Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Mom's Body Remains Missing as Ex is Charged with Murder

Episode Date: February 4, 2025

Ashley Elkins vanished after leaving her home north of Detroit on January 2. Police searched a landfill for Elkins' body after they said they found her blood in the bathroom of her ex-boyfriend, Deandre Booker. Booker is now charged with murdering Elkins and the search for her body continues. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy goes through the case in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.Host:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this Law and Crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. The allegation is that you did deliberately with the intent to kill and with premeditation kill and murder one, Ashley Lachey Elkins. Nearly a month after Ashley Elkins vanished, her ex-boyfriend has been charged with her murder. This does not bring complete closure, but we know that this is the journey to justice. I have the disturbing case out of Michigan and what Ashley Elkins' family and the prosecutor are saying about the murder of the mother of two. Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy. Ashley Elkins' family was hoping for a much different

outcome, but now they have had to deal with this horrible reality that their daughter, sister, and mother is not coming home. Although police say they still have not found Ashley Elkins' body. The last time anyone heard from Ashley Elkins was on January 2nd. The mother of two left her home in Warren, Michigan, north of Detroit, and was never seen or heard from again. That date, January 2nd, is very important because Ashley's family told WDIV-TV that her ex-boyfriend, DeAndre Booker, had made an appointment at her home salon two days earlier using a different name. He knocked on the door, and Ashley told everyone to stay quiet. Booker eventually left. Two days later, Ashley Elkins left her home around 8.30 a.m. that was on January 2nd in her silver Chevy Malibu and was never seen again. Five days later, her car was found a couple of miles from DeAndre Booker's home. Booker was arrested the next day

in Flint, Michigan and brought back to Roseville, Michigan, where he lived. He was charged with lying to police. During his court appearance for that charge of lying to police, the prosecutor said Booker searched the internet for some things that really piqued their interest, including fastest routes from Flint to Ohio, what to do while on the run, is blood traceable, how to beat a polygraph test, and deleting Google search history. Police spent days searching a landfill looking for Ashley Elkin's body as her family, including her two sons who were just 10 and 7, waited for answers. To this day, police still haven't found Ashley Elkin's body, but they said they found evidence in DeAndre Booker's apartment that led them to believe

that she had been murdered, including a significant amount of blood. There was blood recovered from the apartment. It was analyzed by the state police crime lab, and it wasn't matched to Ashley. There was blood recovered. It was a match. And it was enough to get the charges authorized today. And we'll leave it at that. Late last week, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lasudo charged DeAndre Booker with murdering Ashley Elkins. And sir, please state your name for the record. DeAndre Booker.

All right, Mr. Wing, again with regards to the agreement on the new information you've been provided to them. Your Honor, I have been provided the new information. We would waive the formal reading and stand mute. All right. Booker said very little as the judge asked him questions and entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Mr. Booker, have you had an ample opportunity to talk to your attorney? Not today, but yesterday. Yes. Has he gone over your rights with you? Yes. Do you understand all of those rights? Yes. Do you have any questions regarding those rights? No. Do you know what the charges are and the new information at this time? I don't. All right. Might as well read them. You're on.

Just so that he knows what he starts with. Okay. Or I can do whatever you prefer. You could read them all. That's fine. Sir, you are charged with count one homicide homicide, murder, first degree, premeditated. The allegation is that you did deliberately with the intent to kill and with premeditation kill and murder one, Ashley Lachey Elkins, contrary to MCL 750.316. That is a felony with a possible penalty of life without parole. Count two, tampering with evidence. Criminal case punctual by up to more than 10 years.

Did knowingly and intentionally remove, alter, conceal, destroy, or otherwise tamper with evidence to be offered in a criminal case where the crime was punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of more than 10 years or imprisonment for life of any term of years. That is a felony punishable by up to 10 years and or $20,000. Those charges include dead body disinterment and mutilation and concealing the death of a person. Booker's attorney argued that he should be released on bail. I realize the seriousness of this offense. However, according to MCR 6.106B, he does not fit the category where bond can be denied, even though it is a murder charge because he has no prior violent felonies,

and at the time he was not on bond or parole probation for any violent felony therefore under 6106 C the court must order the free trial release of defendant on personal recognizance around the secured appearance bond unless court thinks he would be a danger to the public and or a flight risk and your honor I would reiterate before that mr. Booker would not be a flight risk he has lived in either Detroit Ann Arbor or Macomb County his entire life he has ties to the community here in terms of past jobs, family, et cetera. And if we look at the worry about him being gone, he could be placed on a steel cuff together so his whereabouts would be known at all times.

Now, keep in mind, they had those internet searches where the prosecution said that DeAndre Booker was looking at how to go on the run from Flint, Michigan to Ohio, and he was searching for other things about whether or not blood is traceable. Booker's lawyer reiterated that he has no prior criminal record and no history of mental health issues. But the prosecutor said Booker should not be released on bail. Thank you, Your Honor. Judge, I believe the counsel is misreading 6.106. I believe this defendant can be remanded with no bond, at least for a period of about 90

days. And I would ask for that. If this court is inclined to grant some sort of monetary bond, I would ask for something in the neighborhood of $5 million cash, no 10%. In the end, the judge ordered DeAndre Booker to be held without bail. While the first degree murder charge has been filed, Prosecutor Lasudo said that the investigation is far from over. We've had a huge amount of media that has been asking questions, but we couldn't give answers until the completion of the investigation. But be that as it may, it's still going on, which means other information, evidence, it could be digital, it could be otherwise, it comes in. So we want to, number one, be respectful of the privacy of this family who's lost a loved one. We also want to be non-repetitive. Ashley's family attended Booker's court appearance. A spokesperson answered questions on their behalf. The family,

of course, is grieving and they're trying to come to terms with the fact that Ashley is gone. You know, the family was frustrated when we started out, right? When Ashley first went missing. We know that law enforcement hands are tied oftentimes. We feel that society as a whole should take these cases more seriously. Just as there is an Amber Alert, we're saying there should be an Ashley Alert, right? When a young woman goes missing and there's reason to believe she's in harm's way, there should be more done. But as it relates to what's been done by Roseville Police and since that point, nothing but accolades. They've done a fantastic job. The family's appreciative

of all of those agencies that participated in the search for Ashley at the landfill. They've communicated with us on a regular basis. I'm going to keep saying this. Chief Berlin has been excellent in how he's worked with the family. And so we're appreciative of everything they've done. We started with Warren Police Department, Roseville Police Department. We know the prosecutors have worked on this. We appreciate it because, you know, we know there's a lot of families that don't get this level of attention, whether it's from the media or law enforcement. And we feel that everyone should get this level of attention. So we're appreciative of what they've done to this point.

The relationship between Ashley Elkins and DeAndre Booker had ended last year, but family members are not saying much more about the relationship other than it had ended. Yeah, we can't really speak to those details. We've said in the past that they had broken up back in September. And we've made it clear that, you know, we can't speak to motive. I can't get in the mind of a murder of a psychotic killer. So we'll leave it at that for you know, we can't speak to motive. I can't get in the mind of a murderer, of a psychotic killer. So we'll leave it at that for now. I can do all this. So there you heard it.

They called him a psychotic killer. And you can tell they have a lot more to say about this relationship and how it ended, but they're just not going to say anything at this point that's going to jeopardize the investigation. The family, meanwhile, wants people to remember Ashley for the loving mother that she was. Beautiful young lady. You know, remember mostly that she is a mother, mother of a 10-year-old and 7-year-old. So you have two young boys out there who don't have a mother. So the community should, you know, feel for those children. She has a mother here, a sister, she has siblings, a full family, a wealth of

community members and supporters and friends out there who loved her tremendously. You've heard her mom say multiple times she was the life of the party. Everyone loved her, cared for her, and she cared for them. But she was a mom who fought and cared and took care of her children. I mean, that's what he took away. You can imagine that the boys are having an incredibly difficult time dealing with losing their mother. It's tough. You know, mom has mentioned multiple times they're having nightmares. The youngest doesn't quite comprehend this and what's going on. And so it's going to take a village to wrap around them and support them.

But this is tough. And we can imagine that going through the court process over these next few months or a year or so, it's going to be even tougher. As Ashley Elkins' family tries to find their way and prepares for the court process ahead, the search for Ashley's remains continues. The question was asked, will they ever find Ashley's body? I'm hopeful. I'm optimistic. I'd like to go ahead and tell you, yes, but it's only if somebody or evidence points to where that happens. Somebody may cooperate in the investigation. Sometimes it takes a little bit. Now, remember, that landfill was searched

for several days, but Elkin's body was not found. But Prosecutor Lucido says that may not matter when it comes to getting a conviction for Ashley Elkin's murder. Past practice is what I rely on for future performance here. This county has seen, since I've been practicing, almost 40 years, four cases that I'm very familiar with that have had no body and have had total conviction, because there's no other way sometimes to explain it when you don't have a body except all of the evidence that's been accumulated. Finding Ashley Elkin's body would bring some comfort to her family, especially her two young sons. Someday, someday, that the questions can be answered and be given to those two little boys, because we all have families in here. Let's face it. Nobody wants to be sitting here and going

through this. This is extremely painful. And the thought of trying to bring her home and get closure at that time wasn't a success. But we're gonna go ahead and do everything we can to purge forward and make sure that justice is going to be in this case. The reality is he's innocent until proven guilty. And everything that we say at this point here, we wanna make sure that you have that information in the message that you're leaving to those individuals that wanted to know about the open questions. And the prosecutor said there are people out there who may have information that could

help the investigation take a listen. The individuals that were a part of, let's say, this investigation, they're not talking. So we'll go from there. And investigators are hoping that those people who know anything, something about Ashley's murder will start talking. Last week on a GoFundMe for Ashley's sons, a post said, we lit up the sky with candles, phone lights, and a flurry of emerald and purple balloons in honor of Ashley Lachey Elkins. We will love her forever and never give up finding her. For her two beautiful young sons, your donations are so very much appreciated. They will fuel the fire that ignites their dreams and helps them achieve

their future goals. These funds will never take the place of their love and devotion their mother provided, but your donations can help to ensure they want for nothing else. Again, thank you all so much for your donations, and please do share this with all you know. That is the concern for Ashley Elkins' family right now, getting justice for her and caring for those two little boys who now have to grow up without their mother. DeAndre Booker is scheduled to be back in court this week and next week. Next week, a preliminary hearing is scheduled. And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Ann Jeanette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.