UNIVERSITY CITY, MISSOURI: More than a month of her disappearance, the remains of Allisha Watts, a woman from North Carolina, have been discovered. Subsequently, her boyfriend James Dunmore, has been arrested and is now facing charges for her murder.
Watts, 36, was last seen leaving Dunmore's house on July 16, and the investigation into her disappearance eventually transitioned into a homicide investigation. Authorities handcuffed and arrested Dunmore outside his residence in University City on Thursday, August 24.
Allisha Watts' mysterious disappearance
Allisha Watts, a dedicated supporter of individuals grappling with mental health concerns and the elderly, had plans to participate in a comedy show at Bojangles Coliseum in the nearby city of Charlotte. This was scheduled after her interaction with Dunmore on July 16. However, according to her family members, she failed to make an appearance at the event as anticipated.
“It just wasn’t normal. That’s not like her,” Watts’ cousin, Gwendolyn Utley, told WSOC. Upon her decision to head back home, she observed that Watts' vehicle remained parked at Dunmore's residence. However, a few hours later, the car had disappeared.
Two days later, Dunmore was discovered in an unresponsive state inside Watts' Mercedes-Benz SUV, which was located outside a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Anson County. The following day, Watts was reported missing.
Around July 20, authorities located a shell casing near Dunmore's residence, with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police confirming that it originated from a 9mm handgun. The grim discovery of her remains occurred earlier on the same day in Norman, a small town located near the intersection of Richmond and Montgomery counties along Interstate 74.
“As a result of the continued investigation in the search for Moore County resident Allisha Watts, along with the collaborative effort of multiple law enforcement agencies, this case is no longer considered a missing person investigation and has transitioned into a homicide investigation,” Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said at the time.
Alisha Watts' BF James Dunmore's troubling history
The unfolding investigation saw law enforcement returning to Dunmore's residence on July 26, to seize items including clothing, cellphones, a camera, a laptop, a memory card, and photographs as part of their effort to uncover information about Watts' disappearance.
An issued search warrant for the items revealed that Dunmore had made a suicide attempt before being discovered within Watts' vehicle, prompting authorities to declare him a person of interest in the investigation.
Furthermore, the situation took a disturbing turn when it was revealed that Dunmore had a history of criminal convictions, including abduction, assault and battery, and stalking. A domestic violence protection order had also been filed against him in Durham County, North Carolina, by another woman who accused Dunmore of kidnapping and making threats to kill her.
For Watts' grieving family, the revelations about Dunmore's background only added to their shock and disbelief. “We were not aware of none of that,” Utley said. “If we were aware of his background and the rap sheet he has, there is no way it would have sat comfortable with us or Allisha.”
