Police investigate 'crime of murder' in case of missing Moore Co. woman Allisha Watts: Warrants
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Police suspect missing Moore County woman Allisha Watts was murdered, according to search warrants related to the case.
The search warrants, first obtained by ABC affiliate WSOC, show that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have been searching for "any evidence of the crime of murder" as well as "materials that may be used to clean or cover up evidence of a homicide or assaults."
Investigators searched Watts' boyfriend's Charlotte home and an Audi vehicle parked at the home on July 26 -- that's 10 days after Watts was last seen alive.
SEE ALSO | Family of missing Moore County woman speaks about disappearance
The narrative for the warrant says "cellular data records that have been obtained show that Allisha's phone, her boyfriend's phone, and the vehicle all return to the home at 1633 Pamela Lorraine Drive at around 3 p.m. on 7/16/2023 and all three remain at that location until around 6 a.m. on 7/18/2023.
The search warrant shows that detectives seized clothing, cellphones, camera, tablet, laptop, memory card, swabs and photos during their search.
Investigators identified James Dunmore as Watts' boyfriend and the person who lives at the home they searched, but investigators stopped short of calling him a suspect in the case. Previous police reports say Dunmore has a history of domestic violence and identify him as a person of interest in the case.
Dunmore was also found unresponsive in Watts' car on July 18. The new warrant said he was unresponsive after apparently trying to kill himself.
At this point, Watts' whereabouts remain a mystery and there have been no arrests or charges filed in the case.
Vigil held for missing woman Allisha Watts
On Tuesday night, family and friends held a vigil for Watts in Southern Pines.
"You would never think that one of your loved ones will go missing. And missing is a different type of hurt," said Watts's Cousin Crystal Cole.
Loved ones talked about the emotional effect Watts' disappearance has had on them.
"When you open your eyes in the morning, you're all day in your head, will I hear anything today," said Watts's cousin Cortileous Hill.
The family also reacted to the new information in search warrants.
"And now that all this is coming out we hope ... they put the pressure down," said Hill. "I hate that it took us to go all the way up there, make a press conference, go to his house, you know, for all this to start coming out."
