CHARLOTTE, N.C. — James Dunmore, the boyfriend of missing North Carolina woman Allisha Watts, was arrested for murder after investigators found a body believed to be Watts' Thursday.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office announced that Dunmore was arrested in Charlotte Thursday, confirming a report from Watts' family that he was taken into custody at his University City home. He was taken into the custody of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and is being held at the Montgomery County Jail without bond. Joanna Callicutt, the assistant clerk of court for Montgomery County, told WCNC Charlotte they expect Dunmore will go in front of a Judge on Monday, Aug. 28.
Video obtained by WCNC Charlotte shows Dunmore in handcuffs outside the home with multiple detectives watching him. The announcement came shortly after Charlotte-Mecklenburg police announced that the case was no longer considered a missing person investigation.
The sheriff's office said a body had been found Thursday and investigators believe the remains are those of Allisha Watts. The 39-year-old Moore County woman was last seen alive leaving Dunmore's home on July 16. The body was found near the Richmond-Montgomery county line in the area of Norman, which is a small town along Interstate 74.
At a news conference, Montgomery County Sheriff Pete Herron said their hearts go out the family during this time. Herron said the investigation is still ongoing, "and there is still much work to be done."
Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said the office is continuing to assist the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office as the investigation continues.
"This is not the outcome that we were hoping for, but our hearts go out to the family and friends of Ms. Watts," Fields said. "She had a big, big following that was with her and again, we were hoping for a better outcome."
Fields said they'll do the best they can to "lift Ms. Watts' name up," saying there will be "a day of reckoning."
"Allisha baby, we love you and we tried, we tried. We did not give up," Brittany Harris, a friend of Watts told WCNC Charlotte, adding, "You didn't deserve this at all."
Watts was supposed to attend a comedy show at Bojangles Coliseum on July 16 but family members said she never made it. Her vehicle wasn't at Dunmore's home hours later, according to a recently released 911 call.
"When her car left, it was wee hours that Monday morning," the caller told 911 dispatchers. "When I came out and looked across the street, her car was gone. So I said she must've went back home. That's what I was thinking, but now they said she never showed back up at home. And now today is Wednesday."
Dunmore was found unresponsive in Watts' Mercedes-Benz SUV outside a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Anson County on July 18. Watts was reported missing by family the next day, July 19.
On July 20, investigators found a shell casing near Dunmore's home. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said the shell casing was for a 9 mm handgun. WRAL-TV in Raleigh reported that Dunmore had a previous criminal history in Virginia that included convictions for abduction, assault and battery, as well as stalking.
CMPD returned to Dunmore's home on July 26 searching for evidence that could be used to cover up a homicide, warrants revealed. Detectives were looking for a swath of evidence, ranging from firearms and other weapons to cell phones and DNA evidence. CMPD seized clothing, cell phones, a camera, a tablet, a laptop, a memory card, swabs, and photos from the house.
Tammy Utley, Watts' younger sister, called on Dunmore to give her family answers about what happened the night Watts disappeared.
"Enough is enough James Dunmore, it's time for you to give her back to us!" Utley wrote in a letter shared with WCNC Charlotte's Jane Monreal. "Give her back to our family, friends and devoted community because the truth of the matter is we will no stop saying her name and asking the necessary questions that need to be asked!"
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