How was the weather on Feb 14 2000? Did Asha (allegedly) walk out into a storm?
One enduring myth is that Asha disappeared during a storm. Extensive research shows this was not the case. The storm cleared before midnight and there was little to no rain on the 14th of February. By the time she would have left home it would have been clear, but the ground would still be wet.
What time was Asha last seen?
The generally accepted time that Harold remembers checking on Asha and her brother OB in their bedroom is 2:30 AM.
The generally accepted time that Asha was seen walking on Highway 18 by various witnesses is around 4:00-4:15am.
Did Harold go to the store for Candy? When and why?
This event is in dispute. Good Morning America made a statement referencing it, however, there do not seem to be any separate sources we’ve been able to verify.
Unfortunately, we have not received an answer to our inquiry about a source.
What time did Asha leave the house?
While the last time Asha was seen at home by someone in her family has been reported as both 12:30 and 2:30 AM, it is generally thought she did not leave any earlier than 2:30 AM. Her sighting just 1.3 miles away from home would leave her basically loitering near the highway, but unseen by passing cars, if she had left earlier and witnesses have her walking with a purpose.
Could Asha have wrapped her own backpack in the trash bags? Possibly to keep her belongings dry?
The witnesses saw her wearing a backpack. If Asha put her backpack in the trash bags, it was at a later date.
Was it really Asha Degree seen walking on Highway 18?
Although it is true that eyewitness accounts can be unreliable, authorities believe the sightings to be credible and have acted on the belief that yes, these were sightings of Asha Degree. Do some still doubt whether this is the case, yes. Whatever you believe, it is important to recognise that neither side can prove a negative.
Why were Asha’s parents cleared so quickly by law enforcement?
Technically, no one has ever been named a suspect in this case nor have law enforcement ever officially cleared anyone. Her parents reportedly passed polygraph tests and requested they be tested.
It is important to note polygraph tests are not scientific and cannot be used as evidence in a court of law.
Did anyone see Asha after her basketball game on Saturday?
Yes. She spent Saturday night with about a dozen of her cousins. On Sunday, she and her family attended church services and afterward, had with extended family. O’Bryant Degree has never suggested or given any statement that suggests he and Asha did not go to bed at the same time.
Why would Asha lock the door behind her if she was running away? / Why would an intruder take the time to lock the door?
The front door of the home, according to Iquilla Degree, could be opened from the inside without a key.
This would mean that no one had to lock the door behind them. They only had to close it.
Why would Asha take her key if she was running away?
We can’t really know this for sure, because even assuming Asha ran away, we don’t know whether she had a long term plan. Remember, she was nine.
That said, Asha’s house key was kept in the backpack she was wearing when she disappeared. While it is unknown if anyone removed it at any point prior to the early morning hours of February 14, 2000, on probability, it stands to reason that the key remained in the backpack when it was grabbed on the way out the door.