A Michigan man faces decades in prison after pleading no contest to charges of second-degree murder, torture and concealing the death in connection with the brutal murder of his girlfriend Teresa M. Johnson.
Daniel Varnes, 47, was arrested on September 1, 2024, after Johnson’s body was found in a motel room at the Rodeway Inn & Suites in Saginaw, Michigan. Johnson, 46, suffered two weeks of horrific abuse, which ultimately led to his death. Varnes was initially detained after a drug dealer who encountered him at a motel on the night of August 31 reported what he had seen. The dealer testified that he went to Vernes’ room to discuss an outstanding debt and saw a body under the bed covers. Upon interrogating Varnes he was shown the lifeless body of Johnson, who appeared to have been dead for several days.
The witness later called 911, prompting police to arrive at the scene and find Johnson’s malnourished body, covered in bruises and blood. After the discovery, Vernes fled the motel but was later found hiding in nearby woods, police said.
In statements to authorities, Varnes admitted to repeatedly beating Johnson with his fists and shoes over the course of two weeks. They also said they used needle-nose pliers to hold her lips shut and described her as legally blind and mentally disabled. Investigators found blood-stained equipment in the room, which was confirmed to be Johnson’s blood.
A medical examiner ruled the cause of death to be multiple traumatic injuries, with the death officially classified as a homicide.
Varnes, who has been held without bond since his arrest, faces 32 years in a state correctional facility, with his sentencing hearing scheduled for April 13, 2025.