Ashley Elkins left her home in Warren, Michigan, on January 2 to run a quick errand—but she never came back. Now, her ex-boyfriend, DeAndre Booker, has been charged with her murder.
Booker was already in custody for lying to investigators about Ashley’s disappearance, but authorities now believe he did much more than just mislead them. Police say Ashley went to his home in Roseville that day, where they allege he killed her and then got rid of her body. Despite weeks of searching—including a massive effort at a landfill—Ashley’s remains have not been found.
When police searched Booker’s home, they discovered evidence suggesting a violent crime had taken place. However, details about what exactly they found haven’t been released. On January 31, prosecutors officially charged Booker with premeditated murder, tampering with evidence, dismembering a body, and concealing a death.
Ashley’s disappearance shook her community. Friends and family organized search parties and flooded social media with pleas for information. A GoFundMe campaign set up to support her two young sons has raised over $13,000. At a vigil last weekend, loved ones released emerald and purple balloons in her honor, vowing to never stop looking for her.
Her sons, just 7 and 10 years old, are struggling to process what happened. The youngest, who is on the autism spectrum, doesn’t understand why his mom isn’t coming home. “Every day, he asks, ‘Where’s mom?’” said Ashley’s uncle, Maurice Morton. Her older son, meanwhile, has been haunted by nightmares.
The family is grateful that Booker is finally facing a murder charge, but they know the road to justice is just beginning. “This won’t bring closure,” Morton said, “but it’s a step in the right direction.”
