When a young girl vanishes into a dark and stormy night, her baffling disappearance becomes one of the most mysterious unsolved cases in North Carolina history. Decades later, major investigative breakthroughs renew hope of the case finally being solved in this episode of Last Seen Alive.
Asha Degree was 9-years-old when she disappeared from Shelby, North Carolina on February 14th, 2000. She left her home on foot at night, for unknown reasons. Image source: family photo.Asha was a skilled athlete who played on multiple local sport teams. Image source: family photo.This age-progressed photo shows what Asha might look like as an adult, if still alive. Image source: NCMEC.A copy of the book “McElligot’s Pool” by Dr Seuss was found in a backpack belonging to Asha.This New Kids on the Block t-shirt was found in a backpack belonging to Asha. It’s origin is unknown, as it did not belong to her. Image source: law enforcement photo.Asha was a sweet and intelligent child with a talent for sports. She is badly missed by her parents and brother, who have not seen her since her disappearance in February of 2000. Investigators believe she was a homicide victim. Image source: family photo.In 2024, this vehicle was removed from Roy Dedmon’s property as evidence by law enforcement. It resembles the description of a vehicle that a witness reported seeing Asha being pulled into on the night of her disappearance. Image source: WBTV3 News.
If you have any information about the disappearance of Asha Degree, call the FBI at 704- 672-6100 or the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at 704 484-4822.
A combined $100,000 reward is offered for information leading to the discovery of Asha’s whereabouts.
LOL! Sorry if that anecdote was confusing. As far as I know, she wasn’t a fan, but when I was a kid I found a NKOTB puzzle under her couch, and I remember wondering who the heck they were. They were *slightly* before my time–I was a kid during the height of the Backstreet Boys’ and Britney Spears’ popularity. I suspect the puzzle had been lurking under her couch since my infancy. Maybe it was something one of my older second-cousins played with. But to me, it seemed like a relic from a distant time.
Ha, whew. I know I’m old but I legit thought I was losing my mind. Fans of NKOTB were pretty young – like 9 – 13, not teenagers. So if you figure the height of their popularity was around 1990, fans would have been roughly 18 – 23 or so around the time Asha went missing. Which means a kid Asha’s age with older siblings or cousins could very well have such a shirt – I know her family said it wasn’t hers, but your analysis made it sound like the owner of the shirt would have been 30-40 or older at the time, which I think is off.
Yeah, I guess they’re not *quite* ancient history. 🙂
I think it’s totally plausible that the shirt could’ve belonged to the older sibling or cousin of someone Asha’s age, as you suggested. For that matter, maybe I would’ve been familiar with them prior to the couch discovery if I had older siblings (I’m the oldest among mine).
LAST SEEN ALIVE 
Wait – your GREAT GRANDMOTHER was into NKOTB? Im confused.
LikeLike
LOL! Sorry if that anecdote was confusing. As far as I know, she wasn’t a fan, but when I was a kid I found a NKOTB puzzle under her couch, and I remember wondering who the heck they were. They were *slightly* before my time–I was a kid during the height of the Backstreet Boys’ and Britney Spears’ popularity. I suspect the puzzle had been lurking under her couch since my infancy. Maybe it was something one of my older second-cousins played with. But to me, it seemed like a relic from a distant time.
-Leah
LikeLike
Ha, whew. I know I’m old but I legit thought I was losing my mind. Fans of NKOTB were pretty young – like 9 – 13, not teenagers. So if you figure the height of their popularity was around 1990, fans would have been roughly 18 – 23 or so around the time Asha went missing. Which means a kid Asha’s age with older siblings or cousins could very well have such a shirt – I know her family said it wasn’t hers, but your analysis made it sound like the owner of the shirt would have been 30-40 or older at the time, which I think is off.
LikeLike
Yeah, I guess they’re not *quite* ancient history. 🙂
I think it’s totally plausible that the shirt could’ve belonged to the older sibling or cousin of someone Asha’s age, as you suggested. For that matter, maybe I would’ve been familiar with them prior to the couch discovery if I had older siblings (I’m the oldest among mine).
LikeLike