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

[Quill]

It just occurred to me to ask if the family and/or Asha received any unusual phone calls prior to when she went missing? speculation.

In Toronto there is a well known case concerning a young girl, a promising track and field athlete who was contacted by phone by a'' photographer'' who tricked her into meeting him at a public arena for a "team" photography session.
It did not end well.

I remember hearing about this case. I think they referenced it in the podcast about the murder of Amy Mihaljevic because she too was lured out with a phone call. Pretty sure they ruled out connections in those two cases, but still it is an interesting chain of thought with regards to little Asha.

 

[Seratonin]

 

[T rex]

They said at the Valentines Day press conference that the book and the t-shirt were found in her bag in 2001. I can only assume the only reason why they released the info about them a couple of years ago is cause they wanted the public to think they were making progress on the case when in reality they couldn’t find an Elephant in a Grocery store. They are extremely incompetent

I'd have to say if LE found the book in Asha's bag way back then and did not immediately search the library records only to come out all these years later asking the public for help and using the excuse that the records are no longer available, then that would be beyond incompetence. The only other logical explanation I can think of is they did check the records back then but it was in that year and a half span that they had become unavailable. I still believe that not returning this book should be on someone's permanent school record.

What press conference do you speak of? I must have missed it. Do you have a link?

 

[dotr]

Looking for Asha — FBI
Feb 14 2020

''The case remains an open investigation, with a local detective reviewing leads—old and new—and FBI investigators from the Charlotte Field Office consolidating and combing through case files for unexplored patterns or clues''.

''On August 3, 2001, some 30 miles north of the last sighting, construction workers digging an access road for a new home in neighboring Burke County found a book bag that belonged to Asha. Inside was a concert T-shirt featuring boy band New Kids On The Block and a children’s book, McElligot’s Pool, by Dr. Seuss. Neither belonged to Asha, though the book was from the library at Asha’s school, Fallston Elementary. Investigators released images of the shirt and book in 2018, hoping to jog the memories of people who may have helpful information''.




Clues and potential leads include items discovered in Asha's book bag, which was recovered 30 miles from where she was last seen. They include a New Kids On the Block concert T-shirt and a Dr. Seuss book, which had been checked out of her school library.

Tipsters also said they may have seen Asha getting into a green 1970s model Ford Thunderbird or Lincoln Mark IV on the night she disappeared.''
''There are few clues about why Asha left her house on Valentine’s Day, which is also her parents’ wedding anniversary. If she was upset about her poor performance at a basketball game the Saturday before her disappearance (she fouled out and her team lost by one point), it seemed to have dissipated by the next morning, when the family went together to church and Sunday school. Still, it was a crushing loss for Asha, her mom said, leading Iquilla, Harold, and investigators to wonder if it may have spurred the competitive, intelligent 9-year-old to hatch some unknown plan.

“Apparently, she packed her bag prior to leaving, but the contents—from what we can tell—looked like something a child would pack rather than her parents preparing her for an overnight stay,” Det. Adams said.''

 

[T rex]

Looking for Asha — FBI
Feb 14 2020

''The case remains an open investigation, with a local detective reviewing leads—old and new—and FBI investigators from the Charlotte Field Office consolidating and combing through case files for unexplored patterns or clues''.

''On August 3, 2001, some 30 miles north of the last sighting, construction workers digging an access road for a new home in neighboring Burke County found a book bag that belonged to Asha. Inside was a concert T-shirt featuring boy band New Kids On The Block and a children’s book, McElligot’s Pool, by Dr. Seuss. Neither belonged to Asha, though the book was from the library at Asha’s school, Fallston Elementary. Investigators released images of the shirt and book in 2018, hoping to jog the memories of people who may have helpful information''.




Clues and potential leads include items discovered in Asha's book bag, which was recovered 30 miles from where she was last seen. They include a New Kids On the Block concert T-shirt and a Dr. Seuss book, which had been checked out of her school library.

Tipsters also said they may have seen Asha getting into a green 1970s model Ford Thunderbird or Lincoln Mark IV on the night she disappeared.''
''There are few clues about why Asha left her house on Valentine’s Day, which is also her parents’ wedding anniversary. If she was upset about her poor performance at a basketball game the Saturday before her disappearance (she fouled out and her team lost by one point), it seemed to have dissipated by the next morning, when the family went together to church and Sunday school. Still, it was a crushing loss for Asha, her mom said, leading Iquilla, Harold, and investigators to wonder if it may have spurred the competitive, intelligent 9-year-old to hatch some unknown plan.

“Apparently, she packed her bag prior to leaving, but the contents—from what we can tell—looked like something a child would pack rather than her parents preparing her for an overnight stay,” Det. Adams said.''

Well then, I guess I'll just have to be left wondering why. Why LE didn't come forward with these items years ago? People's memory fade, people move away, people die. The very people that had the answers may not be around anymore or have just simply forgot. I don't think the FBI was involved back then. If they had maybe it would've been different.
The only thing I can think of is perhaps local LE had or have a suspect and they just wanted to hold back some information that only them and the suspect would have. It's the only thing I can think of. I hope that's it.

 

[T rex]

In one of the articles in this link a neighbor of Turners Upholstery the Rev. Mackie Turner said he kept beagles behind the tractor shed that some of Asha's belongings were found in but he never heard them bark that night. It's true that beagles are very alert and prone to a lot of barking. So. Why didn't the dogs bark? And if they did why would Asha, who according to her mother was terrified of dogs, approach them.
Could someone the dogs were familiar with have been there keeping them hushed up? Beagles are hunting dogs, more precisely rabbit hunting dogs. I was just wondering if anyone had hunting rights to the property where Asha's book bag was found or the ones adjacent to it. It would be the perfect excuse for someone that already had permission to be there and make for much easier access. I think rabbit season in N.C. usually lasts until the end of February.

Another possibility is that Asha was never in the shed. In that case someone would have had to put her belongings there, but when? That night? Or could it have been one of the 600 volunteers (also in the link) that were searching for Asha the next morning? You'd have to be pretty brave to be walking around with her stuff in your pocket right at that time and in that area. Just some thoughts.

AshDeg | Violence | Free 30-day Trial | Scribd

 

[T rex]

Now that I have accepted that the shirt and book were found in Asha's book bag I think that I'm getting a little glimpse into law enforcement's way of thinking. This could be a reason for why they have expressed, in the not so distant past, the possibility of Asha still being alive. I don't have much doubt that Asha came into possession of these items after her disappearance and it's likely she placed them in the bag herself. These items represent a time in her life that only a few people would know about. LE probably felt if they released this information at that time it could put Asha's life in even more danger. Of course going public about the bag itself could have been enough to do that. I'm sure they were probably distraught about it but I guess when your an investigator you have to do something.
Does anyone here know if LE ever made it known how long they believe the bag was there? It's disposal could signify a transition. A transition from laying low and hiding out to making a move and going elsewhere. JMO.

 

[HeartOfGranite]

I'm new to this thread (I've been reading for a long time, but haven't posted on this case before), but looking at that photo...is that a t-shirt or a nightshirt? The long length and the red binding on the bottom reminds me of a nightshirt I had as a kid that was very similar--short-ish, just above knee-length, different color sleeves and binding, graphic on the front. I'm just wondering because a nightshirt would, to me anyway, signal intent to stay away for more than one day. If it was put there later and not something Asha packed, might it indicate she was, at least for a time, held somewhere and possibly given a nightshirt to sleep in during that time? It could mean absolutely nothing, but I sort of think that t-shirt or nightshirt could have meaning that might be small, but worth considering?

 

[findgarymathias]

The more facts I have learned about this case over the years the less I feel that I actually know about the case. I'm sure there's more to it, law enforcement has made statements about the car (it was occupied at least two times, etc.) that make me believe they really do have some sort of idea. What we almost never get are the interviews they have with people, I'm sure there are local tidbits of info that we will just never get on the internet - like whatever has caused police to clear her parents so firmly (they march alongside her in the annual parade in her honor, I really think they feel they are blameless).

I used to be positive, 100% that she was groomed. But I'm just not so sure anymore. It's an incredibly weird case, it's probably one of the cases I'd use my 3 wishes on if I ever found a magic lamp.

 

[Quill]

I'm new to this thread (I've been reading for a long time, but haven't posted on this case before), but looking at that photo...is that a t-shirt or a nightshirt? The long length and the red binding on the bottom reminds me of a nightshirt I had as a kid that was very similar--short-ish, just above knee-length, different color sleeves and binding, graphic on the front. I'm just wondering because a nightshirt would, to me anyway, signal intent to stay away for more than one day. If it was put there later and not something Asha packed, might it indicate she was, at least for a time, held somewhere and possibly given a nightshirt to sleep in during that time? It could mean absolutely nothing, but I sort of think that t-shirt or nightshirt could have meaning that might be small, but worth considering?

I have had the same thoughts about that shirt. It not only looks like a child's nightshirt, but also does not look like a true concert t-shirt to me. It looks like the type of thing that was sold at discount department stores.

 

[celinesleuth]

I've been thinking about little Asha so much recently. I can't believe its been over 20 years now and it seems like we're not any closer to finding her. This is one of those cases that I have no idea what to think. So many different theories seem plausible to me; sometimes I even think that she woke up in the night and something came over her, and in the spur of the moment she just got up, packed a bag and left.
News about this mysterious car, the library book and t shirt seem to be too little too late? I really hope not and we find Asha soon <3

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

I have had the same thoughts about that shirt. It not only looks like a child's nightshirt, but also does not look like a true concert t-shirt to me. It looks like the type of thing that was sold at discount department stores.

I agree. It reminds me of a Nsync t-shirt my mom got me at Wal-Mart or K-Mart in 1999. Speaking of which, being the same age as Asha NKOTB wasn't big in our generation, and Nsync would have made more sense. Her parents say the shirt wasn't hers and it most have been given to her after her abduction. Must be why it wasn't revealed until now.

Just had another thought, regarding the library book that Asha didn't check-out but was from her same school, to me that suggests her abductor was related to her school somehow. As in a classmates parent or something. That could have been how they lured her. To have a sleepover with her friend. Makes me think back to the unknown photo found with her belongings outside the shed.

 

[Quill]

I agree. It reminds me of a Nsync t-shirt my mom got me at Wal-Mart or K-Mart in 1999. Speaking of which, being the same age as Asha NKOTB wasn't big in our generation, and Nsync would have made more sense. Her parents say the shirt wasn't hers and it most have been given to her after her abduction. Must be why it wasn't revealed until now.

Just had another thought, regarding the library book that Asha didn't check-out but was from her same school, to me that suggests her abductor was related to her school somehow. As in a classmates parent or something. That could have been how they lured her. To have a sleepover with her friend. Makes me think back to the unknown photo found with her belongings outside the shed.

Great point about NSYNC. My kids are a little younger but you are totally accurate. Mine didn't know anything about NKOTB back then. So, it begs the question of the perpetrator having access to an old shirt somehow from a sibling, spouse or grown child? That is even assuming that the perp was a male. What about a female perp?
Then there is the school library book. My mind went immediately to school staff, but a school mate's parent or older sibling cannot be off the table.

Good thinking here.

 

[T rex]

I'm new to this thread (I've been reading for a long time, but haven't posted on this case before), but looking at that photo...is that a t-shirt or a nightshirt? The long length and the red binding on the bottom reminds me of a nightshirt I had as a kid that was very similar--short-ish, just above knee-length, different color sleeves and binding, graphic on the front. I'm just wondering because a nightshirt would, to me anyway, signal intent to stay away for more than one day. If it was put there later and not something Asha packed, might it indicate she was, at least for a time, held somewhere and possibly given a nightshirt to sleep in during that time? It could mean absolutely nothing, but I sort of think that t-shirt or nightshirt could have meaning that might be small, but worth considering?

Regardless of whether the manufacturer intended for it to be a nightshirt or not I feel like that is what Asha would have been using it for. Much like the one she was wearing the night of her disappearance.

 

[Quill]

Regardless of whether the manufacturer intended for it to be a nightshirt or not I feel like that is what Asha would have been using it for. Much like the one she was wearing the night of her disappearance.

But didn't they say the parents didn't recognize the shirt?

 

[T rex]

But didn't they say the parents didn't recognize the shirt?

LE has said this shirt did not belong to Asha prior to that night. I was just saying it seems like she was accustomed to wearing nightshirts. One of the witnesses thought she was wearing a dress. Likewise, the NKB shirt looks to large for her to be using for anything else.

 

[Quill]

LE has said this shirt did not belong to Asha prior to that night. I was just saying it seems like she was accustomed to wearing nightshirts. One of the witnesses thought she was wearing a dress. Likewise, the NKB shirt looks to large for her to be using for anything else.

Oh, I see now. Thanks for clarifying. Makes sense.

 

[psych-nurse]

I'm sure this has been covered but I can't find it: Who, if anyone, was the book checked out to? If nobody was on record as checking the book out of Asha's school library, then logic would tell me that someone with access to the school took it. Someone whose presence at the school wasn't seen as odd.

 

[ekardh]

Feels like someone is deliberating throwing out red herrings.

 

[dotr]

Feels like someone is deliberating throwing out red herrings.

Not sure why, but if true- those particular "red herrings" (clothing, book, a photo) seem like something a female might plant .
speculation, imo.