Asha Degree Update: Warrants Reveal New Details, Including Text Messages, In Case Of Girl Who Went Missing In 2000

Newly obtained search warrants have revealed additional details in the case of Asha Degree,the North Carolina girl who vanished 25 years ago at the age of 9. The latest documents, obtained by WBTV, suggest a possible connection between the disappearance Degree, who went missing from her home in Shelby, North Carolina, and Cleveland County, North Carolina family.

In September, the FBI executed multiple search warrants and identified Roy Dedmon and his family as individuals of interest. The warrant named Dedmon, his wife, Connie Dedmon, and their three daughters: AnnaLee Dedmon Ramirez, Lizzie Dedmon Foster, and Sarah Dedmon Caple. Authorities also stated at that time that they believe Degree was killed. The Dedmon family has denied any involvement in the case.

New Testimony Suggests Possible Confession at a Party

On Tuesday, WBTV obtained additional search warrants that provided new details about the daughters’ possible involvement. Documents show that Foster, then known as Lizzie Dedmon, was 16 years old when Degree disappeared in 2000, while Dedmon Caple was 15.

A man who spoke to officers in September said he partied with the Dedmon daughters in the early 2000s. He recalled a specific party where Foster appeared intoxicated and distressed. According to the man, Foster allegedly said, “I killed Asha Degree.” He also claimed that Dedmon Caple immediately responded, telling Foster to “shut the f**k up.” The man stated he is confident in his recollection of the moment, and investigators later confirmed that he passed a polygraph test.

Text Messages Reveal Concerns Over Evidence

Investigators also reviewed Foster’s text messages, which revealed discussions about potential evidence. In one message, Foster allegedly told her sister, “The theory is I did it. Accident. Covered it up.”

Other messages show the sisters discussing a shirt that may be linked to the case.

“They think it’s our shirt. It’s not her shirt,” Dedmon Caple texted Foster, appearing to reassure her.

As Foster expressed increasing anxiety about being implicated, Dedmon Caple attempted to calm her, writing, “This is NOT YOUR FAULT.”

No Arrests Have Been Made

Despite these revelations, authorities have not made any arrests in connection with Degree’s disappearance.

According to WBTV, an attorney for Roy Dedmon dismissed any connection between his client and the case, calling it “tenuous, at best.”

No members of the Dedmon family have been arrested or charged with any crimes related to Degree’s disappearance. The case remains under investigation.