Ashley Elkins landfill search continues, police still optimistic of location

After searching a dump for four days, Macomb County law enforcement is still looking for Ashley Elkins’ remains.

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    Police are searching through the Macomb County landfill for the remains of Ashley Elkins.
    
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    The 30-year-old mom of two disappeared on Jan. 2 while running errands.
    
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    Police have been digging through the landfill since Monday, Jan. 12.
    

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  Police are searching through the Macomb County landfill for the remains of Ashley Elkins.
  
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  The 30-year-old mom of two disappeared on Jan. 2 while running errands.
  
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  Police have been digging through the landfill since Monday, Jan. 12.
  

FOX 2, Lenox TWP, Mich.Although they are unsure of how long it will take, law enforcement officials looking for Ashley Elkins’ remains at the Lenox Township landfill are still hopeful that they will discover them.

The hunt for the 30-year-old mother of two’s remains at Pine Tree Acres in Macomb County is in its fourth day as of Thursday.

Despite how difficult everything has been, the job will go on, according to Roseville Police Chief Mitch Berlin.

“I think we re in the right spot — just more work ahead of us,” Berlin stated. “The trash is compacted and dense, making it challenging to push and walk on.” Several falls and other incidents, but no complaints were made.

Elkins has not been seen since January 2, and investigators are all trying to locate him.

What happened to Ashley Elkins?

We know:

On January 2, Elkins texted her family to let them know she was on her way home after running errands. That was the last time they heard from her. But she never returned home.

As a mother of two, Elkins’ lack of communication with her loved ones, particularly her sons, is unique.

“She adores her children and family. Alexis Elkins, her sister, stated that she would never simply vanish for this long.

According to her family, Elkins has passed away.

What is unknown to us:

Police searched the landfill for four days without finding anything.

The family thinks Elkins is dead, but they don’t know how or why she was slain.

What suspects are in custody?

A week earlier, De’Andre Booker, Elkins’ former boyfriend, was arrested. He has not yet been charged with her murder, but he was charged with lying to the police.

That accusation is just the start, according to Ralph Godbee, a former chief of police in Detroit who is not involved in the search.

“The charge of lying to police is the tip of the iceberg and I would expect in the days and the weeks to come (we’ll see) more concrete evidence,” Godbee stated. “I dare say that police are awaiting the return of some more conclusive forensic evidence. DNA might be involved, or it might be proof that her or his cell phone was being tracked.

Why police are searching the landfill?

What they’re saying:

A dumpster was removed by police as evidence during their January 7 search of Booker’s flat.

Since Booker vanished, Elkins’ family has had suspicions about her.

Her uncle, Maurice Morton, stated, “Her mother has repeatedly stated that he threw her out with the trash.” “That’s disheartening.”

Booker’s flat was where Elkins’ phone last pinging.

No evidence found in the dumpster has been made public by the police.

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De’Andre Booker reportedly ran away to Flint after his ex-girlfriend Ashley Elkins vanished, where he looked for the quickest ways to go to Ohio.

Are police close to finding Elkins’ remains?

How close authorities are to discovering Elkins’ remains in the dump is uncertain.

What they’re saying:

Chief Berlin stated that they are examining certain evidence.

“We are returning a few items for further processing. “We don’t know if they have anything to do with the case,” he said.

However, it is impossible to predict how long the search will take.

“I would be very cautious about giving timeliness as far as expectations as today could be the day,” Godbee stated. “The inquiry leads to its conclusion. Damn the clock. It’s a form of patience.

Elkins’ family claims that they have not received any updates from the police on the search as of yet.

Ashley Elkins’ ex-boyfriend charged

Elkins’ ex was taken into custody in relation to the matter a week ago.

He is being jailed on suspicion of lying to police, although he has not been charged with murder.

Authorities claim that… He was accused of lying about his location.

Booker’s internet searches following Elkins’ disappearance, according to the prosecutor who appeared in court for Booker’s arraignment, indicate that he was preparing to leave Michigan.

Booker is charged with planning to flee Michigan while in Flint by researching out-of-state routes.

According to the prosecution, he also looked into whether blood can be traced, how to evade a polygraph, and what to do while on the run.

He apparently also searched for information on how to remove his Google search history.

These searches, according to the prosecution, indicate that Booker would run away if he were freed on bond. $250,000 cash or surety was the amount of his bond.

The evidence against Booker and whether he would face charges for Elkins’ death have not been made public by the police.

Who is De’Andre Booker?

Booker, 32, resides in Roseville close to Gratiot and Frazho.

Based on the evidence that was given in court, Booker does not currently have a job.

After going missing in 2017, Booker, who had previously served in the US Army, was discharged with a less than honorable discharge. This occurred after he was accused of a number of crimes while in service the previous year, including larceny and possession of forged identification documents.

The Source: For this story, FOX 2 interviewed Roseville Police and family members.