Family has hope Asha Degree will be found as 25 years since her disappearance nears

CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — Valentine’s day will mark 25 years since nine-year-old Asha Degree disappeared from her family’s home on Oakcrest Drive north of Shelby. Every year, the family hosts a prayer walk tracing Asha’s last known steps.

This year’s walk is a little different because there has been some motion in the case. Back in September, 2024 several properties were searched in connection to the case. Warrants revealed investigators believe Degree was killed and her body was hidden. Asha’s brother, O’Bryant Degree says the family still believes she is alive and will never give up on getting answers.

“I feel like she’s in the world that I can’t even protect her. So as far as the feelings, it’s rage, it’s sadness, it’s hopefulness, it’s praying, it’s eagerness. It’s just all of it bottled up and the emotions run its course. But I also know that God has the final say so, and we and we believe in that,” O’Bryant said.

Search warrants named Roy and Connie Dedmon as suspects. Four of the five properties searched in September are owned by the Dedmons. No arrests have been made.