MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. – The ex-boyfriend accused of murdering Ashley Elkins, the Macomb County mother who went missing in early January, appeared in court on Wednesday, and he wanted to stand for the entire hearing.
Deandre Howard Booker, of Roseville, has been charged with first-degree premeditated murder, tampering with evidence, disinterment or mutilation of a dead body and concealing the death of an individual in connection with the murder of Elkins.
He appeared in the 39th District Court before Judge Joseph F. Boedeker for his preliminary examination on Wednesday, Aug. 6. The hearing is expected to continue on Friday.
The first witness called to testify was Monika Elkins, the mother of Ashley Elkins.
As the hearing began, Macomb County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Carmen DeFranco asked the judge if he should stand.
He told the judge that he didn’t want to be disrespectful, but pointed back to the cameras present in court and turned to look at them, which he was directly in front of. If DeFranco had stood, he would’ve blocked the view of the witnesses who were testifying.
Boedeker left the decision up to the prosecutor and said, “Whatever you’re most comfortable with.”
As DeFranco began talking to Monika, he paused and asked the judge if Booker was going to remain standing for the hearing.
“Mr. Booker, I was told earlier that you did not want to sit,” Boedeker said to the defendant in response to the prosecutor’s question. “You can sit if you wish, but if you don’t want you can stand.”
Booker didn’t respond, so the judge said questioning could begin.
But DeFranco said the following before he started:
“Judge, I just want to place on the record an objection to the defendant posturing in this manner, in an attempt, in my opinion, to intimidate witnesses that are going to be testifying against him today.”
He said he recognized the judge is running the courtroom as he sees fit, but wanted to place that on the record.
You can watch the discussion about Booker standing during the hearing in the video at the top of this article.
After that, the hearing started with Monika Elkins giving her testimony, followed by testimony from a Warren police officer. The judge asked that the third witness not be identified. The fourth witness called was a Roseville police officer who testified about what he found when he searched Booker’s apartment.
Click here to read about what was revealed in court.
Booker’s preliminary examination is expected to continue on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025.