New Evidence in Asha Degree Case Raises Fresh Suspicions

SHELBY, N.C. (AP) — New search warrants in the Asha Degree case have revealed alarming developments including a lie-detector test result that suggests a key figure in the investigation may have withheld crucial information.

On February 18, 2025, details from the newly obtained warrants highlighted Lizzie Grace Dedmon Foster’s deceptive responses during a polygraph test regarding her knowledge of the events surrounding the 2000 disappearance of 9-year-old Asha Degree. Foster, now living in Texas, was one of three daughters of Roy and Connie Dedmon, who have emerged as suspected figures in the ongoing investigation.

The search warrants, executed in September 2024, indicated that no charges have been filed, despite Foster being identified as the eldest sister at age 16 when Asha disappeared on February 14, 2000. The last confirmed sighting of Asha was along Highway 18 in Shelby, where witnesses reported seeing a girl fitting her description being pulled into a green 1970s vehicle.

Foster’s polygraph results, assessed by investigators, indicated she was “deceptive” when asked if she concealed information about Asha’s case. Her responses have prompted renewed scrutiny of the Dedmon family as investigators seek to clarify their roles in the events leading up to Asha’s disappearance.

In the months following the incidents, Foster has reportedly expressed her concerns about the family’s involvement and the direction of the investigation. Text messages exchanged among the Dedmon sisters after the September searches reveal a climate of anxiety and fears over potential legal ramifications for their father. For instance, one sister texted, “Dad is probably going to be a huge suspect,” as they grappled with the implications of their father’s status in the unfolding investigation.

A key breakthrough in the case occurred when a former acquaintance of the Dedmon sisters came forward, sharing what he claimed to have witnessed at a party in the mid-2000s. He stated that Lizzie, in a state of intoxication, allegedly confessed, “I killed Asha Degree.” This claim was complemented by her sister Sarah’s apparent reaction, where she admonished Lizzie to “shut the [expletive] up.” The acquaintance subsequently passed a polygraph test validating his testimony.

The warrants also detailed that when investigators attempted to approach the Dedmon family members for questioning, there were notable attempts to avoid involvement. Following a request for the sisters to participate in interviews, Lizzie initially refused but later became emotional and agreed to a retest.

Moreover, the warrants outlined notable findings from the searches conducted at the Dedmons’ properties, where investigators seized a similar vehicle—a 1964 AMC Rambler—further linking the family to Asha’s reported abduction. This situation remains compounded by the discovery of Asha’s belongings over a year after her disappearance, which contributed to longstanding suspicions about the Dedmon family’s knowledge of the case.

The FBI and local law enforcement continue to investigate, maintaining that Asha Degree was likely a victim of homicide, though no physical evidence confirming this has been presented publicly, and both her location and her case remain unresolved.

A court hearing is expected to provide further clarity, as late filings suggest that investigators are seeking search warrants for the electronic devices of multiple family members involved. The unfolding details surrounding the case underscore the complexity of the investigation and the deepening mystery of Asha Degree’s fate.