Episode Overview

Podcast: True Crime with Kendall Rae
Episode: Stalked by Her Ex Then She Vanished: Where Is Mother of Two Ashley Elkins?
Release Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Kendall Rae (Mile Higher Media & Audioboom Studios)

This episode explores the heartbreaking disappearance and presumed murder of Ashley Elkins, a 30-year-old mother of two from Warren, Michigan, who vanished in early 2025. Through in-depth storytelling, candid interviews with family members, and investigative updates, Kendall Rae shines a light on Ashley’s life, the chilling events leading to her disappearance, and her family’s ongoing fight for justice.

Main Theme and Purpose

Kendall Rae's episode is devoted to raising awareness about the case of Ashley Elkins—a story of domestic stalking, escalation to violence, and the devastating impact on surviving family, particularly Ashley's young sons. The episode aims not only to keep Ashley’s story in the public conversation (since her body still hasn’t been recovered and the trial is pending) but also to highlight red flags in abusive relationships and rally support for victims’ families.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Who was Ashley Elkins?

• Ashley, loving mother to two boys, was described as a quiet, joyful, and supportive presence in her family and friends’ lives.
• She worked hard for her children, launching a successful hairstyling business, "Locdin by the Loc Goddess."
• (05:01) "She was that type of person in your life that you could always go to for whatever it was. She loved to be there for people and people say that she was just a joy to be around." —Kendall Rae

2. The Day Ashley Disappeared

• January 2, 2025: Ashley left home around 8:30am, planning a short errand.
• By 8:40am, her mother Monica stopped by; everything seemed normal.
• A peculiar text response (“oh man”, lacking Ashley’s usual warmth) and ignored calls immediately concerned her mother, sensing something was wrong.
  • (12:20) "She replied back aw man, which is weird to me. So I FaceTimed her. She didn't answer… And she never called back, and she never text back." —Monica
• Family quickly noticed her last location was at ex-boyfriend DeAndre Booker’s apartment—a major red flag given his recent stalking behavior.

3. Pattern of Abuse and Stalking by DeAndre Booker

• DeAndre became controlling and jealous during their relationship, forcing Ashley to alter her business to accommodate his insecurities.
• After their breakup (September 2024), DeAndre continued to stalk Ashley, including showing up at her home under false pretenses two days before her disappearance.
• (14:06) "He was so insecure that he would not let her male clients come over to her house... Men like DeAndre are absolutely terrifying." —Kendall Rae
• Family realized the danger after reviewing his manipulative behaviors, multiple fake online accounts, and a past pattern of deception.
  • (18:45) "He was good with computers and doing things on them and making fake pages, making fake documents. We thought we knew him, but we really didn't." —Monica

4. The Immediate Aftermath and Discovery of Crime Scene

• Monica entered DeAndre's apartment (door left ajar) and found no one.
• Shortly after, DeAndre, realizing his apartment had been entered, called police, resulting in officers discovering a crime scene masked by cleaning products and an attempted cover-up.
  • (19:38) "He told police that he thought someone had broken in… But the officer… realized that this was the scene of a crime… all the signs inside DeAndre's apartment point to what sadly but likely happened to Ashley." —Kendall Rae
• Bleach, blood stains, missing shower curtain, mop with blood, gun, and trash bags found among evidence.

5. Investigation, Surveillance, and Timeline

• Ashley’s car was found at another apartment complex with keys inside.
• Surveillance footage showed Ashley voluntarily walking into DeAndre's apartment. Later, DeAndre and another woman (his niece, Payne Barksdale) were seen leaving in Ashley’s car.
• Footage captured DeAndre repeatedly discarding trash bags, presumed to contain Ashley’s remains, across several dumpsters.
• (28:18) "She voluntarily went up to his place. And let me be clear here, I'm not saying she wasn't manipulated... I just mean that in the video, it shows her walking up to his place on her own." —Kendall Rae

6. DeAndre’s Incriminating Behavior and Internet Searches

• DeAndre was arrested on charges unrelated to murder, as police built their case.
• His Google search history was both chilling and incriminating, documenting intent and premeditation.
  • (34:42) "Just listen to these Google searches... 'telling God, I want to kill someone.' ...'murder out of rage ex'... 'shoot gun through pillow'... 'Can you track location when phone is off?'... Even 'delete Google history.'" —Kendall Rae

7. Legal Proceedings and the "No Body" Challenge

• Despite Ashley’s body not being found, blood evidence and DNA in apartment and dumpsters allowed for murder charges.
• Massive landfill search proved unsuccessful; DNA in dumpsters and apartment clinched evidence.
• In August 2025, the preliminary hearing featured testimony from family, police, and DeAndre’s niece (Payne Barksdale), who helped unwittingly move Ashley’s car.
  • (45:40) "That is DeAndre and me." —Payne Barksdale, identifying herself in surveillance video
  • (49:26) "He asked me, if you turn the phone off, will anyone still see your location?" —Payne Barksdale
• DeAndre's disruptive courtroom behavior highlighted his lack of remorse and instability.
  • (40:33) "He refused to sit his ass down... stared at the people who testified, clearly just trying to intimidate them..." —Kendall Rae

8. Impact on Family and Call for Justice

• Family, especially her mother Monica and uncle Maurice (a former prosecutor), have fought tirelessly for Ashley and her boys.
  • (33:22) "There was a monster out there that took a very beautiful young lady away from us… It's just absolutely heartbreaking." —Maurice Morton
• (50:54) "I can't break down. I've been strong this whole time... now I gotta take care of my grandsons. So I decided to always just keep getting strong, but I get tired, overwhelmed, and I just want to thank everybody who helped me." —Monica
• Ongoing efforts include a GoFundMe page and support from Kendall’s HOPE foundation, emphasizing both practical support and the importance of awareness.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On mother's intuition:

  • (07:40) "I just have to say, side note, I think it's really eerie that she had that dream and it freaked her out enough that she felt the need to text Ashley about it. Not that the dream ends up being what happens, but just the fact that she... was worried for her safety. I don't know, I just think that's mother's intuition right there." —Kendall Rae

• On DeAndre’s duplicity:

  • (18:18) "We started realizing that something wasn't right with him." —Monica

• On the emotional toll:

  • (33:22) "If you heard the tears coming from her children tonight, it was... absolutely heartbreaking." —Maurice Morton

• On justice and community support:

  • (52:05) "I felt like I was alone and I didn't have anybody. And everybody showed me, I did, that there are still villages out here." —Monica

Important Timestamps (MM:SS)

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:00 | Introduction to Ashley Elkins and her character/life | | 12:20 | Monica describes the day Ashley vanished and their eerily brief text exchange | | 13:00 | Launch of the investigation and discovery of trip to DeAndre's apartment | | 18:45 | Monica on DeAndre’s pattern of fake social media profiles | | 19:38 | Crime scene is discovered at DeAndre's apartment | | 27:21 | Family reacts to police finding Ashley’s car and security footage | | 28:18 | Surveillance described; Ashley seen entering DeAndre's apartment | | 34:42 | DeAndre’s incriminating Google search history revealed | | 40:33 | Courtroom chaos and DeAndre's behavior during preliminary hearing | | 45:10 | Payne Barksdale testifies about moving Ashley’s car and her role in the case | | 49:26 | DeAndre asks Payne about phone tracking; more tech-related cover-up attempts | | 50:54 | Monica’s gratitude for community support and her challenge as caretaker | | 52:05 | Monica on the importance of community and surviving for her grandsons |

Tone and Language

Kendall Rae’s tone is empathetic, raw, and unfiltered—she advocates for Ashley and her family, openly expressing outrage at the perpetrator’s actions and deep sorrow for the loss. She uses a direct, conversational style, occasionally employing humor (“stupid criminal”) to castigate DeAndre while retaining utmost respect for the victim and survivors.

Family members speak with emotion, candor, and clarity, offering both factual insight and a window into their grief.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode provides a thorough, emotional, and detailed retelling of Ashley Elkins’ disappearance—perfect for those seeking not only the facts but the human story behind the headlines. Listeners will gain an understanding of the warning signs in abusive relationships, the failures of stalkers attempting to cover their crimes, and the resilience of the community rallying for Ashley’s memory and her sons’ future.

The unresolved search for Ashley’s remains and the pending legal process underscore the importance of continued public awareness, which Kendall Rae’s platform powerfully provides.

Support Ashley's Boys:
Find their GoFundMe page in the episode description if you'd like to help Ashley’s family.

Contact for Hope Grants:
Kendall’s foundation, Higher Hope, is actively reaching out to assist the family.

Justice for Ashley remains on the horizon. Sharing her story helps keep pressure for answers, accountability, and the hope of bringing her home.