ROSEVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Nearly one month since Ashley Elkins, a Warren woman, was last seen, her ex-boyfriend is now being charged in her murder.
Thirty-two-year-old Deandre Booker, who family has long suspected as the prime suspect, has been in police custody since Jan. 8 under a charge of lying to police. Now, he is expected to be arraigned on a new charge of first-degree murder Friday morning at 10 a.m. at the 39th District Court in Roseville.
Previous coverage: Ex-boyfriend charged with lying to peace officer in missing Warren woman's case
“Fortunately, they were able to charge first-degree murder, which is what the family wanted because that means mandatory life in prison," said Ashely's uncle and family attorney Maurice Morton. "So, that's a major relief.
“I can sleep a little better at night knowing he's going to go to prison for the rest of his life,” said Ashley's mother Monika Elkins. “He came into our family, I opened my arms and embraced him and loved on him, and for him to do something like that... I'm relieved that he can finally go to prison for what he did to my daughter.”
7 News Detroit confirmed the charge of first-degree murder through online inmate records. The family says they are hoping to learn more during Booker’s arraignment Friday morning.
“We look forward to seeing a lot of the evidence in the future. We understand they can't share a lot with the family now because a lot of us may be witnesses, so they can’t share everything yet,” Morton said. “We rely on what the police have said, right? They hauled away a dumpster, they found substantial evidence in his apartment. We know DNA evidence came back today, so we can glean from that. That obviously probably relates to blood evidence that was found.”
Booker has been in jail for roughly three weeks on the previous charge of lying to police. It was in his Roseville apartment where police say they found substantial evidence. Despite a nearly weeklong landfill search, Ashley’s body still has not been found.
“As far as me not getting my daughter's body, I'm not OK with that,” Monika Elkins said.
Monika Elkins also expressed frustration over how long it took police to begin investigating her daughters disappearance.
“We would have had her body if they would have listened to me on Day 1. We could've had her body on Day 2, but nobody listened," Monika Elkins said. "They failed her, they failed her sons and they failed me, so I will never forgive them for that.”
Previous coverage: Ashley Elkin's family hopes for murder charges as landfill search ends
At the same time, the family also thanked Roseville police, which has since become the lead on the case, for their work searching for evidence over the last few weeks.
"Very appreciative of all the hard work the Roseville Police Department has done, and we cannot say that enough," Morton said. "Roseville Police Department, they have been phenomenal over the last few weeks.”
With the arraignment just hours away, they look forward to seeing Booker in court.
“Why did you have to kill her? Why did you have to hurt her? I don't understand that — I will never understand why he did that," Monika Elkins said.
“It's the start of our journey to justice," Morton said. "Justice is coming and you will pay the price for what you did. You took away a loving mother from her family, from her two children. Someone you claimed to have loved? Justice is coming.”
Previous coverage: Vigil held for Ashley Elkins in Roseville
Shortly after the arraignment, Roseville police and Macomb County prosecutors will be holding a press conference.
Family has set up a trust fund for Ashley Elkins' children. If you'd like to contribute, visit their fundraiser page.
