On the morning of January 2, 2025, 30-year-old Ashley Elkins left her Warren, Michigan, home just after 8:30 a.m. It seemed like an ordinary day. She was wearing a long black coat with fur lining the hood and black leggings. As a dedicated hairstylist and mother of two boys, Ashley had a routine. She was always in touch with her family, always around for her kids. But that morning would be the last time anyone saw her.
Ashley’s close relationship with her family made her sudden disappearance incredibly alarming. Her mother, Monika Elkins, texted her at 9:06 a.m. that day about a dream involving Ashley. Ashley’s only reply was short: “Awe, man.” After that FaceTime calls from her family went unanswered.
According to Newsweek, later that morning, a family member received a text message from Elkins claiming that she was on her way to a beauty supply store. However, investigators later traced the last known location of her phone to the Roseville apartment of her ex-boyfriend, Deandre Howard Booker.
Only two days earlier, on December 31, 2024, Deandre Booker had shown up at Ashley’s home salon. He didn’t use his real name. Instead, he approached both the front and side doors acting suspiciously. Ashley looked uncomfortable during the encounter. She reportedly signaled others in the home to stay quiet. After a short interaction, Booker left.
That odd visit—along with his past relationship with Ashley, made him a key figure in the investigation almost immediately.
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When Ashley didn’t return home and couldn’t be reached, her family grew desperate. Investigators started digging deeper and focused on Booker. On January 8, 2025, he was arrested—not for Ashley’s disappearance initially, but for lying to the police. It was a major turn in the case.
Around that same time, Ashley’s car was found near 13 Mile and Little Mack Avenue in Roseville, not far from Booker’s apartment. Police soon searched his residence.
According to WXYZ, what they discovered was horrifying. “We conducted a search warrant on the residence and ultimately found what we believed to be a large crime scene with a substantial amount of blood in the bathroom,” a detective said. DNA tests confirmed that the blood belonged to Ashley Elkins.
Despite not finding Ashley’s body, the blood evidence led to serious charges. Deandre Booker was charged with first-degree premeditated murder, tampering with evidence, disinterment of a body and concealing the death of an individual.
The decision to press murder charges without a body is rare and difficult but investigators believed the evidence was strong enough to move forward. The case, though, would rely on building a solid foundation based on circumstance and forensic proof.
“This would be a circumstantial case for the prosecutor so they’re going to have to make sure that they do everything the right way,” legal analyst Lillian Diallo told Click On Detroit. “It’s going to have to be a foundational type of case where they start at A to get to Z.”
On May 28, 2025, Booker appeared in court for a probable cause hearing. Sitting in the courtroom were members of Ashley’s family—still waiting for closure. For them, seeing the accused was painful, but necessary.
“It won’t really be justice without a body for me,” Ashley’s mother Monika said during the hearing. “You know, him going to prison and not getting out is good, but me not being able to bury her — that’s hard for me.”
The legal process has been slow. Prosecutors revealed there are around two terabytes of evidence to go through. That’s a massive amount of data which has delayed the next steps. But Monika remains patient. “It’s going to be a long time, but I want them to make sure that they have everything on him so that he can’t get out,” she said.
In the days and weeks following Ashley’s disappearance the community didn’t sit quietly. Hundreds of people showed up at a candlelight vigil outside Booker’s apartment complex—the last place Ashley’s phone was active.
“Right now with everybody here, it shows everybody cares, you know?” Monika said emotionally. “And I thought nobody cared at all, but now I see that people care now.”
Even as weeks passed, the effort to bring Ashley home continued. Law enforcement worked with search teams at a landfill, combing through more than 100,000 tons of debris hoping to find some trace of her.
Maurice Morton, Ashley’s uncle, praised their dedication. “They’ve been absolutely amazing working with the family, and so they deserve recognition,” he said.
Ashley’s absence has left a hole in the lives of her loved ones. Her two sons are especially affected. Her 10-year-old son, according to the family, now has frequent nightmares and struggles daily with the loss.
Her sister, Alexis Elkins, emphasized that Ashley would never willingly leave her children. “She knows that her boys expect to hear from her,” Alexis told People. Ashley was always present, always involved in their lives.
To support the children, the family launched a GoFundMe page. The community responded with kindness and donations, helping ease the burden during this tragic time.
At the vigil, a local pastor offered words of faith and healing. “God, we thank you for the love, the joy and the laughter. God, we thank you for the good times and the memories that continue to live within our hearts. God, we thank you for justice and peace tonight.”
Ashley Elkins is still missing. But her story is not forgotten. Her family, friends and neighbors continue to hope for answers, justice, and the chance to finally bring her home.
This article is based entirely on information reported by the multiple reputable news sources as cited. No opinions, interpretations, or unverified claims have been added. Our writers carefully researched these sources to deliver an accurate and factual report.
