Asha Degree Disappearance: New Search Warrants Reveal Shocking Details and Suspect Confessions

Image credits: WCNC

The disappearance of 9-year-old Asha Degree on Valentine's Day in 2000 has been a haunting mystery for the community of Shelby, North Carolina, for 25 years. Recently, new search warrants have been released, shedding light on the case and revealing shocking details, including a suspect confession and cryptic text messages. The warrants show that law enforcement has been investigating the Dedmon family, whose property was searched by federal agents last September. Lizzie Foster, the daughter of Roy Dedmon, has been at the center of the investigation, with her phone records revealing several "messages of interest" linked to the case.

According to the warrants, a man named Thad Mellentine came forward in September 2024, claiming that he had heard Lizzie confess to killing Asha Degree at a party in the mid-2000s. Mellentine stated that Lizzie was "sobbing and balling" and made several statements admitting to the crime, including saying "I killed Asha Degree." Her sister, Sarah, allegedly became angry and told Lizzie to "shut the f*** up" while grabbing her head. Mellentine's statement was supported by a polygraph test, which he passed. The investigation has also uncovered a green AMC Rambler, similar to the car described by an eyewitness as the one Asha was pulled into, which was registered to Roy Dedmon and given to his daughter Sarah when she was 16.

The text messages obtained from Lizzie's phone reveal a sense of panic and desperation among the Dedmon family members. In one message, Lizzie tells her ex-husband that she is "so worried" and that the situation is a "nightmare that's going to keep getting worse." She also mentions that investigators believe she could be the suspect, and that the theory is that she did it by accident and covered it up. The messages also show that the family was advised not to talk to investigators without an attorney present. The investigation has been ongoing for months, with the FBI and local law enforcement working together to uncover the truth behind Asha's disappearance.

A former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, M. Quentin Williams, has analyzed the case and believes that the text messages provide investigators with valuable leverage during interviews. Williams states that the messages "allow the investigators to probe more" and that they could lead to an admission. The case has also been met with optimism from Asha's great-uncle, Willie Key, who revealed that detectives recently met with the family and said that they were getting close to solving the case. The community is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the investigation, hoping that justice will finally be served for Asha and her family.

Here is a timeline of the key events in the case: * February 14, 2000: Asha Degree disappears * 2001: A construction crew finds evidence double-bagged in black trash bags on the side of N.C. 18 * September 2024: The FBI begins searching the Dedmon family's property * September 18, 2024: Thad Mellentine comes forward with his statement * October 27, 2024: Investigators obtain search warrants for Lizzie Foster's phone * February 2025: New search warrants are released, revealing shocking details and suspect confessions The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been filed in the case at this time. As the community waits for the truth to be revealed, they remain hopeful that justice will be served for Asha and her family.