ADRIAN — The Warner trial resumed Thursday morning with testimony from Michigan State Police Detective Lt. Daniel Dreher.
Dreher told the court he took over the investigation in August 2022 after assisting earlier in the case. He reviewed all prior reports, videos and physical evidence before conducting a December 2022 interview with defendant Dale Warner.
Jurors heard portions of that recorded interview, which focused on Warner’s marriage, business finances and his theory that his wife may have left voluntarily.
In the interview, Warner described financial strain tied to farming and trucking operations, large amounts of cash kept in a safe and tens of thousands of dollars he said were missing.
He also speculated that his wife could have traveled out of the country, though he acknowledged that was based on hindsight and personal belief.
Court proceedings were later interrupted when the judge ordered media outlets to remove online footage showing jurors, citing court rules prohibiting juror identification.
The trial recessed until 1:30 p.m. and is expected to continue with additional recorded interview evidence.