CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Evex Franklin, the mother of Allisha Watts, died on Sunday after fighting an underlying health condition, her family said.
Watts was found dead in Montgomery County in August 2023 around a month after she was reported missing. Watts traveled to Charlotte to see her boyfriend, James Dunmore, but never returned home. Her disappearance prompted concern across the state.
Dunmore was charged with murder a day after Watts' body was found.
Watts' family continues to push for her remembrance and hopes to see justice in her death. Franklin was one of the top advocates for Watts even while suffering from a long-term illness.
"I don't want the world to forget my baby,” Franklin told WRAL in a February interview. “She was wonderful.”
She said in February she is hoping that Dunmore is convicted for Watts' death.
The autopsy for Watts was released in March, listing her death as "undetermined." The development upset Watts' family, who had been waiting for the autopsy for months.
"We are angry and devastated; we have so many questions," Watts' younger sister Tammy Utley said about the report.
Dunmore's request for a reduced bond was denied last week in Montgomery County Court. He remains in jail on a $1 million bond. Dunmore's next court date is scheduled for June 10.