Talking Dateline: The Day Dee Disappeared

August 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

On a sprawling Michigan farm that looked like it belonged in a movie, Dee Warner vanished in April 2021. She was a successful businesswoman who ran the trucking side of the family empire, a woman who wouldn't go to the gas station without full hair and makeup and who loved leopard print. Her husband Dale told police she had walked off after a fight—something she had done before. But Dee's family knew immediately something was wrong. She would never leave her young daughter. The search for Dee became one of those rare Dateline stories covered by two correspondents: Andrea Canning for Missing in America and Josh Mankiewicz for the television broadcast. What investigators eventually discovered was a case of almost diabolical concealment, where the victim was hidden in plain sight for years.

The Farm That Hid a Secret

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What you'll learn

1 (01:06) **Welcome and Case Overview** - Josh Mankowitz and Andrea introduce the episode "The Day Dee Disappeared," covering the case of Dee Warner, a successful farmer and businesswoman reported missing in April 2021.
2 (03:56) **The Farm and the Search** - Andrea describes the sprawling, pristine farm and the extensive search efforts that failed to find Dee.
3 (05:13) **Dale's Diabolical Plan** - Josh and Andrea discuss Dale's endgame and the chilling details of his scheme.
4 (06:28) **The Tank and the Breakthrough** - The pivotal moment when investigators realized the tank's significance.
5 (08:33) **The X-Ray Discovery** - The dramatic discovery of Dee's body inside the tank at the Canadian border.
6 (09:42) **Interviews and a Dust Bombing** - Andrea recounts her interviews with Dee's family and an unexpected incident.
7 (11:13) **Dateline Wardrobe Discussion** - Josh and Andrea delve into the ongoing debate about what to wear for interviews.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Josh Mankiewicz sits down with Andrea Canning to discuss her episode, “The Day Dee Disappeared.” In April 2021, Dee Warner vanished from her Michigan farm. Investigators pursued multiple leads, but kept coming back to her husband, Dale. In 2023, Dale Warner was charged with his wife’s murder, even though her remains had not been found. That changed ahead of trial, when Dee’s remains were located in a most unlikely place. Dale was found guilty of second-degree murder. Andrea shares an exclusive clip from her interview with Dee’s nephew, who recounts an unusual visit with a psychic who offered a theory about what might have happened to Dee. Josh and Andrea discuss how they both covered the case and how Josh’s podcast, Missing in America, shed light on Dee’s disappearance early on. Plus, Josh is joined by Dateline producer Sergei Ivonin to answer your questions from social media.

Have a question for Talking Dateline? Send us a DM @DatelineNBC or leave a voicemail at (212) 413-5252. Your question could be featured in an upcoming episode.

Listen to the full episode of “The Day Dee Disappeared”: https://swap.fm/l/dl_thedaydeedisappeared

Listen to Josh’s Missing in America episode on Dee’s case: https://swap.fm/l/miadeeannwarner

Start listening to the new season of Missing in America, out now: https://swap.fm/l/miafdlw

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