Ashley Elkins, a Hairstylist and Mom of Two, Disappeared Almost a Month Ago. Her Ex-Boyfriend Was Just Charged with Murder

• Ashley Elkins, 30, was last seen at her Warren, Mich., home on Jan. 2
• Her ex-boyfriend DeAndre Booker was initially arrested on a charge of lying to police
• Michigan authorities have now charged Booker with offenses including murder and evidence tampering

A man who allegedly lied to police during their investigation of his missing ex-girlfriend Ashley Elkins has now been charged with murder. 

Elkins, 30, disappeared from her Warren, Mich., home on Jan. 2 after she stepped out to run errands. On Jan. 8, following a search of his home in nearby Roseville, Elkins’ ex-boyfriend DeAndre Booker was arrested on a charge of lying to authorities, Warren police confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.

Now, Booker has been charged with premeditated murder; evidence tampering; dismembering and mutilation of a corpse; and concealing a death, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office announced. Elkins’ body has not been found. 

Investigators learned Elkins went to Booker’s home on Jan. 2 where they allege Booker killed her and then disposed of her body, Macomb County authorities said in a Jan. 31 statement. 

During their search of Booker’s home, Roseville police claim to have recovered items indicating Elkins met a “crime of violence” in the residence, Warren Police Department Lt. John Gajewski told PEOPLE.

In mid-January, Roseville police launched a days-long search of a landfill as part of their investigation, but the search did not garner much information.

Elkins’ early January disappearance sparked massive online and on-the-ground searches by friends and family. A GoFundMe set up to assist with costs for her two sons garnered over $13,000.

At a vigil last weekend, her friends and family “lit up the sky with candles, phone lights, and a flurry of emerald and purple balloons” in her honor, they wrote in an update in the fundraiser.

“We will love her forever and never give up finding her. For her two beautiful young sons, your donations are so very much appreciated. They will fuel the fire that ignites their dreams and helps them achieve their future goals,” read the update.

Elkins’ sons, a 7-year-old and a 10-year-old are processing her disappearance in different ways.

Her 7-year-old son, who according to Elkins’ mother is on the autism spectrum, “doesn’t understand” why his mom won’t come home.

“He still thinks mom’s coming home every, every day. He’s like, ‘Where’s mom? Where’s mom?'” Elkins’ uncle Maurice Morton told PEOPLE.

Elkins’ 10-year-old son has nightmares everyday, Morton said.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

On Friday, in a statement to PEOPLE, Morton said their family welcomes this next step from the prosecutor’s office.

“The family is pleased that murder charges have been filed against DeAndre Booker,” Morton said. “Though this alone won’t provide closure, it will begin our journey to justice.”

Plea and attorney information for Booker were not immediately available.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.