Daniel Varnes, a 47-year-old man from Michigan, has pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, torture, and concealing the death of his visually impaired girlfriend, Teressa M. Johnson. He faces 32 years in prison for the crimes committed in a Saginaw motel room. Johnson's body was found after Varnes revealed it to a drug dealer he owed money to.
On September 1, 2024, authorities discovered the mutilated body of Teressa M. Johnson in a room at the Rodeway Inn and Suites in the 4900 block of St. Mary's Lane in Saginaw, Michigan, approximately 100 miles northwest of Detroit. The discovery came after a drug dealer, whom Daniel J. Varnes owed $60 for crack cocaine, visited the room following Varnes's invitation. Inside, Varnes gestured toward a blanket-covered figure on the bed and said, "You know exactly what that is," before revealing Johnson's body, which appeared to have been dead for several days.
Varnes claimed to the dealer that Johnson had died from injuries sustained while visiting friends earlier and suggested it would be easy to dispose of the body since no one knew she was with him. The dealer left and called 911. Police arrived, and Varnes fled on foot into nearby woods, where he was located around 4 p.m. that day.
During interrogation, Varnes admitted to multiple acts of brutality against Johnson, including beating her with his fists, boots, and various objects, as well as using needle-nose pliers on her mouth to silence her. He reportedly stated that he had "beat the s— out of her" and hit her at least 10 times. Investigators found items in the room—scissors, a ratchet, side cutters, screwdrivers, and pliers—all testing positive for Johnson's blood.
An autopsy confirmed Johnson's death resulted from multiple traumatic injuries, both recent and remote, with related complications. A neighbor who had lived next door to Varnes for over two months told WJRT she saw him daily but had no indication of the violence occurring. Varnes pleaded no contest on Tuesday to the charges and agreed to a 32-year sentence in a state correctional facility. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 13.
