SHELBY, N.C. — Channel 9 obtained new warrants in the Asha Degree case revealing text messages that were sent right after a recent search at a Cleveland County home. The warrants also detailed a polygraph test that was taken in connection with the investigation.
Last Friday marked the 25th anniversary of 9-year-old Asha Degree’s disappearance from her home near Shelby. The new warrants show texts between family members of a man whose properties were searched in September 2024 in Cleveland County.
Last fall, authorities executed multiple search warrants and seized various items related to Asha’s disappearance, citing “physical evidence” as the basis for their actions. They towed away a green 1960s model car linked to the case. The property owner was identified as 80-year-old Roy Lee Dedmon, who lives at the property with his wife, Connie Dedmon.
Channel 9 just obtained warrants of phone records of calls and text messages made at that time when the Dedmons were identified as suspects in Asha Degree’s disappearance and accused of concealing her death.
These are the key texts between the Dedmon’s family members. Channel 9 is not publishing the names of the people involved since they haven’t been identified as suspects or charged with a crime.
One wrote, “The theory is I did it. Accident. Covered it up.”
The message back was, “They think it’s our shirt. It’s not her shirt. Her mom says it wasn’t hers.” They added: “I don’t remember that shirt. I’m scared though. Dad is probably going to be a huge suspect.”
MORE PREVIOUS COVERAGE
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In another text message exchange, one of the family members said: “I feel so horrible ... So so horrible ... Idk what to do. I caused this.”
A relative responded, “No you didn’t!”
One of the family members mentions their attorney David Teddy in talking about that conversation.
“He was just like, ‘I will call Teddy we can go get a polygraph with honest people,’” the person wrote.
All this while investigators were trying to build their case that Asha Degree was not abducted 25 years ago.
They feel she was a victim of a crime, and a family tried to conceal it.
Dedmon’s attorney did not want to comment on this development.
Found to be deceptive
A lieutenant offered one of Dedmon’s daughters a polygraph test on Feb. 10, but she refused and she needed to make phone calls, according to court documents.
She made the phone call and reassured the lieutenant that she would not take a polygraph.
The lieutenant asked who she called, and she said she talked with her ex-husband.
The lieutenant tried to approach the daughter’s ex-husband on Sept. 28, 2024, at his home.
When he approached the house, he saw a little girl in the window, but no one would come to the door.
On Feb. 10, the lieutenant went back to Dedmon’s daughter who got emotional and agreed to take a polygraph test.
She was asked whether she was concealing information and was found to be deceptive.
After her interview, she immediately called her ex-husband and spoke with him for over 45 minutes. Her ex-husband has been uncooperative in the investigation.
“I killed Asha Degree”
In a new round of court documents, a witness who frequented bars and house parties with the Dedmon girls in the early 2000s went to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office in September.
He recalled a house party where he observed one of the sisters sobbing and balling while extremely intoxicated.
The witness said one of the sisters told him, “I killed Asha Degree.”
They added that the other sister then “became stern and angry” and told her sister to “shut the f**k up.”
Detectives said that witnesses later passed a polygraph to test the validity of their information.
Investigators said they wanted the phones because there may be evidence of a crime and/or those devices may have been used to collect and store information about crimes.
However, warrants revealed that a judge granted the request, and the phones were searched on Feb. 13.
Despite new information and developments in the case and the emergence of possible suspects, closure remains elusive. No criminal charges have been filed.
No additional details have been made available.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.
VIDEO: Investigators believe Asha Degree was killed and concealed, new warrants reveal
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