Family of Secrets: Asha Degree

In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: On Valentine’s Day in 2000, a 9-year-old girl vanished into the darkness—leaving behind no footprints, no note, and no clear reason why.
For over two decades, the disappearance of Asha Degree haunted her North Carolina community. Now, new DNA evidence, chilling text messages, and a possible confession have reignited the case.
Anyone with information about this case should contact the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office at 704-484-4822. 

This is the story of Asha Degree. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
discussing one of North Carolina's most haunting unsolved cases. It
all began on Valentine's Day in the year two thousand

(00:23):
in the quiet town of Shelby, a young child disappearing
into the darkness, walking out of her family's home in
the early morning hours, and vanishing without a trace. For
over two decades, her case has remained unsolved, filled with rumors,
leads that went nowhere into family's never ending search for

(00:46):
the truth. But with new developments, including DNA evidence and
a possible confession, this case may be one step closer
to justice. This is the story of Asha Degree. Asha
Degree was born on August fifth, nineteen ninety. On the

(01:08):
night of February thirteenth, two thousand, the nine year old
went to bed in the room she shared with her
brother in their Shelby, North Carolina home. But sometime after
midnight in the early hours of Valentine's Day, Asha quietly
left the house, taking her backpack with her. Witnesses later

(01:28):
reported seeing a small figure walking along North Carolina Highway
eighteen around four a m. Some even claimed to have
seen her get into a dark green vehicle, possibly a
nineteen seventy's Lincoln Thunderbird or a similar model. That would

(01:49):
be the last time anyone saw her alive. The Shelby
community mobilized immediately. Hundreds joined the search. Flyers were posted,
woods and fields were combed, but nothing turned up, not
a footprint and not a piece of clothing. Then more

(02:14):
than a year later, in August of two thousand and one,
a construction crew discovered a weathered plastic bag off Highway
eighteen in Burke County, about twenty six miles from Asha's home.
Inside the bag Asha's backpack, still containing some of her

(02:35):
personal belongings. The discovery reignited interests in the case, but
there were still no leads, no suspects, in no answers.
The trail went cold. Then two decades later, in September
twenty twenty four, the case suddenly exploded back into the headlines.

(03:01):
The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office executed search warrants at multiple properties,
including one owned by a man by the name of
roy Lee Deadman and his wife, Connie. In Lawndale, North Carolina.
Investigators seized a green nineteen sixties model car resembling the

(03:21):
vehicle Asha was last seen entering. Authorities also named the
Deadman's three daughters, Annalie Deadmond Ramirez, Lizzie Deadmond Foster, and
Sarah Deadman Caple in connection to the case. According to
search warrants, DNA testing on items found inside Asha's backpack

(03:42):
yielded a shocking result. The DNA matched two people, Russell
Underhill and Annalie Deadmond Ramirez. Underhill was a known associate
of the Deadman family. He lived on one of their
properties for years, and he died back in two thousand
and four. Investigators also uncovered disturbing text messages between Lizzie

(04:07):
and Sarah. In one exchange, they discussed a shirt and
shared concerns that their father, Roy would become a prime
suspect in the case. The language was guarded, fragmented, and panic.
As if that weren't enough, a man came forward with
a bombshell allegation. He claimed that sometime in the mid

(04:32):
two thousands, he attended a party where Lizzie, intoxicated and crying,
blurted out quote I killed Asha Degree. He said that
her sister, Sarah immediately shouted back, shut the f up.
The man reported this information to law enforcement and even

(04:52):
passed a polygraph test regarding his statement, but still no
arrests were made. Despite these more recent developments, including DNA matches,
alleged confessional statements, and witness testimony, no one has been
charged in connection to Asha Degree's disappearance. Investigators now believe

(05:16):
she was abducted and murdered, and that her body was
deliberately hidden. The case remains active and open. Asha Degree
story has never faded from the hearts of her family
or the Shelby community. Her mother, Ikila Degree, has been

(05:36):
relentless in her pursuit of answers. She's spoken out publicly
for years, begging anyone with information to come forward. Today,
Asha would be thirty four years old. Anyone with information
about Asha's disappearance should contact the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office

(05:57):
or the FBI. Contact information can be found in the
description box below. As we close out this episode, don't
forget to hit the follow button to stay updated on
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for more true crime updates, and if you enjoyed this episode,

(06:21):
leave us a five star rating. Thank you so much
for joining us on another episode until next time. Hunting

(06:49):
for Answers is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network.
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