VANISHED: Asha Degree

Summary

Summary of "VANISHED: Asha Degree" Episode of Up and Vanished Weekly

Podcast Information:

• Title: Up and Vanished Weekly
• Hosts: Payne Lindsey and Maggie Freeling
• Episode: VANISHED: Asha Degree
• Release Date: May 28, 2025

Introduction

In this gripping episode of Up and Vanished Weekly, hosts Payne Lindsey and Maggie Freeling delve into the mysterious disappearance of Asha Degree, a nine-year-old girl who vanished on Valentine's Day, 2000, from rural Shelby, North Carolina. Despite decades of investigation, Asha's case remains unsolved, leaving her family and community yearning for answers. This episode explores recent developments that offer new hope in unraveling this perplexing case.

The Disappearance

On the night of February 14, 2000, Asha Degree walked out of her home around 2:30 AM under unusual circumstances. Unlike typical missing child cases, Asha left during the cold, rainy night without appropriate clothing for the season and without signs of forced entry or struggle.

[03:15] Maggie Freeling: "What is it about this case that you and I just both can't stop thinking about it?"

[03:20] Daisy Egan: "This happened in the middle of the night. And the fact that she was snatched and nobody knows how or why on its own is very strange."

Witnesses, including trucker Jeff Roope, reported seeing a young girl matching Asha's description walking along Highway 18 before she veered into the nearby woods. These sightings became crucial leads in the initial investigation.

Initial Investigation and Findings

Authorities launched extensive searches shortly after Asha's disappearance, utilizing both ground and aerial efforts. They recovered personal items such as a pencil, a green marker, and Asha's Mickey Mouse hair bow from a tool shed near the highway—items that were found by a local resident two days after her disappearance.

[11:17] Daisy Egan: "They found her things in a tool shed. They found a pencil, a green marker, and her Mickey Mouse hair bow."

Despite these findings, the case quickly grew cold as no significant leads emerged. Theories ranged from Asha running away due to academic pressures to more sinister explanations, but none could be substantiated.

Ongoing Efforts and Renewed Interest

Over the years, Asha's case garnered national attention, leading to the FBI reopening the investigation in 2006. The community remained steadfast in their search efforts, raising a $25,000 reward for information. However, it wasn't until recent advancements in technology and new investigative leads that hope resurged.

[24:08] Rob: "The emergence of the text exchanges, in addition to a possible DNA match and a possible link to the vehicle of interest, raises a number of questions."

Breakthrough in 2024: The Dedman Family Connection

In September 2024, a significant breakthrough occurred when authorities executed search warrants related to the Dedman family—a trio of sisters whose vehicle matched descriptions from earlier eyewitness accounts. DNA analysis linked Russell Underhill and Annalee Dedman to items found in Asha's backpack, suggesting a possible connection.

Text Message Evidence

A series of text messages between the Dedman sisters revealed potential confessions and fears about their involvement in Asha's disappearance:

• [24:52] Sarah Dedman Capel to Lizzie Dedman Foster: "They think it's our shirt. It's not her shirt. Her mom said it wasn't hers. I'm scared, though. Dad is probably going to be a huge suspect."

• [25:18] Annalee Dedman Ramirez to Lizzie Dedman Foster: "Lizzie, you don't need to be talking to anyone. I'm at the lawyer's office."

• [25:40] Lizzie Dedman Foster to Ex-Husband: "This is going to get nothing but worse. I'm so worried."

These messages indicate internal family turmoil and possible awareness of their involvement, heightening suspicions around the Dedman family.

[33:09] Daisy Egan: "Annalee Dedman kind of chimes in and says, 'Lizzie, you don't need to be talking to anyone. I'm at the lawyer's office.'"

DNA and Vehicle Evidence

Further complicating the case, DNA from Russell Underhill was found on Asha's belongings, linking him to the circumstances of her disappearance. Additionally, the Dedman family's vehicle was identified as a potential key piece of evidence due to its resemblance to descriptions from the initial sightings.

[36:20] Daisy Egan: "His DNA is there on Asha's stuff. It's unclear if he was involved or just from being in the car."

Recent Searches and Current Status

In early 2025, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office intensified the investigation, executing additional search warrants and uncovering connections to previously unexplored properties. These efforts aim to piece together the final moments leading to Asha's disappearance.

[45:08] Daisy Egan: "Investigators from Lincoln County, the SBI, and the FBI hit the ground running early and fanned out across several acres of the old North Brooks school property."

Despite these renewed efforts, the case remains shrouded in mystery, with authorities yet to make any formal charges. The Dedman family's attorney has denied any involvement, asserting that the evidence is circumstantial.

[28:12] Maggie Freeling: "The Dedman's attorney has publicly denied that the family had any involvement in or knowledge of Asha's disappearance."

Impact on the Community and Family

Asha's disappearance has left a lasting impact on her family and the Shelby community. Decades of uncertainty have taken an emotional toll, with the family continuing to hold onto hope for closure.

[37:24] Daisy Egan: "Asha's parents held out hope until now that she was alive. All these years, her mom kept saying, 'I think she's alive. I know she's alive.'"

Community members remain engaged, supporting ongoing search efforts and advocating for justice. The recent developments have rekindled a collective determination to finally uncover the truth behind Asha's vanishing.

Conclusion

The case of Asha Degree exemplifies the enduring pain and relentless pursuit of justice inherent in unsolved disappearances. While recent breakthroughs involving the Dedman family bring new avenues for investigation, many questions remain unanswered. As Up and Vanished Weekly continues to shed light on this and other cold cases, listeners are reminded of the profound impact these mysteries have on the individuals and communities involved.

[43:46] Daisy Egan: "These girls have no connection to Asha, as far as we know. Right?"

[44:09] Maggie Freeling: "As someone who has followed this case for years, I'm thrilled Asha's family may be on the way to finally getting some answers about what happened to her."

Listeners are left hopeful that continued investigative efforts and community support will eventually lead to the resolution of Asha Degree's disappearance.

Transcript

[Payne Lindsey]

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[Maggie Freeling]

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[John Street]

Up and Vanished weekly is released every Wednesday and brought to you absolutely free, but for one week early access and ad free listening. Subscribe to Tenderfoot plus at tenderfootplus.com or on Apple Podcasts if you're already a subscriber. Thank you for your support.

[Maggie Freeling]

This podcast discusses mature and sensitive content, including descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised. Hey y' all. Welcome to today's episode of up and Vanish Weekly. I'm Maggie Freeling. Today we're diving into the story of Asha degree, a case that I have followed for years and has left many unanswered questions since her disappearance on Valentine's Day 25 years ago. I personally never thought that we would get answers in this case. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are so bizarre. But I am very excited to say that within the past year there have been major breaks in her case, and we're starting to get a picture of what may have happened to Asia that cold, rainy night. So joining me to discuss her case is a very good friend of mine, podcast family, Daisy Egan. Daisy, you have the fabulous podcast Strange and Unexplained, which I I am a huge fan of. Did you cover Asha's case on your podcast?

[Daisy Egan]

I sure did. I covered her. I can't remember if it was season one or two. But I, I've never been able to stop thinking about this case. It's, it's another one that's just like. It makes no sense.

[Maggie Freeling]

What is it about this case that you and I just both can't stop thinking about it?

[Daisy Egan]

Well, listen, you know when kids go missing, it usually happens like in the middle of the day, right? Or like they took their bike down to Blockbuster and like somebody found their bike on the side of the road and the kid was gone. Or like they walked away from the little league game for five minutes and they were gone. This happened in the middle of the night. And the fact that she was snatched and nobody knows how or why on its own is very strange. But the fact that she was as young as she was, she was nine years old and she seemingly just walked out of her house around 2:30 in the morning with not the right clothes on for mid February, taking just like a backpack with a few things, not things a 9 year old would take to run away. That baffles me. And nobody knows why she was just walking down the highway miles away from her home.

[Maggie Freeling]

I know there's so many things that don't make sense. It's a mystery and a mystery. It's like where was she going and then what happened to her on her way there or when she got there. So here's Rob with the information that was gathered in the days following her disappearance.

[Rob]

It's sometime after 3:30am on Monday, February 14, 2000. Jeff Roope, a trucker, is making his way through rural Shelby, North Carolina. It's a rainy and cold morning, but despite the low visibility, his eye is drawn to something in the distance. Moments later, he makes out the profile of someone walking along the highway. Their outline seems to blend in with the dark nighttime sky. As the distance closes, he can now see the mysterious figure as a young girl. Almost instantly she quickens her pace and breaks off from the highway, making her way towards the foggy woods. At the time, he wasn't sure what to make of this strange sighting. But over the next several days, news of a missing girl mysteriously vanishing from her home would flood local headlines.

[Daisy Egan]

With A photo of 9 year old Asha degree in hand, Deputy stopped driver.

[Narrator]

After driver looking for any information.

[Daisy Egan]

At sunrise. Daylight means searchers get ready.

[Rob]

Jeff's encounter and a similar sighting from a second driver would soon become key leads in the disappearance of Asha Degree. A bizarre case that's remained unsettled for over two decades. As authorities embarked on a desperate search, they would eventually uncover a series of odd Clues. At first, they discovered some items left in a small building just off the highway. Later, construction workers recovered a backpack wrapped in garbage bags. Eventually, witnesses would claim seeing a figure fitting Asha's description being pulled into a green car. But despite a myriad of evidence, authorities have been unable to determine what would prompt a nine year old girl to leave her home and wander out into the dark night. It's left everyone wondering what happened to Asia Degree from Tenderfoot TV in Atlanta. This is up and Vanish weekly with Payne Lindsay and Maggie Freelink.

[Maggie Freeling]

So Asha's disappearance is particularly tragic, not only because of her young age, but because for decades the community has come together to find her, but to no avail. This isn't a case where she wasn't looked for. People have always cared. Even the authorities have not given up on finding her. Later in this episode, we will touch on new developments. But first, let's start with Aisha. What do we know about her?

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah, Aisha was a nine year old kid. She was an honors student. She was a basketball point guard. She was the highest scorer on her team. She also played softball. By all accounts, she was a very, very happy kid. There was no sign of anything wrong at home. She lived with her mother and her father and her brother with whom she shared a room. As far as everybody knew, she was in bed. Her mom put her to bed that night and somewhere around 2:30 her dad heard her get up, probably to use the Restroom. And at 4:45 in the morning, that's when her mom realized that she wasn't there. So she calls the police and to their credit, they jump. They jump into it right away.

[Maggie Freeling]

And so they start searching extensively in the area for Aisha. There doesn't seem to be any sign that the house was broken into and she was kidnapped from her bed.

[Daisy Egan]

Right.

[Maggie Freeling]

Seems like she left willingly. So then we get some eyewitness accounts to truck drivers report seeing a little girl.

[Daisy Egan]

So they report that around 4am they saw a little girl walking on Highway 18 at the intersection of Highway 180. And the girl that they describe fit Asha's description. One of the witnesses circled her three times, probably trying to ascertain if she was in trouble. I mean, it's hard to know what to do in a situation like this. Except I feel like I probably just would have like immediately pulled over. But it doesn't seem to matter because by the third time this person circled her, she appeared to run into the woods. So within two days they decided that she had run away, but they couldn't figure out why on earth. She would have. There was nothing to indicate that she should have done that.

[Maggie Freeling]

They kind of thought maybe she ran away because she was upset about losing her basketball game.

[Daisy Egan]

Yes. Also possibly because she had a book from the school library that like the big controversy was she hadn't checked the book out. Maybe in her nine year old mind she was gonna get in trouble for that. And so she ran away.

[Maggie Freeling]

I ran away once, but I wasn't running away. I was going to a friend's house. It was after school. I was nine years old. I went down the highway to go see a friend after school. I don't know what she could have been doing or going to do for something in the morning.

[Daisy Egan]

It doesn't make any sense. And again, she was not dressed properly for the. For the middle of winter. She didn't have a proper coat on. She was wearing sneakers.

[Maggie Freeling]

And it was storming this night too, wasn't it? It was raining.

[Daisy Egan]

It was raining. It must have been bitter cold. And also, what kind of kid walks down a highway?

[Maggie Freeling]

And we're lucky that she was actually on a highway, I guess, because these truck drivers are driving in the middle of the night and were able to direct police.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

To where they last saw her. So when police go to this location, where apparently she just went into the woods when this driver was trying to stop and talk to her. Right. Wrangle her in some way, they wind up finding some items that were actually Asia's.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

What did they find?

[Daisy Egan]

So just about a hundred yards from where she'd last been reported, you know, seen on the highway in the woods, they found her things in a tool shed. They found a pencil, a green marker, and her Mickey Mouse hair bow. It turns out that these things were actually found on the 15th by the woman who owned the shed. But she didn't think to tell anybody about it until the 17th when the cops came to search her property. I mean, I guess I kind of get it. Like I might find something weird. Although.

[Maggie Freeling]

Well, if you don't know someone's missing, right. It's like, what? I don't know.

[Daisy Egan]

But you'd think that it would have been splashed all over the news, right? I don't know. She. To her credit, she left them where she found them, except for a small photo.

[Maggie Freeling]

So let's talk about this photo because with the new developments, it's still a bit baffling to me. So there was a photo found with belong her belongings of a little girl. Not Asha, not anyone that we're aware.

[Daisy Egan]

She went to school with no, the school couldn't ID who it was. The family couldn't ID who it was.

[Maggie Freeling]

One of the theories is maybe it was a pen pal. Like, yeah, yeah, we had those back in the day. I remember that.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah, but you'd think that somebody at school would be like, oh, we had a pen pal program.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right.

[Daisy Egan]

Or that her pen pal would come forward and be like, hey, that's me. I'm her pen pal.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. To this day. And I know there's been a lot of podcasts that have put this photo out there and said, if this is you, if you know this person. And to this day, we don't know who the photo, the school. It's like a school photo headshot of this little girl.

[Daisy Egan]

You know, if I was writing this as like a movie, you know, it would be like someone bad somehow got Asha on her own and was like, hey, this is my daughter in this picture. I need you to help me find her. You know, like, I have a puppy in the van.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah. I mean, yeah. Who knows what a nine year old is thinking? So then we find an additional discovery.

[Daisy Egan]

Right? And it was 25 miles south of where she'd last been seen, and somebody was just bulldozing some land in order to build more buildings. And they found a black and beige book bag with. Wrapped in a garbage bag that had the name and phone number inside. And it was. It was Asia's.

[Maggie Freeling]

So in the backpack, they find a library book, a Dr. Seuss library book that was late, and they find a New Kids on the Block T shirt. And it was not Asha's.

[Daisy Egan]

Right.

[Maggie Freeling]

So I'm thinking, like, is she returning the shirt to somebody?

[Daisy Egan]

Well, that was one of the theories, too, was like, maybe this little girl was the one who's. Who the book belonged to. But again, the girl didn't go to school with Aisha, so she couldn't have taken the book out of the school. I mean, Lord knows books go missing from libraries, but. Yeah. How did all of these things end up together? And how did they end up inside a garbage bag? Unless somebody was intentionally trying to get rid of it.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. So this is kind of the first sign, you know, a nine year old leaves the house and disappears. I think we could say she probably didn't voluntarily vanish on her own, but this is really the first sign we realize that someone is disposing of her items that they do not want found.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah, the helicopters and the planes have been flying every day. It's just something you go to bed thinking about, and you get up, you know you. It's very devastating and I don't want them to give up. I want them to find her if they can.

[Maggie Freeling]

We'll be right back.

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[Rob]

In the days following Asha's disappearance, authorities launched extensive investigation efforts, including ground and aerial searches, as well as interviews with family, friends and neighbors. Police were dead set on gathering as much information as possible in hopes of bringing Asha home safely. But despite recovering evidence from multiple sites and several alleged sightings of Asha the morning she disappeared, authorities would ultimately be left without concrete answers. Eventually, the trail grew cold. Asha's family continued to work with authorities to keep the interest in her investigation alive. In 2006, the FBI even reopened the case in hopes of securing new tips. Over the next 10 years, Aisha's disappearance would gain national coverage, and a $25,000 reward was raised for any information leading to the resolution of the case. But none of the efforts resulted in tangible leads. Then, after years of silence, new details finally emerged. In 2016, authorities went public with a lead they previously received about the vehicle of interest that Asia had been seen getting into on Highway 18. They described it as a dark green color, potentially in 1970s model Lincoln Mark 4 or Ford Thunderbird. And in 2020, authorities received a letter from an inmate stating he knew what happened to Asha. It read, Asha Degree has been missing for over 20 years. About four months ago, I had found out her whereabouts and what had happened to her. She was killed and then took and buried. I do know how and what town she is in. I hope you get this letter and do come see me. It's on the up and up. While the man's claim seems promising, it didn't put authorities any closer to finding asha. But in September 2024, a major break took everyone by surprise when local and state investigators executed eight search warrants in connection to Asha's disappearance. As authorities continued their process, Aisha's family and the broader public were left holding their breath, wondering if after all this time, there may be real hope of solving this decades old cold case.

[Maggie Freeling]

So this is one of those where we get a lot of tips like that. And unfortunately, the case does go cold until 2016. The authorities announced this vehicle of interest again, 16 years after she goes missing. They now have a vehicle that they believe that Asha was seen being pulled into that evening. What do the police release?

[Daisy Egan]

So they don't have the car. All they have is information on the car that somebody reported seeing Asha getting into. A green. What they said looked like a 1970s Lincoln Mark 4 or a Thunderbird with rusting around the wheels. Now, first of all, how did it take 16 years for that little factoid to come out? Second of all, that's not a beige Ford Taurus. That's a very distinctive car. And what's so awful about this is that whoever sent in that tip, if they had sent it in after, like, when they saw it, we might not be talking about this.

[Maggie Freeling]

I. I would agree. So this car is actually what leads us now to a huge break in the case in 2024. This new kids on the Block shirt that was found in her backpack actually breaks the case wide open.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah, there's a hair in the shirt that does not belong to Asha. And it points them to the Dedman family.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. The Dedmans actually had pretty much a dead ringer for the car that they have been looking for. Can you tell us just a little about the Dedman family? There's three sisters.

[Daisy Egan]

Right at the time of Asha's disappearance. Lizzie was 16, Sarah was 15, and Annaleigh was 13. Now, it's. It's unclear whether or not the police released this information in September, or perhaps there was just some chatter that something new had come out. But around this time, somebody comes forward and says that he was at a party in the mid-2000s with the Dedman sisters, during which Lizzie got very drunk and was hysterical and confessed, basically talked about killing Asha and her sister came over and knocked her upside the head and said, shut the fuck up. So we don't know if they talked about, oh, there's a new development in the case. And he was like, wait a minute, I remember hearing about this.

[Maggie Freeling]

It's also something that's like, you heard someone say they killed a missing girl and you never reported that and you didn't report it. Did they have any connection to Aisha?

[Daisy Egan]

As far as we know, these girls had no connection to Asha.

[Maggie Freeling]

I find his statement not to be as compelling as the link to the car.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah, I want to say about the guy who came forward with the story at the party, like, who knows, Maybe he has a history with the police and he was like, fuck that, I'm not going to the police because I don't want to get myself involved. Like, that's a possibility. But I also agree, like, call in an anonymous tip. You know, this is sort of important.

[Maggie Freeling]

Well, yeah, and. And, you know, this was a pretty high profile case at the time. I mean, yeah, this young girl went missing from this small community. A lot of people did care.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah. So these girls have no connection to Asha, as far as we know. Right. The police sees three phones, one belonging to Lizzie, one belonging to Sarah and one belonging to Roy, the dad, who's in his 80s at this point. And they get a hold of some text messages that don't look good.

[Rob]

The final months of 2024 breathed new life into the investigation of Asha's disappearance. Now, working with multiple new leads, authorities began the important process of exploring what answers the evidence might bring. In September of 2024, police found several messages of interest between multiple members of the Dedman family. Some believe that the texts, which have since become publicly available, may offer possible insight into asha's disappearance. On September 10, 2024, Sarah Dedman Capel sent her sister, Lizzie Dedman Foster, the following texts.

[Narrator]

They think it's our shirt. It's not her shirt. Her mom said it wasn't hers. I don't remember that shirt. I'm scared, though. Dad is probably going to be a huge suspect.

[Rob]

On the following day, September 11, 2024, Annalee Dedman Ramirez texted her sister Lizzie Dedman Foster the following.

[Maggie Freeling]

Lizzie, you don't need to be talking to anyone.

[Daisy Egan]

I'm at the lawyer's office.

[Maggie Freeling]

They advise we should all not talk to them without representation.

[Rob]

That same day, September 11, 2024, Lizzie Dedmon Foster and her ex husband exchanged the following texts.

[Narrator]

This is going to get nothing but worse. I'm talking to my doctor at 5 to get something for my nerves. I'm just so worried. So, so worried. I mean, it's a nightmare that's going to keep getting worse. I can see nothing good happening anytime soon. And I'm an optimist.

[Rob]

Oh, no.

[Maggie Freeling]

I hate for y' all.

[Narrator]

There's no way this is going to be okay.

[Rob]

The following day, September 12, 2024, sisters Lizzie Dedman Foster and Sarah Dedman Capel exchanged the following texts, which is believed to reference a discussion with the family's lawyer.

[Narrator]

I just talked to David Teddy. The theory is I did it. Accident covered it up.

No. Why would it be you?

That's what he said.

[Rob]

The same day, September 12, 2024, Lizzie Dedman Foster and her ex husband texted the following.

[Narrator]

I feel so horrible. So, so horrible. Idk what to do. I caused this.

[Daisy Egan]

No, you didn't.

[Rob]

Also on September 12, 2024, Sister Sarah Dedman Capel and Lizzie Deadman Foster sent the following text messages.

[Maggie Freeling]

Hey.

[Narrator]

Is everybody mad at me?

Nobody is lousy. This is not your fault.

[Rob]

Weeks later, on September 29, 2024, Sister Sarah Dedmund Capel and Lizzie Dedmon Foster exchanged these texts.

[Narrator]

What's going to happen to me? Since I wouldn't talk to them, I'm afraid it's going to get worse. Well, he told me it's going to.

I know, girl. I'm a disaster. I think if they come at you again, you just go and be compliant. That's what I'm planning on doing.

I think so too, honestly. I mean, I want to do what dad says, but damn.

And maybe we should have let you do what you originally wanted to do.

Idk, I really don't know.

Right. You don't want something we do or say impact him. But we also can't be living like this either.

[Rob]

The emergence of the text exchanges, in addition to a possible DNA match and a possible link to the vehicle of interest, raises a number of questions. Mainly, what knowledge, if any, may the Dedman family have about Asha's disappearance? At this time, no charges have been filed in connection to Asha's disappearance or possible death. The deadman's attorney has publicly denied that the family had any involvement in or knowledge of Asha's disappearance and instead has stated that the search would sadly link a person who is no longer living to Asha's case. For now, many are left questioning what additional evidence authorities may find and if answers may finally come in this decades old mystery.

[Maggie Freeling]

Be back after a short break.

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[John Street]

This week's case comes to us From New Center, Maine. Authorities in Maine say that 38 year old Christopher Gilbert vanished from the Rumford area sometime on Monday, May 12, 2025. Now reports say that Christopher had been communicating with family the morning he went missing and he'd even made arrangements for later that evening. But he hasn't been seen or heard from since that interaction. Police say that Christopher recently suffered a personal loss, but they've stressed that, that it's unclear whether that has anything to do with his disappearance. Christopher has brown hair and green eyes. He has a height of 6 foot 3 inches and a weight of roughly 200 pounds. Now listeners, we need your help in finding Christopher Gilbert and bringing him home. So you can check out the up and Vanish weekly Instagram page avweekly to see a picture of Christopher and you can share our post to help boost visibility. Rumford police are asking that anyone with information about Christopher's whereabouts contact them by calling 207-364-4551. Anonymous tips can also be left on their website.

[Maggie Freeling]

All right, we're back.

[Daisy Egan]

Breaking news just into the WBTV newsroom.

[Rob]

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman now confirming.

[Daisy Egan]

This week's multi day search of a property in the Shelby area is related to the case of missing girl Asha degree. We actually have things that aid us now that we didn't have 24 months ago, much less 24 years ago. But I can tell you that there's.

[Rob]

Been so many cases not only here.

[Daisy Egan]

But across the nation that have actually recently, within the past days, a couple years that have actually been solved due to new technologies. Technology. This out.

[Maggie Freeling]

This is pretty incredible. So this information has now been released. People are reporting on it. They subpoenaed and, and got these text messages.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah. So obviously in September they came out and they said, hey, we found this shirt. And the text messages start saying things like, they think it's our shirt. It's not her shirt. The other one says, her mom said it wasn't hers. The other one says, I don't remember that shirt. I'm scared, though. I think this is Lizzie. Dad is probably going to be a huge suspect.

[Maggie Freeling]

Wow.

[Daisy Egan]

Annalee Dedman kind of chimes in and says, lizzie, you don't need to be talking to anyone. I'm at the lawyers and they're like, we shouldn't talk to the police without representation. And Lizzie says to her ex husband, this is going to get nothing but worse. I'm so worried. So, so worried. She says, I mean, it's a nightmare that's gonna keep getting worse. I can see nothing good happening anytime soon. And I'm an optimist. Now, listen, if I had nothing to do with what they were looking at me for, this is not the response I would have. No, no, that's the response I would have would be like, they'll look into this and they'll see that we're innocent.

[Maggie Freeling]

And also the, the new kids on the block Shirt. I'd be like, I've never seen that shirt in my life. Like, I don't. How do they, how are they going to connect this to us? Clearly that's not the case. Right.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah. No one's saying like, I've never seen that shirt before, that's not my shirt. So Lizzie says that as I don't know where she gets this, but the theory is that she did it, that it was an accident and it was a cover up, like they tried to cover up an accident. Which I guess would mean maybe they hit her with the car and then tried to get rid of it. Why they wouldn't just drive away if they're trying not to be implicated? I don't know. I don't know what other kind of accident it could be.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah, like there's so much happening here. We don't know why Aisha left the house.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

She's on this highway. This 16 year old girl is driving this car. This is all hypothetical.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah. Lizzie says to her ex husband, I feel so horrible. I don't know what to do. I caused this. And he writes back, no, you didn't. I can't imagine. She was hitchhiking. She ran into the woods when the truck driver came. So I can't believe, I can't believe she was hitchhiking.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. An interesting thing is a witness did tell authorities that they saw the dad, Roy Dedman, digging a chest deep hole several years ago. And they also said that three rooms at the property are padlocked. So, you know, I guess it also raises this question. Did one of the girls accidentally hit her and then the father helped cover up for his teenage daughters. Was this this big family secret?

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah, maybe one of them, maybe the teenager was driving without a license and hit her and thought like, oh, I'll get in trouble for driving without a license rather than, oh, no, I just hit somebody. I should tell the police. I mean, again, you know, we, we know of plenty of people who are tangled up with the police for various reasons and so then don't go to the police, you know, when they have information that they should go to the police with.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. There is another person that is connected to this. There is a man named Russell Underhill. His DNA was also found on other items in Asha's bag. So this brings up a whole new suspect. Who is Russell Underhill.

[Daisy Egan]

Okay, so the DNA that was found was matched to Annalee Dedman and Russell Underhill. Now, Underhill was a patient at a nursing facility run by the Dedmans.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. And so this car transported people back and forth to the nurs. So his DNA is there on Asha's stuff. It's. I think he. I do believe he is dead now. So it's unclear if he was involved or just from being in the car. There could have been some sort of transfer.

[Daisy Egan]

It's not. It doesn't look great. But as far as we know, these people were not suspects until 2024.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. Until either the DNA or this guy said, I heard one of them confess. So there's a lot of questions.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah, there's a lot of questions. And also, you know, with cases like this, I always think of crime and punishment, you know, and I always think of, like, how do you live a whole life with this hanging over you?

[Maggie Freeling]

That's the thing. It's so interesting. It's like actually reading their text really gives you a glimpse into this world. And so just. Just assuming for a second they were involved in some way and the father helped them. And it's this big family secret. These texts are really chilling that these people have lived their lives. It seems like even the ex husband might know. Like, they have just gone on living their lives while Asha's family has had no answers to what happened to her.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah, and Asha's parents held out hope until now that she was alive. All these years, her mom kept saying, I think she's alive. I know she's alive. I know we'll see her again. Which, you know, is obviously like wishful thinking. You don't want to think the other. But that's the thing. It's like, how do you walk around with this hanging over your head? How do you walk around knowing that, like, there's people out there who lost their loved one and have. And need answers, and you have the answers.

[Maggie Freeling]

So what we know now is that the family is lawyered up. They are only speaking through their lawyer. And I guess we're just waiting for the police to do their job. It's just sad all around. Like, these were teenage girls assuming it was an accident, like, and then just getting this bad advice maybe from their parents. Interestingly, the mother is never mentioned. It's mostly the father. So I, I guess just getting bad advice from your dad that is now, like, ruins your life, assuming that you know something happened. We'll be right back after a quick break.

[Payne Lindsey]

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[J]

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[John Street]

Hey listeners, if you have a tip or theories about a case you want to share or a case of interest you'd like to recommend to us, then we want to hear from you. Email us casesenderfoot TV DM us on Instagram avweekly or give us a call at 770-545-6411. You can also join the conversation on our discord at Discord GG upandvanished. Now back to the show.

[Maggie Freeling]

Having followed this case for so many years, this is not the outcome I expected. I did not expect to find a whole family embroiled in Aisha's disappearance. I expected it to be alone. Man. Truly is what I expected this to.

[Daisy Egan]

Be yeah, this is like, this is like true crime movie level plot. I mean, I don't know what the pathology would be, you know, that would like let you be okay with any of this. You know, my, my son got into an incident with a kid at school on Monday that was just like words. And I'm completely stressed out. Like I can't focus because I feel so horrible about it. Right. I don't know what kind of person.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right.

[Daisy Egan]

What kind. Whole family of people could participate in something like this and walk around with it and not be completely fucked up.

[Maggie Freeling]

That's the thing too.

[Daisy Egan]

It's like.

[Maggie Freeling]

And not to make, you know, any victim better or worse, but like, this is a child. This was a nine year old girl.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah. And her poor family has no answers. I mean, listen, unfortunately, even if they do come, you know, confess to what happened, we will still never know why she walked out of the house that night. And that drives me insane.

[Maggie Freeling]

I think one of the things too is early on and throughout the years, the parents were also looked at, as often happens. And I think, you know, now getting closer to an answer. It's, it's, it's just double tragic that the parents were under suspicion for 25 years.

[Daisy Egan]

Yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

Well, right now this is all kind of speculation. We don't really know what happened with this family. But I am not looking away. I'm paying attention to everything that comes out with this. Daisy, I really appreciate you speaking with me about this case that I've wanted to talk about for years.

[Daisy Egan]

Thank you so much for having me on. I do hope that there ends up being some resolution.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah. Where can listeners find you and listen to Strange and unexplained and all the other amazing work you do.

[Daisy Egan]

Strange and Unexplained drops every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. If you want to listen early and ad free, you can do [e-mail] grabbagcollab grabbag is a podcasting network that I co founded with Amber Hunt and Amanda Rossman. We have a lot of amazing shows over there and you get so much for your money. We're not making a lot of money. And you can find me on social media on Instagram for now. Daisy Egan.

[Maggie Freeling]

As someone who has followed this case for years, I'm thrilled Asha's family may be on the way to finally getting some answers about what happened to her. This case is red hot. And even while we were producing this episode, news was breaking. Here's the latest from wbtv.

[Narrator]

New information in the search for Asha degree this afternoon. WBTV was the first on the scene this morning when authorities started investigating an abandoned school ground in Cherryville they say is connected to Asha Degree's disappearance.

[Daisy Egan]

Investigators from Lincoln county, the SBI and.

[Maggie Freeling]

The FBI hit the ground running early.

[Daisy Egan]

This morning around 7:30 and fanned out across several acres of the old North Brooks school property.

[Maggie Freeling]

Community members spoke to WCNC about their hopes for Asha and her family.

[Daisy Egan]

It's very surreal. It's emotional, you know, thinking that we may be one step closer to getting justice for Asha and her family. You know, I just.

[Maggie Freeling]

I'd hate to know what they're going.

[Daisy Egan]

Through, but I just hope and pray.

[Maggie Freeling]

That, you know, that they will find her.

[Daisy Egan]

Whoever knows what happened to her. Just come clean and tell the truth.

[Maggie Freeling]

In 2016, in a rare interview, Asha's mom spoke to WCNC.

[Daisy Egan]

She's the first thing on my mind when I wake up and the last thing when I go to sleep at night. She's my child. I will never give up on her. I never forget about her. And if we don't keep hope and keep her name out, why would anybody else do it?

[Maggie Freeling]

Asha is a young black girl, 4ft 6 inches tall and 60 pounds. She has black hair, brown eyes and was 9 and a half at the time of her disappearance. If you have any information about this case, call the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, 704-484-4888. Y' all, thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of up and Vanish Weekly. Be sure to tune in next week as we dig into another new case. Until next time.

Up and Vanish Weekly is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Your hosts are Maggie Freeling and myself, Payne Lindsey. The show is written by Maggie Freeling, myself and John Street. Executive producers are Donald Albright and myself. Lead producer is John Street. Additional production by Meredith Steadman and Mike Rooney. Research for the series by Jamie Albright, Celicia Stanton and Carolyn Tallmadge. Edit and mix by Dylan Harrington and Sean Nurney. Supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan. Artwork by Byron McCoy. Original music by makeup and vanity set. Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at uta, Beck Media and Marketing and the Nord Group. For more podcasts like up and Vanish Weekly, search tint Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us@Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening. I know a lot of cops.

[Rob]

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[Maggie Freeling]

But there's a company dedicated to a.

[Rob]

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[Maggie Freeling]

No, this is Absolute Season 1 Taser Incorporated.

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[Rob]

Listen to Absolute Season 1 Taser incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or.

[Maggie Freeling]

Wherever you get your podcasts.