Boyfriend charged in slaying of Warren woman, 22

Warren –

— A Westland man has been charged with murdering his 22-year-old girlfriend and hiding the Warren woman's body in a 55-gallon drum.

Scott Wobbe, 37, was arraigned Tuesday in 37th District Court in Warren on three charges related to the death of Theresa Marie DeKeyzer: first-degree homicide, kidnapping and disinterment of a body. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison for the murder and kidnapping charges. The disinterment and mutilation of a body charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Bill Dailey asked the judge to remand Wobbe into custody without bail because of the "serious nature of the charges, his significant efforts to cover up the alleged activities and his criminal history."

Dailey also said Wobbe is a "danger to the public."

Judge Michael Chupa entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf and ordered Wobbe held without bond. He scheduled the man's next court appearance for Oct. 28.

Wobbe, who asked for a court-appointed attorney, spoke only to answer the judge's questions during Tuesday's hearing.

As he ordered Wobbe held without bond, Chupa scolded the man and said: "There's not a doubt in my mind that you acted to conceal (these crimes)."

DeKeyzer's family members attended the hearing. Many wore purple T-shirts that read on the back "#JusticeforTheresa."

At a news conference with authorities afterward, DeKeyzer's mother, Marie DeKeyzer, said: "We want truth and justice. That's the bottom line."

Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green said Wobbe has not been cooperative with police, and that investigators were looking into other parties who may have helped with the crime.

"It would be crazy to not think he had help," Green said.

DeKeyzer disappeared June 16 near the intersection of Lozier and Nine Mile in Warren. Wobbe was the last person to see her alive, police said. They say he told them he dropped her off four blocks from her home near Nine Mile and Van Dyke.

DeKeyzer's body was found last month at a Plymouth Township storage facility, in a drum sealed with cement.

The drum was found inside a utility trailer owned by Wobbe, but not registered to him. Police also said Wobbe paid the rent for the storage facility, but did so through a third party. Police won't say who that is.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

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Timeline of DeKeyzer investigation

■8 p.m. June 15: Theresa DeKeyzer was the victim of an alleged domestic assault on the 8600 block of Lozier. The suspect and DeKeyzer's boyfriend, Scott Wobbe, left the scene.

■10:23 p.m. June 15: DeKeyzer made a last call to Wobbe's phone.

■6 a.m. June 16: Wobbe saw DeKeyzer for the last time. Wobbe told police he dropped DeKeyzer off at 9 Mile and Van Dyke at her request.

■8:30 p.m. June 19: DeKeyzer's family reported her missing to the police.

■June 20: A detective is assigned to the case and contacted area hospitals and other police departments but uncovered no leads on DeKeyzer's whereabouts.

■June 21: Police released information to the media to generate leads in the investigation. DeKeyzer's family and friends checked places she frequented and hung posters.

■The family received a tip DeKeyzer may have been at the Relax Inn in Roseville.

■June 22: Police followed up on a lead DeKeyzer spoke with someone who said she used his phone on June 18, but it didn't go anywhere.

■June 23: Police interviewed Wobbe, who provided his account of events on June 15-16.

■July 1: Police learned from a DeKeyzer's cell phone company that the last outgoing call from her phone was made at 8:27 a.m. June 16 in the area of 8 Mile and Groesbeck on the Warren-Detroit border.

■July 2: Police attempted to conduct a second interview with Wobbe in Westland, but he was arrested on unrelated charges and held in a Midland County jail. Police execute a search warrant at Wobbe's home.

■July 3: Police canvassed an area of Detroit that stretched from Van Dyke to Woodward and from 8 Mile to McNichols after getting reports DeKeyzer had been seen in the area. No viable leads were generated.

■July 8: DeKeyzer is entered into the National Missing Persons Database.

■July 17: Police met with a private detective hired by DeKeyzer's family and provided with an update of the investigation as well as tips the department had received.

■Sept. 4: Detroit News columnist Marney Rich Keenan published a column about DeKeyzer's disappearance. Police received two tips that lead investigators to a storage lot in Plymouth Township.

■Sept. 18: Police from Warren, Westland, Plymouth Township and Michigan State Police Bomb Squad personnel searched a utility trailer at the lot. Inside, they found a 55-gallon drum. State police x-rayed it and the images revealed what police believed were human remains.

■The drum was taken to the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office where the body was removed, an autopsy was conducted and the remains were confirmed to have been DeKeyzer.

■Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith reviewed the facts of the case and authorized a warrant on a first-degree murder charge, kidnapping and disinterment and mutilation of a body.

■Sunday: Warren Police picked up Wobbe from the Midland County Jail and transport him to Warren Police Headquarters where he is held until his arraignment on Tuesday.

Source: Warren Police