Dateline: True Crime Weekly

Episode Date: February 19, 2026
Host: Lester Holt
Episode Focus: Michigan husband on trial for wife’s murder, the trial of a former college football player, and expert tips on stadium safety.

Episode Overview

This week’s episode, hosted by Lester Holt, dives deep into three major true crime stories making news:

1. The Michigan trial of Dale Warner, accused of murdering his wife Dee Warner and concealing her body on the family farm.
2. The long-awaited trial of Rashawn Jones, a former Miami Hurricanes football player, charged in the 20-year-old murder of teammate Bryan Pata.
3. Updates on major verdicts, including an au pair’s role in a double murder, and safety guidelines for attending large sports events.

1. Michigan Husband on Trial for Wife’s Murder

The Disappearance of Dee Warner (02:23–10:20)

Background

• Dee Warner: 52, mother, grandmother, and business owner, vanished April 25, 2021, from her Lenawee County, Michigan home.
• Dale Warner (husband): Claimed Dee had a history of leaving home voluntarily despite family insisting her disappearance was highly out of character.

Investigation

• Lester Holt (02:51): “Please listen closely to this story because it could be the key to unlocking the mystery of what really happened to Deanne Warner.”
• Investigators found Dale obsessively tracked Dee’s car’s GPS and OnStar, countering his claims of ignorance as to her whereabouts.
• Sergei Ivanin (03:56–04:29): “Dee was constantly on her phone…in regular contact with her family.”
• No camera footage showed Dee leaving the property.

Breakthrough

• In August 2024, after two years, Dee’s remains found in a welded, sealed anhydrous ammonia tank labeled “do not use” (05:46).
• Autopsy: strangulation and blunt force trauma.

The Trial

• Prosecution:

  • Rooted in digital evidence (GPS tracking), footage of Dale gathering welding supplies after Dee’s disappearance, and moving the tank during police searches.
  • Brad Davis (06:13): “Her face and neck were wrapped in duct tape. She was wrapped in a tarp, welded into a tank.”
  • Motive: Marital strife, control, and financial loss due to Dee’s threat of divorce and business sale.
  • Brad Davis (07:44): “She went home to tell her husband... that the marriage was over... She was never seen or heard from again.”

• Key Testimony:

  • Dee’s children painted a picture of an unhappy, tense marriage.
  • Vicki Nguyen (08:24):
    • Q: “What would [your mom] do?”
    • A: “Almost freeze.”

• Defense:

  • Argues lack of direct evidence; disputes children’s depiction of the marriage.
  • Vicki Nguyen (09:57): “Consider very carefully if what the government is actually presenting to you is actual evidence of murder or... speculation.”

• Expected trial duration: 7–9 weeks (10:13).

2. The Trial of Former College Football Player Rashawn Jones

The Bryan Pata Case (12:09–19:27)

The Murder

• In 2006, University of Miami defensive lineman Bryan Pata was shot in the back of the head outside his apartment after practice.
• Jay Young (13:49): “He was one of nine kids... big personality... destined to play in the NFL.”
• Lester Holt (12:53): “Two weeks before the game, the Hurricane's 22-year-old defensive lineman Bryan Pata had been shot... The murder made national headlines.”

Years with No Arrests

• Police interviewed 100+ people; no breaks for 15 years.
• Pata’s family pleaded for tips for over a decade.
  • Pata’s mother, 2017 (15:03): “We waited so long to find the answer, who killed my son.”

Revisiting the Case

• ESPN investigation leads to renewed scrutiny, revealing Rashawn Jones, teammate, as a longtime person of interest.
• Motive: Jealousy over playing time/girlfriend (Brian’s girlfriend Jada Brody also involved).

Evidence

• No significant forensic evidence from 2006.
• Key evidence:
  • A neighbor/professor at Brian’s apartment placed Jones at the scene, but as he’s now in his 80s with fading memory, only his pre-recorded video testimony will be used (16:53).
• Defense Concerns:
  • No opportunity to cross-examine the eyewitness.
  • Jones turned down 15-year plea deal: Jay Young (17:31):
    • “Dismissal is the only thing I’m willing to accept. Deep down in my heart, I know I’m innocent.”

In the Courtroom

• Family and friends fill the benches.
• Atmosphere described as ‘somber’ (17:56).
• Prosecution: Argues all evidence points to Jones.
  • Vicki Nguyen (18:30): “You will hear that... it kept coming back to one person.”
• Defense: Argues no new evidence justifies the indictment.
• Emotional burden for the Pata family after two decades.

3. Dateline Roundup: Recent Verdicts and Sentencing

The Brazilian Au Pair Double Murder (21:24–24:05)

• Case Details: Juliana Perez Magalhe, a Brazilian au pair, conspired with her lover, Brendan Banfield, to murder his wife and lure a man, Joe Ryan, for a setup and murder.
• Brad Davis (21:47): “She pleaded guilty to manslaughter for her role.”
• At sentencing, Joe Ryan's mother gave an emotional statement:
  • Vicki Nguyen (22:58): “So many sleepless nights. So many nightmares of his brutal murder... My son's life was seen as worthless and utterly disposable.”
• The judge imposed 10 years in prison + 2 years probation, rejecting the prosecution’s recommendation for time served.
  • Judge (paraphrased by Brad Davis, 23:31): “Until today, you have shown no empathy for the victim... Your actions were deliberate, self-serving, and demonstrated a profound disregard for human life.”

New Jersey Family Murders Verdict (24:05–25:20)

• Paul Canero: Found guilty of murdering his brother, brother’s wife, and nephews, after damning evidence recovered.
  • Sergei Ivanin (25:07): “No matter how hard you try... to explain it away or give alternative theories... he’s just guilty.”
• Jury verdict: Guilty on all 16 charges.
• Sentencing scheduled for May 12th.

Georgia Law Student Murder (25:39–26:15)

• Edric Fost: Convicted in 25-year-old cold case for the murder of Tara Baker.
• Lester Holt (26:06): “The jury finds the defendant on the following counts, count one, malice murder, guilty.”

4. Stadium & Event Safety Tips (27:06–30:39)

Expert: Vicki Nguyen

Common Crimes at Events

• Pickpocketing in and outside stadiums.
  • “You want to pay attention to the areas outside of those big events... people who are out there looking for you not to be paying attention.” (27:18)

Protection Strategies

• Leave valuables at home.
• Use anti-theft bags with slash-resistant material, locking zippers, and RFID-blocking pockets to deter card-skimming thieves.
• Be alert to group distractions used by thieves.

Violence in Stands

• Keep a positive attitude and avoid escalating tensions with rival fans (28:50).
• Know how to contact stadium security; use posted hotlines.

Emergency Preparedness

• Familiarize yourself with exits and seat maps before arriving (29:21).

Child Safety

• Dress kids in bright, easily identifiable clothing.
• Discuss who is responsible for watching the child.
• Teach kids to seek help from those in uniform or other families if separated, and rehearse safety scenarios.
  • Vicki Nguyen (29:48): “It is a gut punch because those kids are fast and next thing you know they’re not holding your hand anymore.”

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Dee Warner Case

• “Her face and neck were wrapped in duct tape. She was wrapped in a tarp, welded into a tank.”
  — Brad Davis (06:13)
• “Uncomfortable.”
  — Brad Davis, describing Dee’s reaction to Dale (08:24)
• “This isn’t the first time she’s done this, guys...”
  — Bodycam clip of Dale Warner (09:13)

On the Pata/Pata Family Case

• “We waited so long to find the answer, who killed my son.”
  — Mrs. Pata, mother of Bryan Pata (15:03)
• “Dismissal is the only thing I’m willing to accept. Deep down in my heart, I know I’m innocent.”
  — Rashawn Jones (17:31)
• "It was really somber. We had the Pata family sitting on one side of the courtroom… They took up practically half the courtroom."
  — Jay Young (17:56)

On Stadium Safety

• “This should not become a matter of life and death.”
  — Vicki Nguyen (06:17)
• “Do you really need to wear your fanciest jewelry or your best watch to this game or this concert?”
  — Vicki Nguyen (27:44)
• “If you get lost... I want you to look for someone who’s in a uniform. Or I want you to look for another mommy with kids.”
  — Vicki Nguyen (30:21)

6. Timestamps for Key Segments

• Michigan Husband on Trial: 02:23–10:20
• Miami University Football Murder (Pata Case): 12:09–19:27
• Sentencing and Verdict Roundup: 21:17–26:15
• Stadium Safety Tips: 27:06–30:39

For Updates

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