After 25 long years, new developments have emerged in the Asha Degree disappearance case, which has captivated and horrified many since the 9-year-old went missing on February 14, 2000. The latest search warrants unsealed provide startling insights, particularly concerning the Dedmon family, whose potential involvement has raised new questions and fears about the circumstances surrounding Asha’s vanishing.
Asha Degree was reported missing from her home in Shelby, North Carolina. She was last seen walking alongside Highway 18, heading toward unknown intentions. Eyewitnesses claim they witnessed her being pulled forcibly from the roadside and allegedly getting inside what was described as a green vehicle, possibly from the 1970s. Investigators have long sought leads, but recently released search warrants have directed attention squarely at the Dedmon family.
Central to these revelations is Lizzie Grace Dedmon Foster, who was 16 at the time of Asha's disappearance. According to WBTV, she tested "deceptive" on recent polygraph tests concerning whether she concealed information about Asha’s disappearance. Such findings have led investigators to suspect the potential participation of her entire family.
Text messages recovered from Foster’s phone highlight the tense atmosphere surrounding the investigation, with her exhibiting expressions of fear and anxiety. "It's going to get nothing but worse," she allegedly texted during discussions with her sisters, prior to the search warrants being executed. These messages, detailed by Queen City News, not only express deep worry for the family’s circumstances but also include what appears to be admissions of guilt. One significant message read, "I mean, it’s a nightmare that's going to keep getting worse. I can see nothing good happening anytime soon. And I'm an optimist," illustrating her internal turmoil as the investigation intensifies.
The authorities have recovered several items connected to Asha, including her book bag found wrapped in black garbage bags along Highway 18. Genetic analysis has provided leads linking the Dedmons to DNA discovered at the site with results narrowing down to Russell Underhill, who lived at properties associated with the Dedmon family during the time Asha went missing. Disturbingly, Underhill was later found dead, and connections between him and the Dedmon daughters complicate matters even more.
Another sister, AnnaLee Victoria Dedmon Ramirez, has also been connected to items found at the scene and to the DNA results. This interplay of familial links prompted investigators to question whether assistance from the Dedmon parents, Roy and Connie Dedmon, played a role during and after the time of Asha's disappearance.
Search warrants executed on September 10 and 11, 2024, have raised eyebrows concerning vehicles involved. A 1964 AMC Rambler, reportedly owned by Roy Dedmon, shares similarities with the vehicle described by eyewitnesses on the night of Asha’s disappearance. Investigators seized this vehicle from the family home, adding another layer to the scrutiny facing the Dedmon family.
The investigation was propelled forward by witness testimonies. According to newly uncovered accounts, Thad Mellentine, who knew the Dedmon sisters at social gatherings, recalled hearing Lizzie Foster drunkenly confess to killing Asha at several parties. Mellentine stated, "I killed Asha Degree," and corroborated this with his account of Sarah Dedmon angrily admonishing Lizzie to remain silent afterwards. His testimony is supported by his successful polygraph results, which confirm the accuracy of his statements.
On February 13, 2025, law enforcement sought to analyze the phones of the Dedmon sisters, including Lizzie, to investigate any digital footprints left behind. Experts assert these phone records could yield substantial insights, with forensic analysis able to trace communication patterns and secretive interactions over the years.
Currently, investigators have confirmed they are exploring text messages and other digital communications from the iPhones belonging to the Dedmon sisters and Roy Dedmon. The potential for unearthing incriminatory evidence, or at least additional leads, appears promising. Following the recovery of significant text exchanges where Lizzie and her sisters discussed their anxieties surrounding their father’s involvement, the outcomes of these investigations remain eagerly awaited.
Another sister, Sarah, has been less cooperative with authorities, opting to delay answering questions until later dates. Allegations about family complicity create questions about the level of loyalty existing among the sisters, especially under potential legal scrutiny. By keeping tight-lipped or being evasive, the sisters are complicity fueling widespread speculation of their involvement.
The mystery surrounding Asha Degree may still seem distant from resolution, but as investigators untangle this web of texts, DNA evidence, and witness testimonies, the truth of her fate inches closer to the forefront. No charges have yet been filed, but with the weight of evidence building against the Dedmon family, law enforcement appears poised to make significant strides forward.
With the 25th anniversary of Asha's disappearance serving as both a painful reminder and motivation for justice, all eyes will be watching as detectives sift through digital evidence and statements, hoping for breakthroughs leading to closures for Asha's family and resolution for this haunting case.