Investigators search landfill site for Michigan mother who vanished 10 days ago
Police looking for missing Michigan mother-of-two Ashley Elkins are searching through a landfill for evidence in relation to her disappearance, Fox 2 Detroit reports, citing police sources.
Elkins, 30, of Warren, was last seen on Jan. 2 and disappeared while running errands and had messaged her family members that she was heading back from a beauty supply store.
Her ex-boyfriend boyfriend, Deandre Howard Booker, 32, was arrested after fleeing to Flint and has been charged with lying to police during a violent crime investigation which carries a four-year penalty, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
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Searchers in yellow suits spent more than six hours scouring the Pine Tree Acres Landfill in Lenox Township landfill near 29 Mile in northern Macomb County on Monday, the Detroit News reports. Roseville Police Chief Mitch Berlin said officials concentrated their search on about six to seven acres within the landfill, per the publication.
He said the search was moving in the right direction and was confident they would find the evidence they are looking for.
Elkins family members say her disappearance is out of character and no one has heard from her since Jan. 2. They said her phone last pinged near her ex's Roseville apartment, per Fox 2.
Last Tuesday, Jan. 7, police found her car in the area of 13 Mile and Little Mack in Roseville, less than four miles away from her apartment. That same night, her ex's apartment was searched and he was arrested the next day.
Police canvassed several area businesses for video and utilized digital forensics to help determine where Elkins could be. Police also said they seized a trash dumpster from the apartments as part of the investigation.
Elkins and Booker broke up in September after dating for about a year, Elkins' mother told reporters, according to the Macomb Daily.
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Maurice Morton, an attorney who is Elkins’ aunt, told Fox 2 that the family suspect Booker had something to do with her disappearance and that police have reason to believe where her remains are.
Booker was arraigned in Roseville District Court on Jan. 9 and the judge set bond at $250,000.00 cash/surety only.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in a statement that Booker repeatedly lied to police officers from Jan. 4 through Jan. 7 and willfully provided false and misleading information in the investigation into the disappearance of Elkins.
"Our hearts go out to the family of the missing woman during this difficult time," Lucido said. "Providing false information to law enforcement in a case like this not only hinders the investigation but adds further pain and uncertainty for the loved ones searching for answers. We remain committed to seeking justice and ensuring that every effort is made to bring resolution to this case."
During Booker’s arraignment, his attorney said that his client was unemployed and asked for a reasonable bond
Prosecutors said Boooker searched for the fastest routes to Ohio and he’s accused of planning to leave the state. Prosecutors also said that his research also included what to do while on the run, how to beat a polygraph test, how to delete his Google search history and if blood is traceable.
The prosecution argued that these searches suggest Booker would flee if released on bond. On Thursday, his bond was set at $250,000 cash/surety.
Booker previously served in the United States Army but was removed from the military with a less than honorable discharge after going AWOL in 2017, Fox 2 Detroit reported, citing court documents. It happened after he was charged the year before with several crimes during service, including larceny and possessing fake identification documents.
A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22 via Zoom and a preliminary exam is scheduled for Jan. 29.