New Warrants Reveal Text Messages in Asha Degree Case
By: Wise News Network Staff
Shelby, NC (WNN) — More than 25 years after the disappearance of Asha Degree newly executed search warrants have uncovered text messages suggesting a possible admission of fault and obstruction of justice involving a Cleveland County family.
Asha then 9 years old, vanished from her home in Shelby, North Carolina, on February 14, 2000. Despite exhaustive searches and national media attention, her case remains one of North Carolina’s most well-known unsolved mysteries.
However recent developments have reignited the investigation. Newly released court documents suggest that a local family- Roy Dedmon, his wife Connie, and their three daughters- may have played a role in Asha’s disappearance and potential homicide.
Authorities Name Dedmon Family in Investigation
In September 2024, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the FBI, executed search warrants at properties belonging to Roy Dedmon and his family. It was the first time authorities publicly stated they believed Asha Degree had been killed.
The investigation named three Dedmon sisters—Lizzie Foster, Sarah Dedmon Caple, and AnnaLee Dedmon Ramirez—as persons of interest. At the time of Asha’s disappearance, Lizzie was 16, Sarah was 15, and AnnaLee was 13.
Investigators believe that, due to the girls’ young ages in 2000, “adult assistance” from their parents, Roy and Connie Dedmon, would have been necessary for either carrying out or covering up a crime.
However, Roy Dedmon’s attorney has firmly denied his involvement. While confirming that the property searched belonged to Dedmon, the attorney emphasized that he has no connection to Asha Degree’s disappearance and no known ties to her family.
“The community should not jump to conclusions,” the attorney urged after the warrants were made public. “Let law enforcement do their job, and please avoid spreading rumors.”
On February 13, 2025, three additional search warrants were executed, targeting specifically Lizzie Foster, Sarah Dedmon Caple, and Roy Dedmon.
Search Warrants Uncover DNA Evidence and Witness Testimony
According to the newly obtained search warrants, a significant DNA match was found on evidence recovered from Asha Degree’s belongings.
- In 2001, Asha’s backpack was found along Highway 18 in Burke County, more than 30 miles from where she was last seen.
- Recent forensic analysis linked DNA on items inside the backpack to AnnaLee Dedmon Ramirez and a man named Russell Underhill.
- Underhill, who died in 2004, lived at facilities operated by Roy and Connie Dedmon.
Laboratory analysis further revealed that a hair stem sample from an undershirt found in Asha’s bag was genetically identical to the DNA of AnnaLee Dedmon Ramirez, the youngest of the three Dedmon sisters.
These findings add to investigators’ growing belief that members of the Dedmon family were involved in Asha’s disappearance and possible homicide.
Witness Comes Forward With Possible Confession
Shortly after the September 2024 searches, a man approached law enforcement with information about a conversation he had with Lizzie Foster and Sarah Dedmon Caple in the mid-2000s.
The man informed officers that during a house party with Foster and Dedmon Caple, he observed that Foster was visibly upset and intoxicated. Foster allegedly stated, “I killed Asha Degree.”
The man recalled that Sarah Dedmon Caple immediately reacted, telling her sister to “shut the [f***] up.”
The witness, who had been a casual acquaintance of the sisters, said this moment always stood out to him. He later took a polygraph test regarding his memory of the conversation, and according to investigators, he passed.
Several months after the property searches and the witness interview, investigators contacted Foster on February 10 and asked her to undergo a polygraph test.
The warrants stated that during the test, Foster was questioned about whether she was hiding any information and was determined to be deceptive.
After the polygraph, the warrants mentioned that Foster called her ex-husband and spoke with him for over 45 minutes, noting that he had been uncooperative with the investigation.
Though polygraph tests are not admissible in North Carolina courts, they are often used by law enforcement to gauge the credibility of witnesses.
Text Messages Reveal Suspicions and Anxiety Among Dedmon Family
In October 2024, investigators obtained a warrant for Lizzie Foster’s iCloud account, uncovering a series of messages that suggested increasing tension and fear among the Dedmon family. Law enforcement later seized cellphones belonging to Foster, Sarah Dedmon Caple, and their father, Roy Dedmon, on February 13, 2025.
The messages indicated that Foster and her family were deeply unsettled by the renewed investigation. In one of the most striking exchanges, sent on September 12, 2024, Foster confided in her sister, seemingly referencing legal discussions about her potential involvement.
“The theory is I did it. Accident. Covered it up,” she wrote.
Her sister, Sarah Dedmon Caple, quickly dismissed the idea.
“No. Why would it be you?”
Other messages show the sisters discussing the possibility of new evidence tying them to the case. On September 10, 2024, Sarah Dedmon Caple expressed concern over a particular item authorities had linked to the investigation.
“They think it’s our shirt, but it’s not,” she texted Foster. “Her mom said it wasn’t hers. I don’t remember that shirt… I’m scared, though. Dad is probably going to be a huge suspect.”
Meanwhile, Foster’s text messages with her ex-husband reveal a growing sense of panic.
“This is going to get nothing but worse,” she wrote on September 11, 2024. “I’m just so worried. So, so worried. I feel horrible. So, so horrible. I don’t know what to do. I caused this.”
Her ex-husband attempted to reassure her, replying, “No, you didn’t!”
The full context of these messages remains unclear, but investigators consider them significant in their ongoing efforts to determine what happened to Asha Degree.
Roy Dedmon’s Attorney Points to Another Possible Suspect
During a press conference, Roy Dedmon’s attorney alluded to another person who may have been involved in Asha’s disappearance—Russell Underhill.
While not widely known in connection with the case before now, Underhill’s name appears in recent investigative documents. Law enforcement previously questioned his possible role, but his connection to Asha’s case remained unconfirmed.
Dedmon’s attorney stated that new evidence will “sadly link” a person to Degree’s disappearance who is “no longer living.” Underhill died in 2004.
While the nature of his connection to the case remains undisclosed, forensic evidence linked his DNA to an item found in Asha’s recovered backpack.
Legal Implications: Could There Be Arrests?
As of February 18, 2025, no arrests have been made in connection to Asha Degree’s disappearance. However, law enforcement has stated that they believe evidence supports probable cause for felony obstruction of justice against Roy Dedmon, Lizzie Foster, and Sarah Dedmon Caple.
Authorities also believe that the 1964 AMC Rambler owned by Roy Dedmon may match the vehicle seen when Asha was last spotted. The car was seized by law enforcement in September 2024.
Community and Family Still Seek Answers
For more than two decades, Asha’s family has fought to keep her memory alive.
The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office continues to work alongside the FBI to investigate these latest developments. Officials encourage anyone with information to contact the FBI’s Charlotte office or the sheriff’s tip line.
As new details emerge, Asha Degree’s case remains an active and evolving investigation.
Access the Full Search Warrants
If you would like to view The search warrants related to the Asha Degree case they are available on the WNN public documents page.
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