Notorious missing persons cold case 'solved' 24 years after North Carolina girl, 9, vanished

A notorious cold case is hoped to be on the verge of finally being solved after more than two decades .

Asha Degree, nine, disappeared from her home in North Carolina during a storm on Valentine’s Day in 2000 and was seen by passing motorists before heading into a nearby wooded area. She was never seen again. Now, 24 years on, Cleveland County Sheriff's Office say they believe Asha was murdered and her body was hidden. Her remains have not been found .

Earlier this week, search warrants were carried out by the sheriffs, FBI and other police departments at several properties - including an assisted living facility and a home.

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The search warrant revealed police believe Degree is a “victim of homicide , with her body concealed”. It added the locations were owned or lived in by members of the Dedmon family. The search warrants were requested after DNA samples linked the youngster with woman AnnaLee Dedmon Ramirez, and a man named Russell Underhill.

Some of Asha’s belongings were found more than a year after she disappeared from her home in Shelby , North Carolina. Her backpack was discovered more than 30 miles from where she was last seen and wrapped in sealed black sacks along a highway.

Some of the items in the backpack reportedly had evidence linking DNA to Dedmon Ramirez - who was 13 at the time - and Underhill.

Sheriff Alan Norman previously said he believes the community holds the key. He said: “This has gone on quite some time and I am sure there is someone out there who has information extremely vital to this case

“We want you to come forward to bring closure for this family who has suffered for this long period of time. February 14, marks the 15th anniversary of the day Asha Degree went missing . People in the community still remember that awful day.”

Asha's mother, Iquilla Degree said in 2015: “Continue to pray for us because we do believe that she is still alive. We're still looking for a person to walk in and we know one day we will see her again.”