CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Editor's Note: This story discusses domestic violence, which may include descriptions of violent acts. Reader discretion is advised.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024 marks one year since Allisha Watts was last seen alive by her family in North Carolina. Her disappearance sparked an investigation that resulted in the discovery of her body in a small town about 96 miles east of Charlotte more than a month later.
Watts, 39, was reported missing by her family in Moore County, roughly 93 miles northeast of Charlotte. Her family told WCNC Charlotte when they last saw her, she told her loved ones she was going to see a comedy show in the city with her new boyfriend, later identified as James Dunmore.
Watts never made it to the show.
Dunmore was found unresponsive in Watts' Mercedes-Benz SUV just two days later outside of a North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles office in Anson County, located about 63 miles southeast of Charlotte. Detectives said he appeared to be the victim of an apparent attempted suicide at the time.
Watts was reported missing by her family on July 19, 2023. The day after, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department found a shell casing for a 9 mm handgun outside of Dunmore's home in Charlotte.
Watts' loved ones demanded answers from CMPD a week later. Her best friend and a cousin said at the time they saw red flags with Dunmore's behavior, but that Watts shrugged it off because they were "in love". The same day Watts' family traveled to Charlotte, CMPD searched Dunmore's home again. This time, investigators were looking for evidence that could be used to cover up a homicide. Clothes, phones, a camera, laptop and other items were collected as evidence.
As the investigation unfolded, more details about Dunmore's history came to light. At the beginning of August, NBC affiliate WRAL-TV in Raleigh discovered that he had a lengthy criminal history in Virginia, including convictions for assault and battery, stalking and abduction. A Durham courthouse was also revealed to have granted a protective order in April 2023 to a woman who claimed to be Dunmore's wife. She said Dunmore was physically abusive to her and threatened to kill her.
Watts' family kept pressing for answers. Her sister, Tammy Utley, shared two letters demanding Dunmore open up. She asked in one letter what made him "snap", while a second letter asked for him to tell the truth. Utley's second letter also criticized how CMPD was handling the case, claiming Watts' family wasn't being told about new developments.
CMPD responded to the second letter by publicly addressing the case for the first time on Aug. 9, 2023. Capt. Joel McNelly said at the time the department was focused on finding Watts and maintaining the integrity of the case. He also shared that CMPD had a surveillance photo showing Watts and Dunmore together at Northlake Mall.
A 911 call later shared on August 22 provided a clear timeline about when Watts' car left Dunmore's home in Charlotte. Just two days later, Allisha Watts' remains were found.
Police said her body was found near the town of Norman, North Carolina, which is near the county line shared by Montgomery and Richmond counties. James Dunmore was charged with murder by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. He was granted a $1 million bond and won't face the death penalty.
Since Watts' body was found, her family has continued pressing for justice, even as Dunmore's attorney called for his release from jail. A judge decided against lowering his bond.
Dunmore remains in jail.
Evex Franklin, Watts' mother, died in April 2024 after fighting an underlying health condition. Two months before she passed away, Franklin told WRAL she didn't want her daughter to be forgotten and shared more about the pain she faced after losing Watts.
Dorothy Brower, a family friend, told WCNC Charlotte on Tuesday, July 16 that loved ones' hearts are still heavy one year later. She shared gratitude for media outlets that have continued to track Watts' case closely. Brower also said there will be a public observance for Watts at the Cardinal Park in Pine Bluff, North Carolina a few days before her birthday in September.
If you or a loved one is facing domestic violence, help is readily available. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. Resources for help are available in both North Carolina and South Carolina.
If your loved one was impacted by this incident, WCNC Charlotte hopes to make this process less painful with our More Than A Number initiative. With your help, we want to share who your loved one was with our viewers in North Carolina and South Carolina. When you're ready, fill out the form below or send us photos, memories and other details about them to desk@wcnc.com.
If you or a loved one are facing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help readily available. You can call Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat with them online. There are also resources in North Carolina available here and in South Carolina available here.