CHARLOTTE, N.C. — James Dunmore, the man charged with killing Moore County woman Allisha Watts this summer, did not appear in court Monday despite being on the administrative docket.
WCNC Charlotte's Richard DeVayne reported Dunmore can be brought in at any time for administrative items, such as case continuances. It's unclear when Dunmore will next face a judge related to Allisha Watts' death.
Watts went missing in July during a weekend visit to see Dunmore in Charlotte. Her family said she was in Charlotte for a comedy show at Bojangles Coliseum but never made it. Watts' body was found six weeks later near a cemetery in the town of Norman, which is in Richmond County, near the Montgomery County line. Watts was last seen alive at Dunmore's house in the University City area of Charlotte.
Sheriff Ronnie Fields said Watts' body was found in area where detectives had searched several times already. Investigators believed her remains had been in the woods since July 18, the same day Dunmore was found unresponsive in Watts' Mercedes-Benz SUV in Anson County. She was reported missing the next day, July 19, when she didn't show up for work and hadn't communicated with anyone.
"There were several things he would say or do -- to us, that were controlling -- but to her, it was, 'He loves me,'" Learen Blue, Watts' long-time friend, said.
For nearly a month, Watts' friends and family demanded Dunmore be arrested, pressuring the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and other agencies to be transparent with the investigation.
Dunmore was arrested at his home in August and charged with murder. He could face life in prison if convicted. Dunmore last appeared in court in mid-September. He's been in jail without bond in Montgomery County since his arrest.
Contact Richard DeVayne at rdevayne@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.