Footage shows a man, reportedly identified as James Dunmore, being arrested for allegedly murdering his girlfriend, Allisha Dene Watts. (Image of Watts: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department; screenshot: WBTV)
Authorities believe they found the body of a missing woman behind a cemetery, and they announced that they arrested her boyfriend.
James Dunmore is at the jail in Montgomery County, North Carolina, Law&Crime confirmed. He is charged with murdering Allisha Dene Watts, 39.
“We believe the remains of Allisha Watts have been located,” wrote the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the lead investigative agency, on Thursday.
They found her body behind a cemetery off Cemetery Road in Montgomery County, according to WBTV. This was in the area of Norman, a small town along Interstate 74, according to WRAL.
BREAKING: Montgomery Co Sheriff’s Office: The remains of 39 y/o Allisha Watts are believed to be found here behind this cemetery.
This is ~70 miles from where she was last seen in CLT July 16th.
Her boyfriend, James Dunmore has been taken into custody & arrested for murder. pic.twitter.com/bUZauYNaE8
— Claire Kopsky (@ClaireMKopsky) August 24, 2023
“This is not the outcome that we had been hoping for, but by finding Allisha today, we hope we can bring some closure to family and friends moving forward,” Montgomery County Sheriff Pete Herron said Thursday.
“This is an ongoing and active investigation, and we will continue to follow up on leads,” deputies wrote on Thursday.
Watts was last seen on July 16, 2023.
Her family and friends said they had not heard from her since that day when she was with her boyfriend, James Dunmore, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Watts went to the city in her black Mercedes SUV on July 14 to see him, said her friend Learen Blue.
On July 18, law enforcement found Dunmore unresponsive in the missing woman’s vehicle in the parking lot of the Anson County DMV in Polkton, North Carolina. There was, however, no apparent sign of Watts. Authorities did not specify why Dunmore was allegedly unresponsive.
Watts was reported missing on July 19.
“She’s not just some missing person,” her friend Learen Blue said at a press conference last month. “She’s an important person to all of us. She’s a daughter. She’s a sister. She’s an aunt. She’s a best friend. She’s a business owner. She’s involved in several organizations in our community. She’s a person with a huge heart who would do anything for anybody.”
Dunmore’s criminal history reportedly includes abduction, stalking, and assault and battery.
“We were not aware of none of that,” Watts’ cousin, Gwen Utley, said, according to WRAL. “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.”
Authorities arrested Dunmore at his Charlotte home, a Watts family member told the outlet.
“She is in a better place now,” said family friend Bridget Cotton, according to a WRAL on Thursday. “We thank everyone for their efforts and prayers.”
More Law&Crime coverage: Boyfriend accused of living with murdered girlfriend’s body for days at home they shared with their kids before tossing remains in dumpster
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