Attorney: Dead person may hold key to ‘circumstances of Asha Degree’s disappearance’

SHELBY, N.C. — Authorities spent more than 24 hours searching two properties in Cleveland County, and Channel 9 learned it was in connection with the disappearance of 9-year-old Asha Degree.

On Friday, the attorney for the man who owns those properties says court documents “will link a person to the circumstances of Asha’s disappearance that is no longer living.”

Channel 9 has reported on the search efforts along Cherryville Road in Shelby this week. The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed it executed multiple search warrants and seized multiple items in connection with Asha’s disappearance “based on physical evidence.”

Asha Degree has been missing since Feb. 14, 2000. Her parents said they woke up to find her gone from her room. Authorities have been searching for her ever since.

SEARCH COVERAGE:

Authorities searched the area using ground-penetrating radar, and specially trained K-9 units. On Wednesday, authorities towed away a green 1960s model car that resembled a vehicle that has been sought in the case.

The owner of the property where the search took place was identified as 80-year-old Roy Lee Dedmon.

Dedmon’s attorney, David Teddy, said in a statement on Friday that Dedmon “has been interviewed by law enforcement authorities and has denied any involvement in the disappearance of Asha Degree.”

Teddy spoke during a news conference Friday evening and told reporters that he had viewed the search warrant for Dedmon’s property, and he wanted to address what he called false rumors that were being spread in the community.

Attorney: Dead person may hold key to ‘circumstances of Asha Degree’s disappearance’

No criminal charges have been filed as of Friday, and nobody has been arrested. The FBI confirmed that no remains have been found.

Teddy said he believes the search warrant for the Cherryville Road property will be made public next week.

“I don’t know when that’s going to happen, but I think it’s likely to happen, and when you read the affidavit, it may be more clear to you why there was a search at 621 Cherryville Road and some other locations,” Teddy said.

Teddy added: “I think there will also be information in that search warrant that, sadly, will link a person to the circumstances of Asha’s disappearance that is no longer living.”

“Not saying that the person that was named in the search warrant had anything to do with their disappearance ... but it’s very possible that the person who’s no longer here has the answer as to what happened to Asha,” Teddy said.

The attorney also said that he gave Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman “information concerning Roy Dedmon that is consistent with Roy’s denial of having knowledge about what happened to Asha Degree.”

Teddy said he feels that “because there was all of this activity at his house and because all these false statements were made, I feel like he’s sort of been convicted in the court of public opinion.”

Teddy said there is still “a tremendous amount of investigation ongoing.” He asked the public to avoid speculation if the search warrant is released.

“The answer may very well never be known,” Teddy said.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

(VIDEO: Retired FBI agent haunted by Asha Degree case)