Search warrants: Asha Degree believed to be victim of homicide, her body concealed

September 2024 | YTCL Staff Writer

It is a sad update to the Asha Degree case, however now her family, the community, and the public are closer to answers than ever before in the nearly quarter century following her disappearance.

Investigators in Cleveland County now believe Asha, who was 9 years old when she disappeared in the early morning hours of Valentine’s Day 2000, was a victim of homicide.

Furthermore, investigators believe the girl’s disappearance may well be linked to the Roy Lee Dedmon family - a prominent family with deep roots in Cleveland County.

As YTCL reported last week, a number of search warrants were carried out around Cleveland County not only by local law enforcement, but with the assistance of the FBI and SBI.

We have now learned that DNA evidence discovered within Asha’s backpack and the trash bags in which it was placed has been linked to AnnaLee Dedmon-Ramirez, who was 13 years old at the time Asha Degree disappeared as well as a man named Russell B. Underhill, who has ties to the family. Underhill died in December 2004.

Asha’s backpack was initially found along Highway 18 outside of Morgantown by a professional grader about 18 months after she disappeared. According to unsealed documents, investigators tested a DNA sample from a hair stem that was taken from an undershirt worn by Asha Degree. The hair is said to match with AnnaLee Dedmon-Ramirez’s DNA.

Asha Degree believed to be a “victim of homicide, with her body concealed.”

AnnaLee is the youngest of Mr. Roy Lee Dedmon’s three daughters. Her elder sisters were then 15 and 16 years old. Because of the girls’ ages at the time, investigators say they believe that “adult assistance” from their father, Roy Lee Dedmon, as well as their mother, Connie (Elliott) Dedmon, “would have been necessary in the execution and/or concealment of the crime.”

Things are rather murky when it comes to how Russell Underhill fits in to it all. His DNA is said to be a match with DNA found on Asha’s belongings. He is known to have been a resident in at least 2 facilities operated by Roy and Connie Dedmon, the last being North Brook Rest Home. According to his medical records, Roy Lee was listed as his emergency contact.

Aside from investigators’ statement that Underhill “knew and associated with” the Dedmons, we are unable to determine precisely if Underhill was an extended relation of their family, or how he was otherwise connected.

Search warrants show investigators discovered that Roy Lee used to send one of his daughters to transport patients to/from a care home to hospital appointments.

Of note:

• There are reportedly 29 cars registered in Mr. Dedmon’s name.
• 3 green cars were discovered at Roy Lee’s Shelby property.
• Investigators were seen hauling away at least one of the cars, a green AMC Rambler.
• Also seized were computers, laptops, mobile phones, records.
• A human tooth in a plastic bag was discovered and taken into evidence.
• Investigators obtained a DNA sample from Roy Lee at the time of the search.
• Connie Dedmon does not currently live at the Cherryville Road property.
• Investigators searched Connie Dedmon’s residence as well and seized 2 computers, several flash drives and hard drives, a tablet, a number of CDs, SD cards.
• The only item alleged to have been sized from AnnaLee Dedmon-Ramirez’s home was an old BlackBerry phone.

Despite outlandish claims that human remains had been found, this was a rumour that was categorically false. No human remains have been found at any of the properties searched last week.

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