Cleveland County Valentine

What happens when politics and policing define the story before the facts? Anyone with information about the Asha Degree case is urged to contact the FBI at (704) 672-6100. A $100,000 reward is offered for information.Sources courtesy of The Charlotte Observer, Shelby Star, and WCNC TV.

Featuring Dr. Chandra Cleveland, former sheriff's deputy and founder of SHE Investigations, this episode takes a focused look at the Asha Degree case through her 40+ years of law enforcement experience.

This episode explores how indirect DNA evidence has complicated the Asha Degree case, echoing the wrongful conviction of Mark Carver and revealing why charges in Cleveland County remain elusive. Featuring special guest, former forensic expert Dr. James Caldwell.

In Episode 10, we cover the September 2024 developments in Asha Degree’s case and speak with Shari Doherty of Child Find of America about runaway youth and the urgent need for awareness.

Decades later, Shelby is still haunted by false leads, shifting narratives, and lingering doubts—while a longtime resident reflects on how the town remembers Asha Degree.Sources: Charlotte Observer, Shelby Star, News Nation

18 months after Asha Degree disappeared, a contractor stumbled upon her bookbag, miles away from where she was last seen. This episode unpacks the details surrounding its discovery, the rumors that followed, and why the response to Asha’s case differed so drastically from other missing children in the area. If you have information about Asha’s case or would like to be featured as a guest, please contact us: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠. Sources:Shelby Star Charlotte Observer Boston Globe USA Today

In this episode, we examine the strange discoveries and contradictions that begin to surface. From misplaced belongings to shifting narratives about reward money and theories about her disappearance, the details don’t always add up. Sources: The Charlotte Observer Shelby Star News Nation

Award-winning criminologist, former investigator, and volunteer for cold cases of missing persons, Judith A. Yates, author of How to Recognize the Devil and The Devil You Know, delves into the dynamics between public perception and hidden truths in the case of Asha Degree. www.JudithAYates.com

This episode focuses on the extensive search efforts in the days following Asha’s disappearance, highlighting the work of law enforcement, volunteers, and search teams who scoured fields, woods, and roads near her home in a desperate attempt to find her.

Marilyn Ward, executive director of Houston-based National Missing Children's Center, said "The longer a child is missing, the greater the chances are that false rumors will get started. This can torment family members and frustrate law enforcement." Special thanks to Dr. Brian Cutler. Contains interview excerpts from Disturbia.

Pris dives into Sunday, February 13, 2000-a day of family comforts, and a church gathering, as a storm brews and nightfall descends.

A cold Saturday in February 2000 unfolds through detailed accounts of Asha Degree’s final basketball game, from her frustration on the court to an evening with cousins.

In this episode, we take a close look at the events leading up to Asha's disappearance. We explore her final days, including her school life, interactions with her best friend, Stoney Maddox, and a poem she wrote just weeks before she went missing. We’ll also discuss the larger context of Shelby and Cleveland County at the time—marked by economic instability, a growing drug crisis, and the tension simmering beneath the surface of a small-town community on the brink of the unthinkable.

From its diverse community and rich traditions to the challenges lurking beneath its idyllic surface, this episode unravels the intricate tapestry of a small town on the cusp of an event that would forever change its narrative.

Fear spreads as a young girl vanishes from her home in the quiet town of Shelby, North Carolina.