FOX 2 - A pretrial conference for De'Andre Booker was scheduled for Tuesday morning in Macomb County Circuit Court but a delay in his psychiatric evaluation caused it to be rescheduled.
Watch the full hearing in the live player above.
The backstory:
Ashley Elkins has not been seen since January 2025, but Booker is charged in her murder amid circumstantial evidence. Her body has never been found. There are no eyewitnesses and no murder weapon - but there were numerous examples of blood determined to be hers, discovered in Booker's apartment.
Booker's new pretrial date is scheduled for June 3, while the trial date is scheduled for Nov. 10.
His defense attorney said the scheduled dates were optimistic.
"I would believe we're quite a distance away from having a trial in this matter," he said. "I'm assuming there would be if he's found to be competent, there would be at least a motion to quash and motions regarding, some evidentiary issues regarding search warrants, etc. "
Dig deeper:
Investigators say there were also Google searches including about silencers for guns, breakups and what happens to trash.
"Keep in mind, there was also in the drain - her DNA and blood, Ashley Elkins' blood in the bathtub along with a family earring and a bullet," said Carmen DeFranco, assistant Wayne County prosecutor.
"There were alarming searches made by Mr. Booker prior to the disappearance of Ashley Elkins," said Judge Joseph Boedeker. "December 15, 2024 - 'How to make her miss you,' Dec. 16, 2024 - 'How to make her miss you after break up, December 22nd, 'Silencer 9mm.'"
Her family said she was last seen running errands on Jan. 2, 2025 before going missing. The last message she sent was to her sister about heading back from the beauty store.
Since then, the mystery about the location of Elkins has hovered over the case.
Prosecutors first charged Booker with lying to police days after investigating the case. He was charged with Elkins' murder four weeks later.
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