It’s been 22 years since the disappearance of Asha Degree

CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — Monday will mark 22 years since a 9-year-old girl vanished from her home in Cleveland County.

Asha Degree was last seen walking away from her home in Shelby on Valentine’s Day of 2000. A year later, detectives said they found her backpack buried along a road in Burke County, and a car was identified for a possible person of interest.

However, no new leads have broken in the case and Asha still has not been found.

The morning Asha disappeared, her parents said they had an appointment with a realtor to look for a new home. After Asha vanished, they said they stayed in the same house for two decades, holding on to hope that they would be there if Asha found a way back.

In 2020, the FBI put up billboards with an age-progressed picture of Asha in hopes of generating new leads. The FBI said they believe someone took Asha but they do not have any suspects.

“Somebody knows something,” said Iquilla Degree, Asha’s mother. “A 9-year-old just don’t disappear off of the face of the Earth without a trace. No, there is no way.”

There is still a $45,000 reward for information about Asha.

Anyone with information regarding Asha’s whereabouts should call 704 484-4788. Asha’s family said they still have an investigator working solely on finding her with help from state and federal investigators.

For more information on the FBI investigation, click here.

(WATCH BELOW: ‘All I can do is ask’: 21 years later, Asha Degree’s mom still holds out hope for missing daughter)

‘All I can do is ask’: 21 years later, Asha Degree’s mom still holds out hope for missing daughter

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