Talking dateline. Come back anytime.
[33:00]
E
Thanks, Josh. Good to be here.
[33:02]
B
Well, that's it for Talking DATELINE for this week. Thanks, everybody, for listening. And remember, if you have any questions about our stories or about anything else, you can write to us on social media at datelinenbc. You can also leave us a voicemail at 212-413-5252 for a chance to be featured right here on Talking Dateline. You can also watch the video version of Talking Dateline on Peacock or YouTube or you can subscribe to the NBC News app. Also, please check out my new podcast, Missing in America. This is season five of that. We take a look at six missing person cases. First two episodes are out now, and you can listen wherever you get your podcasts. And also for more on Dee Warner's case, you can check out season one, episode six of Missing in America. We'll have a link to that in the description of this episode. We'll see you Fridays on Dateline on NBC.
[34:05]
H
In the US there's a break in every 26 seconds, but when intruders step near SimpliSafe, home security steps up.
[34:12]
B
Stop. This is Simplisafe.
[34:14]
F
Police are on the way.
[34:15]
H
Using AI alerts, US based live agents help deter break ins. SimpliSafe no long term contracts. Save 50% on your new system with professional monitoring at simplisafe.com sxm or with promo code sxm.
[34:27]
F
Outdoor deterrence requires a Simplisafe Active Guard
[34:29]
B
Outdoor Protection plan starting at $49.99 a month. Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information.
[34:34]
F
Tennessee2012.

Summary6 min read

Talking Dateline: The Day Dee Disappeared

Podcast: Dateline NBC
Air Date: August 5, 2026
Hosts: Josh Mankiewicz, Andrea Canning
Guest Producer: Sergey Ivanen

Episode Overview

This episode of "Talking Dateline" delves into the harrowing case of Dee Warner, a successful Michigan farmer and businesswoman whose 2021 disappearance led to an investigation that gripped her community and her family. Dee’s case is unusual in Dateline history, as it was covered simultaneously by two correspondents for different platforms. Hosts Josh Mankiewicz and Andrea Canning discuss the challenging search, the “diabolical” methods devised by Dee’s husband Dale, the role of family advocacy, and how law enforcement finally unraveled the mystery. The episode also includes a unique segment on the involvement of a psychic, reflections on reporting style, and a Q&A segment with episode producer Sergey Ivanen.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Case Recap: The Disappearance of Dee Warner

[01:34-02:58]
- Dee Warner, a prominent local farmer and businesswoman, disappeared in April 2021.
- From early on, suspicion fell on her husband, Dale Warner.
- Dee’s body was not found for years, yet Dale was arrested in November 2023 and ultimately convicted—before her body was found hidden in a fertilizer tank on their property.

Quote:

“It seemed impossible to imagine that Dee Warner was not on that property somewhere. I mean, everything she had was there... She was somewhere on that property.” – Josh, [02:29]

2. Search Challenges & Dale's Plan

[03:35-06:01]
- The Warner property was vast, with acres to cover; authorities used drones, dogs, and extensive manpower.
- Dale's plan involved concealing Dee in a large fertilizer tank, leveraging his knowledge as a farmer to mislead the search.
- Investigators faced psychological barriers due to fears about hazardous chemicals and explosions linked to the tank.

Quote:

“They use drones, they use dogs... they just could not find her. And that's where Dale's diabolical plan was working for a long time with the tank.” – Andrea, [04:44]

“He's brazen... if she wasn't in that one that he was moving at that moment, she was in another identical tank like that.” – Josh, [06:33]

3. The Investigation Unfolds

[06:43-09:26]
- Crucial details emerged years later when Dee’s brother Greg recounted seeing Dale working on a tank, triggering further investigation.
- Law enforcement moved the tank to the Canadian border for X-ray imaging, which revealed Dee’s silhouette inside.
- The use of chemicals and misdirection by Dale prolonged the discovery.

Quote:

“The family, the police... all the clues were there. They just weren't seeing them yet in the way they needed to see them. ...Then suddenly the puzzle comes into focus.” – Andrea, [06:43]

“That outline of her body is chilling. ...this looked exactly like the silhouette of a body.” – Josh, [09:06]

4. Family, Atmosphere, and Reporting

[09:42-12:45]
- Andrea highlights the closeness of Dee’s family and recounts challenges filming at the farm—including being “dust-bombed” by Dale’s brother.
- The hosts discuss how wardrobe choices impact the interview atmosphere and rapport with subjects, referencing Dateline’s unique reporting styles.

Memorable Moment:

“That was the first time I've been dust-bombed by someone involved in a story.” – Andrea, [09:48]

5. Dee’s Personality and the Couple’s Background

[14:40-16:31]
- Dee is remembered as both rugged and glamorous—comfortable in farm gear but also never leaving home without her hair and makeup done.
- Both Dee and Dale left previous spouses for each other, and their ex-spouses, in turn, married each other.
- Their business empire was successful but under strain before Dee disappeared; she had been planning to keep the trucking business if she left.

Quote:

“Didn’t you love the image of that? Dee wouldn’t, you know, go to the gas station without full hair and makeup. ...Dee just sounds like a riot on the farm.” – Andrea, [15:00]

6. Red Flags & Community Response

[17:47-18:40]
- Dale notably did not participate in searches for Dee—a major red flag to both family and law enforcement.

Quote:

“That is sort of the brightest of red flags... not just who searches for the missing person, but who does not.” – Josh, [17:57]

7. The Psychic’s Role

[18:40-22:51]
- Dee’s nephew Parker recounts a psychic’s visit (Kathy) that eerily matched the family’s private theories about how Dee was moved after her death.
- The psychic described details—such as Dee being dragged through specific doors—before the information was public or even known to the family.
- The psychic’s details later aligned with the autopsy and physical evidence: blunt force trauma and use of farm equipment to transport Dee’s body.

Quote:

“This woman became Dee. I can't even explain it. ...She said, why do I feel dragged out that door? ...She felt lots of pain to her head by the Murphy door.” – Parker, [21:00]

8. Reflections on Psychics (Personal Anecdotes)

[22:51-26:10]
- Both hosts share stories of consulting psychics in the past, reflecting on skepticism balanced by surprising accuracy.

Memorable Moment:

“The psychic said, 'Your future husband is up in the air.' ...I married a fighter pilot.” – Andrea, [25:37]

9. The Arrest and Legal Implications

[26:10-26:52]
- Dale was arrested and ultimately convicted even before Dee’s body was found—a risky but successful move by prosecutors.

Quote:

“They really went out on a limb arresting him without the body. ...But the family wanted them to go. The prosecutor to go forward.” – Andrea, [26:24]

10. Listener Q&A with Producer Sergey Ivanen

Key questions:

[29:01-31:24]
- Why did initial officers not investigate more thoroughly?
  - The missing-persons call was treated as routine; Dee had disappeared before. Initial officer saw “no contradiction on the surface.”
[31:24-32:41]
- Who is now raising Dee’s daughter Angelina?
  - She’s being raised by the Warner (Dale’s) side of the family. No significant custody battle was noted.

Quote:

“Angelina lost both of her parents. ...That’s a real tragedy... and unfortunately, we do see that quite often when we cover stories like this.” – Sergey, [32:56]

Notable Quotes

“It gives you chills when you think about someone going to those lengths to hide a body.” – Andrea, [05:28]
“It's Keith's world. We just live in it.” – Josh, (on Keith Morrison’s style), [12:45]
“So often on Dateline, I hear about the people who are no longer with us... I wish I knew them because they sound like a blast. And Dee is one of those people.” – Josh, [15:20]

Important Timestamps

[01:34] – Case summary and recap
[04:44] – Search challenges and Dale’s tactics
[06:43] – Details about discovering Dee’s body
[09:48] – Memorable production anecdote (“dust bombing”)
[15:00] – Dee’s personality and family memories
[17:47] – Spotlight on Dale’s absence from searches
[20:21] – Parker discusses the psychic reading
[26:24] – Legal strategies: arrest before body found
[29:01] – Q&A: Law enforcement’s initial response
[32:14] – Q&A: Custody of Dee’s daughter

Tone and Style

The tone throughout is empathetic, grave, and sometimes conversationally light (especially when the hosts trade personal anecdotes or discuss wardrobe). The style balances the seriousness of the case with human interest, offering insight into the reporting process and the emotional toll for all involved.

Conclusion

This episode of "Talking Dateline" unpacks the meticulous investigation behind Dee Warner's disappearance and murder. It highlights the persistence of her family, the psychological and logistical challenges for law enforcement, and the “evil genius” of the perpetrator’s tactics. The involvement of a psychic adds a unique twist, and the show’s personal touches by the hosts bring depth and relatability—making this a memorable entry in the Dateline series.

Loading summary

Transcript134 lines

[00:00]
A
Insurance is not one size fits all. That's why drivers of trusted Progressive's name your price tool for years. Just tell Progressive what you want to pay and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Visit progressive.com to find a car insurance rate that works for you. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match, limited by state law with no fees or minimums on checking accounts. It's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about. In a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com BankGuy Capital One NA Member FDIC.
[01:02]
B
Hi, everybody. I'm Josh Mankiewicz and we're all here to play Password. Wait, sorry, different program. I'm Josh Mankiewicz and we're talking DATELINE today with Andrea. Hi, Andrea.
[01:17]
C
Hey, Josh.
[01:19]
B
So we're here to talk about Andrea's episode which is called the Day Dee Disappeared, which is actually one of the very few DATELINE stories that two Dateline correspondents covered. These two, both of us, you for
[01:32]
C
Missing in America and me for tv.
[01:34]
B
Yes. Now, if you've not seen this episode, you can watch it on Peacock, you can listen to it on the Dateline podcast feed and then come back here. And then later we have an extra clip about a psychics theory about what might have happened to Dee Warner. But first, let's talk Dateline. Now for, for anybody who did not see the broadcast, here's what you need to know. The victim was De Warner, and she was a success farmer and businesswoman. She was reported missing in April of 2021. Now, from very early on, investigators suspected her husband Dale had killed her. And they ended up arresting him in November of 2023, even though they had not found Dee's body. Her body was found much later and they found it on the property hidden in a fertilizer tank. Dale ended up being convicted at trial and he was sentenced to to 70 years behind bars. So, you know, one of the things that I thought was really interesting about this when I was looking at it for Missing in America is, you know, it seemed impossible to imagine that de Warner was not on that property somewhere. I mean, everything she had was there, her car was there. Like, like she didn't just go away. She was somewhere on that Property. It certainly seemed that way from the beginning.
[03:02]
C
That was the thought of most people close to the case. And one person from law enforcement told us, and we didn't include this in the show, but that they had actually had an FBI profiler looking at the case at one point who said that they believed that Dee was somewhere on the property and. And likely buried. So the buried part was not accurate, of course, but there. The. You know, what went into this theory by the FBI certainly panned out.
[03:36]
B
So when I was. When I was first working on this story, you know, I. I heard about this giant property on which Dee was missing, you know, because it's not just the. The buildings there, but obviously, you know, many, many, many more acres around it.
[03:52]
C
Yeah, it's huge.
[03:54]
B
When I saw the farm, I mean, it looks like a farm, like out of a movie. And. And I sort of didn't think of it as sort of that pristine and camera ready. It's interesting what your. What your mind does, because when I was hearing about it on Missing America, I was like, this is some, like, giant, sprawling property where the buildings are all a couple of mil. But that's not true. It's all kind of. The working part of it is actually concentrated, and then the fields are spread out around it.
[04:29]
C
Yeah. Acres and acres and acres of land. I mean, and it's beautifully kept, as you say, beautiful.
[04:38]
B
And all of that had to be searched because nobody knew where she was. But they strongly believe she was out there somewhere.
[04:45]
C
Yeah, and that's a. You know, it's such a daunting task. You know, they use drones, they use dogs. They had the PI Use drones, the state police used drones, the county police. I mean, they looked everywhere for her, and they just could not find her. And that's where Dale's diabolical plan was working for a long time with the tank.
[05:09]
B
You know, let's sort of put yourself in his mind. What do you think the end game was here? How was he gonna get away with this? Eventually he was gonna just dispose of the tank some, you know, sometime in future, just drive it off the property somewhere, bury it. I mean, break it open and move her again.
[05:28]
C
I mean, I don't know. There was a search he had done for how to move, you know, a very large tank. So, like, I don't know if he was planning on moving it at some point. It was, you know, his plan was working until it wasn't. It was. To me, it was sort of like this evil genius of, like, you know, I'm going to use My skills and cut this tank open and put her in. And, you know, it's pretty. Oh, like, it gives you chills when you think about someone going to those lengths.
[06:01]
B
Well, it really does.
[06:02]
C
To hide a body.
[06:03]
B
And, you know, it. I mean, it had so much more impact in your story than it did to me, you know, in my story, which is like seeing him moving that tank around right in front of investigators, that was just. That was just absolutely chilling.
[06:23]
C
I mean, he's brazen now. You know, no one knows 100% that the D was in the tank he was moving around. That was one of the defense's argument. But they believe that it was because
[06:34]
B
there are other tanks there.
[06:35]
C
Right, but there are a lot of tanks.
[06:37]
B
Right. If she wasn't in that one, that he was moving at that moment, she was in another identical tank like that.
[06:43]
C
Yeah. And, you know, it was. Everything was right in front of them. The family, the police. You know, all the clues were there. They just weren't seeing them yet in the way that they needed to see them. It's just, you know, how it goes, Josh, with these. The pieces aren't always put together for a while, and then suddenly the puzzle comes into focus, and you. You put your final piece in, and that's really. That's really what happened. And it was, you know, it was Greg going back Dee's brother and saying, you know, I remember Dale working on a tank, you know, and Parker said the same thing, and then kind of hit them years later. They were like, wait a second. What if. You know, what if the tank is. Has something to do with this? And then I found it so interesting how law enforcement was afraid to open the tank because, you know, what's in there? Is it going to explode? You know, are we going to die from chemical fumes? And. And, you know, and Dale had even talked about those chemicals during the early days, trying to keep, you know, saying, keep the cadaver dogs away. There's chemicals here. Like.
[07:50]
B
And I will say he did a good job of misdirection there, because, you know, I mean, the cops are certainly listening very carefully for anybody who says, yeah, you can search the entire property, but don't look in there, whatever you do. Right. I mean, they're trained to sort of pick up on that kind of thing. And he did a very good job of saying, like, look, I'm. You guys do what you need to do, but be careful. There are chemicals here, you know, with.
[08:15]
C
Right. And he even talked about his dogs, that they had issues with their paws, you know, Stepping in the chemicals. And so, you know, here they are. They've got this, this tank that is now sticking out like a sore thumb because it's freshly painted, it has the decals on it. It's like been, you know, moved to this barn. And so what do they do? They put it on a flatbed and haul it to the Ambassador Bridge. Because where can you X ray giant items but at customs at the Canadian United States border.
[08:47]
B
At the border.
[08:48]
C
Right. And they did it. And. And then there was the silhouette, you know, of. Of Dee, which.
[08:54]
D
Who.
[08:54]
C
I mean, I like, I haven't seen many stories, cases like this where I agree, you make a discovery like that and someone was that diabolical, and there she is in a tank in her pajamas.
[09:06]
B
Yeah, no, you know, that was. That outline of her body is chilling. Because the thing is, like, a lot of times when law enforcement finds a body, it doesn't really look like a body anymore, you know. Yeah, but this did preserved. This looked like exactly like the silhouette of a body.
[09:27]
C
She didn't have the elements, you know, that bodies usually face. You know, they. Who knows? I don't know if the chemicals preserved her at all, but being in that tank, she was pristine.
[09:38]
B
I thought your interviews were really good in the story.
[09:42]
D
Thank you.
[09:42]
E
Thank you.
[09:43]
B
Your interview with the family, I thought was really, really great.
[09:46]
C
Yeah, they were, they were.
[09:47]
B
They were good.
[09:49]
C
Really nice down home, you know, farmers, as you would expect, business people. Really great, really great people. We did have an incident outside of the barn where I was trying to interview Greg and Dale's brother was out in the field doing plowing the field, and the tractor came by the interview and coated us with a very, very heavy coating of dust to the point where we had to stop the interview. And I was breathing in dust and it was going in my eyes and I was coughing. I was like, my eyes hurt. But yeah, that was the first time I've been dust bombed by someone involved in a story. Did you like my plaid dress, Josh?
[10:33]
B
I liked your. I thought you had exactly the right wardrobe for this one.
[10:37]
C
I kind of just, you know what? I was like, why not try something different? Now, of course, Greg and Shelly. Greg shows up in a suit, and Shelly's dressed beautifully, and I'm in the plaid dress.
[10:48]
B
And you look like a country and western star. You know, this is a. This might be interesting for Dateline viewers and listeners, which is, you know,
[11:01]
D
what
[11:01]
B
to wear in interviews is sort of an ongoing discussion at all times with all correspondence. You know, you don't want to look much more formal than the people you're interviewing. Right. I mean, if they're wearing T shirts, you don't want to come in, you know, wearing a suit and tie. Right. You know, you also don't want to look sort of disrespectfully casual to people who, you know, might be, maybe have dressed up for their only Lifetime TV appearance. But like, you know, when I generally, when I'm interviewing defense attorneys or prosecutors, it's always safe to wear a suit and tie.
[11:41]
C
Oh, yes, absolutely. Yeah.
[11:43]
B
Much harder is when you're in the home or you're sitting across from the family of the, of the, of the victim, you, you want to wear something that doesn't make them feel uncomfortable. You want to feel, you know, accessible and approachable. And sometimes a suit can be kind of a barrier to that. So I, I, yeah, sometimes don't do that. I mean, you know, not all of us can, you know, throw on, you know, Converse All Stars. I mean, you know, some people.
[12:14]
C
Who are we talking about here?
[12:15]
B
Look, it's a personal call for all of us at Dateline. Well, almost all of us.
[12:23]
C
Let's just say, yes, we love you, Keith, and we love your style. It's what makes him Keith, Josh.
[12:35]
B
It is what makes him Keith.
[12:37]
C
People love the Converse. He's cool. He's cool, right? He is cool, though. And I'm not saying that to be like, I'm actually saying I think he's cool.
[12:45]
B
Oh, no, Keith is effortlessly. It's Keith's world. We just live in it always. Yes. Okay, so when we get back, we have an extra clip about a psychic's visit to the Warner's house and what she believes happened to Dee inside.
[13:06]
A
When it comes to affordable, convenient graduate education, Southern New Hampshire University delivers, offering career focused master's programs, online courses with no set class times, and some of the lowest online tuition rates in the U.S. southern New Hampshire University makes going back to school possible. Ready to add master's degree to your resume? Visit snhu. Edu Dateline to get started. That's snhu.
[13:35]
B
Edu.
[13:39]
D
Mazda has been named Consumer Reports safest new car brand. It starts with our approach. Every Mazda comes standard with proactive safety features so you're more aware of what's around you, more focused on the road ahead, and ready before problems ever start Mazda. More of what matters most to you. Go to mazdausa.com to learn more. Consumer Reports does not endorse or promote any product. Grainger knows when you're a procurement manager for an office park you're not managing one building, you're managing all of them. And to stay ahead, you need to see through walls and around corners. Lights about to fail. Filters ready to clog H Vac on its last leg. If you wait until something breaks, you're already behind. Count on Grainger for quality products, easy reordering and 24. 7 support. Call 1-800-Grainger click granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.
[14:41]
B
So let's talk a little about, about D and Dale. You know, I love the idea that she was both sort of, you know, rugged and, you know, perfectly comfortable, you know, in boots and Carhartt and also, you know, dressed up in a, in a boardroom. Yeah. And also leopard print, right?
[15:00]
C
Cheetah, Leopard everywhere. Yeah, Yeah. I mean, didn't you love the image of that? Dee wouldn't, you know, go to the gas station without full hair and makeup. And she had her daughter, her little mini me, who also wore the cheetah. And, you know, and Dee just sounds like a riot on the farm.
[15:20]
B
So often on Dateline, I hear about the people who are no longer with us. And as their family and friends are describing them, one of the things I think to myself is, man, I wish I knew them because they sound like a blast. And Dee is one of those people. I am positive that if we all sat down for lunch, we would have a terrific time.
[15:42]
C
Yeah, I'd like to have a strawberry daiquiri with Dee, just have a drink, talk.
[15:49]
B
I think we have fun and swap some stories.
[15:52]
C
Absolutely. Fashion advice.
[15:57]
B
So she and Dale both left their spouses to marry each other, and then their spouses who had been dumped end up marrying each other. And then, you know, and then Dee and Dale are together and she's sort of doing the business part of it and he's kind of handling the hands on part of it. And they build this like, very successful multi business empire.
[16:31]
C
Yeah. And it was, it was struggling there near the end, they. Because Dale did a lot of the, you know, the, the hard labor, the farming. Dee handled the employees. She handled the trucking company, which was hers, her baby. But, you know, while, while they had a lot of land, so they were, they were definitely rich with property. The farming side of the business was struggling and that's why Dee was ready to just get out. She was just done.
[17:02]
B
And what I remember is that she was telling people that if she left, she was going to take the trucking business for herself since she had sort of built that herself. And that Was that was the part of the business that was making the most money.
[17:17]
E
Yeah.
[17:18]
C
And I think there's definitely some more reporting to do on that, because I don't think it was quite that simple because they were married. I don't know that there was a prenup. So Dale might have been entitled to some of that. I'm not really sure, you know, how many searches.
[17:36]
B
How many times they searched that property before somebody figured out, like, maybe we should, like, drag that tank to the Canadian border and X ray it?
[17:47]
C
I mean, I'm sure they've. They probably lost count of how many times they searched. The one person who the family says did not search was her husband, Dale.
[17:58]
B
So I. I will say, I mean, that is. That is sort of the brightest of red flags in a lot of episodes of Dateline is not just who searches for the missing person, but who does not.
[18:09]
D
Who does not.
[18:10]
B
You've seen that or. No, I've seen. I've seen that before, and I know you have, too.
[18:14]
C
Right. Or who doesn't show up to the press conference, you know, with the family who's, you know, trying to get help from the public. That's always a red flag to me, too. I mean, if you. If you love this person and this is your spouse, the mother of your child, you know the farm better than anybody. It's your farm, and you're not looking according to the family. I mean, that's just unacceptable and bizarre.
[18:40]
B
Right. So let's talk about hiring a psychic now. You know, in law enforcement, the use of psychics is one of those things that's kind of cyclical. There are times when it's very much not in vogue. And then there are times when you hear investigators, particularly lead investigators, say, I don't really want to leave any stone unturned here. And we've tried a bunch of things. I mean, it's certainly not the first thing you do, but it is something that investigators sometimes do when they feel like they're kind of coming up blank on all the usual avenues.
[19:24]
C
Yeah, I mean, I don't know how effective they are. I certainly wouldn't turn it down. If I had a loved one missing and a psychic wanted to help, I probably would welcome any help I could get. I think.
[19:37]
B
I think that I would be saying that to police if I. If it's my family, I'd be like, wait, that's where we are now. You know, we're turning to the supernatural. Like, you guys are. You're out of bullets. That's it. But on the Other hand, there is no question. And there's plenty of anecdotal evidence of psychics actually helping in investigations. And there's also plenty of evidence that they. They were wrong about things.
[20:01]
C
But, right. I mean, I say it can't hurt. In this case, the psychic reached out to the family, and the family felt like, you know, we're desperate at this point. We're happy to hear what you have to say. And we actually have some extra sound with Dee's nephew Parker, who talks about the psychic coming on the farm.
[20:19]
B
Let's listen to that.
[20:21]
F
I was put in contact with a lady named Kathy. And I said, kathy, I said, I'll be just completely honest with you. I don't want to offend you. I said, I just don't. I've never had any psychic experience or never really believed in it, to be honest. But I said, I will tell you that I am so desperate to find my aunt that I'll do anything at this point. And so my mother and I went down to Dee's house with her, and she said, you can record me, but you can never guide me. She said, I don't want you to guide me. I don't want you to say a word. She said, you have to be completely mute. And so I said, okay. And so I turned on my recorder, on my phone, and we just followed her. And my mother, before this had even happened, had this theory of what happened to Dee. And the theory was that something happened upstairs by the Murphy door. She was either pushed or shoved or drugged down the stairs, and then she was drug out the sliding glass door. And we didn't know the rest of the story at that point. Well, Kathy walks in this house and completely reiterates that story without even knowing it. She said, why do I feel drug out that door? The very door that we said that we thought she was drug out. And so this woman became Dee. I can't even explain it. We got through kind of that reading, and she would go upstairs and she felt lots of pain to her head by the Murphy door. And basically meaning like she had been beaten. And then she said, why do I feel drugged down these stairs? And why do I feel drugged out these doors? And she just went all around the house and just had this reading of Dee.
[22:10]
G
Wow.
[22:10]
C
Well, Dee. The medical examiner said Dee had blunt force trauma to the head. And they also believe that a front loader vehicle pulled up to the doors of the house. This is what they believe. Cause some deputies saw big tracks by the door. So they think that Dale Pulled her out of the house and put her in the front loader and took her to the barn where the safe was, put her in the safe, this giant safe, and then eventually moved her to the tank. So the, you know, this information was not out when the psychic was there.
[22:51]
B
Right. So. And it, I mean, and does fit. It does fit. You know, it's certainly provocative. Years and years ago here in Los Angeles. This is like going back more than a quarter century. A friend of mine told me that she was going to go to a psychic reading and asked if I wanted to come along. And I was like, sure. So I went and we walked in with, to this place with this, with, with this, the psychic and this woman did not even know my name. And I was on local television in la, but I mean, this was way before Dateline. I was not a well known face. I'm pretty sure she didn't know me or what I did for a living. And she told me a bunch of things that were going to happen in my life, none of which have happened yet, but also they haven't been disproven either. I'm not going to go into what they are. They were not.
[23:52]
C
Wait, why?
[23:54]
B
Well, they were not important, major things, but they were sort of smaller, smaller things that might or might not be true. But one amazing thing happened was she said to me at the end, is there anything you want to ask me? And I said, well, my car got stolen the day before yesterday and I'm kind of interested as to whether or not, yeah, I'm gonna get my car back. Because also my, my briefcase was in the car and so I lost a lot of valuable stuff in there. I wasn't as concerned about the car and I didn't even tell her anything about like what kind of car it was or where it was, right. And she said to me in front of Aardvarks, which was the name of the children's clothing store in Hollywood where I had parked it. And I was like, yeah. And she said, yeah, there's a balcony above Aardvarks for some other stores. She goes, they were standing up there and they were watching you as you parked. And so of course I went back there and, and there is a balcony up above Aardvarks. And maybe somebody was there that I gotta say was weird. And there's incredible. Absolutely. There is no way she could have known that otherwise.
[25:08]
C
Did you get your car back?
[25:10]
B
I did get my car back, but I didn't get my briefcase back. And the car had been significantly damaged by the time I did get it back. Yeah.
[25:20]
C
I went to a psychic with my mom and I was single. And I think the question was like, will I find someone? Or whatever. And the psychic said, your future husband is up in the air. And I was like, oh, well, that's nice. I mean, that's vague, right?
[25:37]
E
Come on.
[25:37]
C
But Josh, Josh, I married a fighter pilot.
[25:41]
B
I know he was up in the
[25:43]
C
air at that time.
[25:44]
B
Yes.
[25:44]
C
He probably literally was up in the air. So that was kind of cool.
[25:49]
B
Come on. That's perfect. Yeah. Now, you know, the only thing that the psychic said is that you will one day work with a tall, white haired man who will resent you deeply and try to undermine you at every turn. And that hasn't really. That hasn't really happened.
[26:08]
C
Did they say that he would wear Converse?
[26:10]
B
I think they did mention that, actually. Yeah. Yeah, she could really see into the future. All right, anyway, back to real life here. Dale was arrested before Dee's body was found.
[26:24]
C
Yeah, they really went out on a limb arresting him without the body. I mean, that was, that was a bold move by the prosecutor, but the family wanted them to go. The prosecutor to go forward. The prosecutor felt that they could do this. And, you know, it was a miracle that they found Dee. It obviously just helped their case immensely and propelled them into that trial, you know, to a, to a guilty verdict.
[26:53]
B
So when we come back, we're going to answer some questions from social media, but we're going to be answering them with the producer of this episode, not with you, because. Let me guess, you're going up in the air with your husband.
[27:07]
C
I am going on assignment, Josh. I'll be shooting a new dateline that'll.
[27:14]
B
That'll make viewers and listeners very happy. Andrea, thank you.
[27:18]
C
Thanks.
[27:19]
B
Coming up next, I will be joined by Dateline producer Sergey Ivanin to talk about this episode and to answer your questions from social media. This episode is supported by FX's the Shards, a seductive drama from executive producer Ryan Murphy. Set in 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows a group of glamorous, deeply entangled high school seniors drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties and excess.
[27:48]
F
At.
[27:49]
B
At its center is Brett, whose reality begins to unravel when the arrival of a new student coincides with a series of mysterious murders. FX's the Shards premieres August 5th on FX and Hulu. Hey, I've got the campaign brief ready. Built from last quarter's data and the competitive landscape.
[28:07]
D
Approved. Oh, agents, where would we be without you?
[28:10]
B
Somewhere with a lot more tabs open.
[28:13]
D
Create your first Monday agent in minutes@Monday.com
[28:17]
H
traditional home security only alerts you after a break in and that's too late. Simplisafe is changing that.
[28:23]
B
Stop. This is Simplisafe.
[28:25]
F
Police are on the way.
[28:26]
H
We don't just alert, we stop crime before it starts. Simplisafe plans starting around a dollar a day. Save 50% on your new system with professional monitoring at simplisafe.com sxm or with promo code sxm Outdoor deterrence requires a
[28:40]
F
Simplisafe active guard outdoor protection plan starting at 49.99amonth.
[28:42]
B
Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information.
[28:44]
F
Tennessee 2012.
[28:50]
B
Welcome back. And we're joined by Sergey Ivanen, producer of this episode. And let's go right to social media. Here's an audio question. So let's listen to that.
[29:01]
G
My name is Jen Smith. I've been a long time watcher and I was struck by the initial responding officer. It seems like he responded to the call and questioned Dale and seemed to accept what Dale was saying at face value. So my question is, did he walk through the house? Did he walk through the outbuildings? Because since Dee was determined to have not been placed in the tank for a number of days, it seems like if he had shown up willing to treat the initial missing persons call as a crime, then he may have seen some indications of foul play. Thanks again for your show. Watch and listen to it constantly. No, live 10, 15 hours a day.
[29:52]
B
Sergei, you above or below 10 or 15 hours a day of Dateline?
[29:56]
E
I think she beats me on that for sure.
[30:00]
B
Yeah. Okay, so that's an interesting question because a lot of times when law enforcement, when they do a welfare check, I think they generally expect fact. It's going to turn out that it was much ado about nothing. I mean, I did one, I did a story a few months ago in which the, the officer was looking in the windows of the house and he's whistling while he does it because he's like, you know, this is, you know, this is not a dangerous thing that I'm doing and it's not going to go anywhere. And then of course, it turns out he sees a body and he calls medical right away. So what about that? You know, you think officers maybe sort of were fooled by Dale early on? I mean, he certainly had a little time to sort of perfect his story.
[30:46]
E
Well, yeah, Josh, the short version of it, the deputy treated this as a grown woman who'd walked out after a fight. This is not a crime scene. This is a missing person because the story that Dale tells him is that there's nothing on the surface that contradicts it. And also remember that Dee did this before. After a fight, she would go to the lake house. She would disappear for a couple of days. So when Austin Hall, Deputy Austin hall of the Lenaway county shows up, he just responds to a missing person. So nothing really tips him off that there's foul, something foul at play here.
[31:24]
B
Right. And, you know, that's one of the things that families of missing people hear all the time, which is this person's an adult and they can do whatever they want. And so all the families that I cover on Missing in America, they run into that and then they say the same thing, which is, yeah, I get that you don't understand. I'm telling you, my daughter, sister, husband, friend would not be out of touch like this for no reason. Right. And again, D might have left. She might have left Dale, she might have walked out of the property, but. But not without that little girl. So now a question about exactly that, about Dale and D's daughter, Angelina. Alexis, FDT wants to know, I'd like to know who's raising the little girl. I'm assuming a sister. Is that assumption correct?
[32:15]
E
That assumption is not correct. Angelina is being raised by the Warner side of the family.
[32:22]
B
Was there a battle over that?
[32:26]
E
Not to my knowledge. Because, you know, when Dee goes missing, it's not a crime at the time. She stays with the father until he's later charged and convicted of murder, and then.
[32:37]
B
And then he just calls his relatives and hands her over.
[32:42]
E
Exactly. So essentially, Angelina lost both of her parents. Right. So that's a, that's a real tragedy in cases like that. And unfortunately, we do see that quite often when we cover stories like this.
[32:57]
B
Sergey, thank you for joining us on Talking dateline. Come back anytime.
[33:00]
E
Thanks, Josh. Good to be here.
[33:02]
B
Well, that's it for Talking DATELINE for this week. Thanks, everybody, for listening. And remember, if you have any questions about our stories or about anything else, you can write to us on social media at datelinenbc. You can also leave us a voicemail at 212-413-5252 for a chance to be featured right here on Talking Dateline. You can also watch the video version of Talking Dateline on Peacock or YouTube or you can subscribe to the NBC News app. Also, please check out my new podcast, Missing in America. This is season five of that. We take a look at six missing person cases. First two episodes are out now, and you can listen wherever you get your podcasts. And also for more on Dee Warner's case, you can check out season one, episode six of Missing in America. We'll have a link to that in the description of this episode. We'll see you Fridays on Dateline on NBC.
[34:05]
H
In the US there's a break in every 26 seconds, but when intruders step near SimpliSafe, home security steps up.
[34:12]
B
Stop. This is Simplisafe.
[34:14]
F
Police are on the way.
[34:15]
H
Using AI alerts, US based live agents help deter break ins. SimpliSafe no long term contracts. Save 50% on your new system with professional monitoring at simplisafe.com sxm or with promo code sxm.
[34:27]
F
Outdoor deterrence requires a Simplisafe Active Guard
[34:29]
B
Outdoor Protection plan starting at $49.99 a month. Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information.
[34:34]
F
Tennessee2012.