NC NC - Asha Degree, 9, Shelby, 14 Feb 2000 #2

[jennytrevor]

My theory is that one of the older daughters was out driving the car that night and hit Asha. I think it's likely that she was drunk but not necessarily. Why was she out so late at night on a random Sunday/Monday? Because it was Valentine's Day and, in typical overly romantic teenage fashion, decided she wanted to meet up with her bf or romantic interest right as the clock struck 12 on Valentine's. Then while driving home, either rushing because she didn't want her parents to notice she snuck out or drunk from drinking with the boy, she hit Asha. Rushed home in a panic and asked Dad and Mom for help. The DNA of the younger sister and patient are just coincidence from transfer in the car.

 

[iamshadow21]

My theory is that one of the older daughters was out driving the car that night and hit Asha. I think it's likely that she was drunk but not necessarily. Why was she out so late at night on a random Sunday/Monday? Because it was Valentine's Day and, in typical overly romantic teenage fashion, decided she wanted to meet up with her bf or romantic interest right as the clock struck 12 on Valentine's. Then while driving home, either rushing because she didn't want her parents to notice she snuck out or drunk from drinking with the boy, she hit Asha. Rushed home in a panic and asked Dad and Mom for help. The DNA of the younger sister and patient are just coincidence from transfer in the car.

But isn't the information that the suspect is deceased? I thought the daughter was alive.

 

[DS2021]

But isn't the information that the suspect is deceased? I thought the daughter was alive.

One of the possible sources of dna found in/on the trash bag passed away in 2004.

Have they said that the sole suspect is dead?

 

[jennytrevor]

One of the possible sources of dna found in/on the trash bag passed away in 2004.

Have they said that the sole suspect is dead?

Yeah I'm confused too. I thought he was just a DNA source not the sole suspect.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Yeah I'm confused too. I thought he was just a DNA source not the sole suspect.

I believe that was a deflection from the lawyer of the property owners. The owners ended being named suspects in Asha’s disappearance

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

The warrants said that after the evidence was collected, it was sent for analysis and returned two positive DNA samples. One of the samples belonged to Russell Bradley Underhill, and the other to AnnaLee Victoria Dedmon Ramirez.

Investigators found that a couple, Roy and Connie Dedmon, were the common link between Underhill and AnnaLee Victoria Dedmon Ramirez, and identified them as suspects.

Warrants name suspects in case of missing Asha Degree, suggest she was killed

A couple was identified as suspects after their daughter’s DNA was found with evidence.

www.wbtv.com

 

[katikaboom]

Maybe someone can answer this question I have. The warrant lists VHS tapes and cameras. Why would those have evidence if this was an accident? The flip phone could have records of calls so I got that, but seizing cameras and tapes makes it seem like this was an intentional amd recorded killing, IMOO

 

[SouthEnd]

Maybe someone can answer this question I have. The warrant lists VHS tapes and cameras. Why would those have evidence if this was an accident? The flip phone could have records of calls so I got that, but seizing cameras and tapes makes it seem like this was an intentional amd recorded killing, IMOO

IANAL, but if I was drafting a warrant and I knew it was my one shot, I would be taking everything, hoping for a Hail Mary. What if they shot a home movie and a little trinket from Asha is visible in the background? What if they were able to compare the family from before and after the time in question, see if anyone has injuries? What if they behave differently after the day in question? Maybe even trying to see if there is footage of the car.

IMO A lot of what is seized during searches is a case of 'lets think of every single thing that could contain a shred of evidence'

 

[Aurora90]

Maybe someone can answer this question I have. The warrant lists VHS tapes and cameras. Why would those have evidence if this was an accident? The flip phone could have records of calls so I got that, but seizing cameras and tapes makes it seem like this was an intentional amd recorded killing, IMOO

This was my thought too, but I pray to God I am wrong.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

Maybe someone can answer this question I have. The warrant lists VHS tapes and cameras. Why would those have evidence if this was an accident? The flip phone could have records of calls so I got that, but seizing cameras and tapes makes it seem like this was an intentional amd recorded killing, IMOO

There could be potential evidence in them, like items seen in the background. Also time stamp of a recording could rule out individuals that could have been involved if they were found to be at home/elsewhere around the time it occurred, etc. In James Jordan's case (Michael Jordan's father) the killer had a video of himself rapping while wearing Michael Jordan's NBA ring and his father's expensive watch.

 

[Googlebutts]

But isn't the information that the suspect is deceased? I thought the daughter was alive.

They never said he was a suspect. They said they found his dna, which could be just transfer dna from being in the vehicle etc

 

[Googlebutts]

Maybe someone can answer this question I have. The warrant lists VHS tapes and cameras. Why would those have evidence if this was an accident? The flip phone could have records of calls so I got that, but seizing cameras and tapes makes it seem like this was an intentional amd recorded killing, IMOO

Could be old security cameras and tapes. Especially since they’re not full size vhs tapes

 

[sunflowermomma]

MOO. Shelby, NC is a population of around 20,000, less 20 years ago. There is no way a family that owned a business in a mid-size small town (fellow Americans will know what I mean) did not know about a missing child from the same community, there were searches for Asha for 2 weeks and there has been a fair amount of publicity since then. A local poster said there are billboards.

edit - the family i'm speaking about also had young girls at the time - even more of a reason to be paying attention to the news of a missing girl.

 

[sunflowermomma]

All pages of affidavit available here - Asha - Google Drive

 

[YouthSleuth98]

Reading throughthe Search warrant. Based on the PC, is it possible that Russell is the Likely suspect? The named daughter’s DNA was found by the hair strand but she was 13 at the time and not able to drive. Asha’s backpack was found near a NKOTB shirt which is probably that of Anna Lee, which would explain the hair transfer.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Reading throughthe Search warrant. Based on the PC, is it possible that Russell is the Likely suspect? The named daughter’s DNA was found by the hair strand but she was 13 at the time and not able to drive. Asha’s backpack was found near a NKOTB shirt which is probably that of Anna Lee, which would explain the hair transfer.

Underhill’s DNA was found on the garbage bag not any of Asha’s belongings. He was in the car that she likely would’ve been taken in. It was probably just transfer. I doubt Roy and Connie are all that innocent imo, they just sound like they are covering up whatever they can at this point because the 24 year old facade is up.

Yeah I'm confused too. I thought he was just a DNA source not the sole suspect.

Family named in Cleveland County search warrants denies connection with Asha Degree case

Family members named in search warrants released Monday in connection with missing Cleveland County girl Asha Degree deny any connection with the case.

www.wbtv.com

So I guess no one in the family is going to willingly talk. Even if the daughter was a teenager, i do hope they find a way to charge her if she’s involved because she’s equally complicit for not going to the police and failing to report an accident/death if she hit her. Imo, she’s equally guilty even if she didn’t do anything but still knew about Asha’s possible death.

I really hope they start talking because imo there is enough physical evidence to prove they had some form of contact with Asha. They can’t sit here and act like her disappearance didn’t happen less than ten minutes from their house or like they didn’t know anything about her.

Makes me so upset. If the Dedmons were involved… that means they’ve sat and watched two parents beg/plead for nearly three decades to have answers about her. They likely saw all the searches happening and all the news about it. They’ve sat back while an entire family, community, country, and world have waited to know what became of Asha Degree all those years ago.

 

[scottishwildcat]

But isn't the information that the suspect is deceased? I thought the daughter was alive.

I think there is mixed up information. In the warrant Roy and Connie Dedmon are referred to as suspects.

Russell Underhill is referred to as DNA found on the bag, he is not referred to as a suspect in the same way Roy and Connie are.

I know we are talking about the girls maybe taking the car and hitting asha accidentally, but there's no evidence linking the girls and the car sighting - its separate like Russell Underhill. There's a chance the daughters have nothing to do with this and were just contact dna like Underhill.

Given Connie and Roy are named as suspects, and that the girls are 13/15/16 at the time and it was a school night, its way more likely it was just connie and roy driving their own car.

People are naturally linking the green car sighting and the dumped bag but maybe they are totally separate.

 

[sunflowermomma]

I do find it interesting that the PCA states the eldest daughter moved evidence when she moved homes. They name the eldest daughter quite a few times. Could this evidence just be the green car itself, or belongings of Asha?

 

[Aurora90]

I do find it interesting that the PCA states the eldest daughter moved evidence when she moved homes. They name the eldest daughter quite a few times. Could this evidence just be the green car itself, or belongings of Asha?

My thoughts exactly. Or at the very least I am hoping so... LE appears to have confiscated a bunch of items, and did a lengthy search.

I am guessing that they had evidence they kept on their property for fear of disposing them at a time when everyone was looking... then it just stayed easier to keep close by.

Furthermore, I sure am hoping that those journals have something written down in them.

 

[MysteryMaven]

This is all just unbelievable. I never thought we would see this case be solved/close to being solved (hopefully).
Still so many questions.
Why did Asha leave in the middle of the night to begin with?
The green car tip-who called that in? It’s mentioned a lot but not attributed to anyone.
I think it may have been in the files from the start but LE re-found it in 2012. Maybe one of the girls’ friends knew what happened or suspected and wanted to help police?
The car must have contained a lot of different DNA from transporting patients. Only Underhill is named though. He had something to do with it, it wasn’t just transfer IMO.