"The theory is I did it, accident, covered it up." — Sarah (middle daughter of the Deadman family, relayed via search warrant documents)
"I'm scared, though. Dad is probably going to be a huge suspect." — Sarah (middle daughter of the Deadman family, relayed via search warrant documents)
"I believe she is still alive. And until somebody can prove me wrong, I'm still going to believe that because I have hope." — Aisha's Mom (quoted in news report)
The episode details the 2000 disappearance of 9-year-old Aisha Degree from Shelby, North Carolina, and the recent breakthroughs in the 25-year-old cold case. Initially treated as a potential runaway due to missing personal items and a locked home, the investigation shifted when a motorist reported seeing a girl matching Aisha's description walking on a highway in the early morning hours. Subsequent discoveries included Aisha's book bag, containing a library book and a concert t-shirt, found buried in a trash bag over a year later. The case remained cold for years until 2016, when the FBI released information about a dark green vehicle potentially involved, a detail that has now become critical.
In late 2024, renewed investigative efforts focused on a local family, the Deadmans, and their associates. Modern DNA testing revealed a genetic match between Aisha's shirt and a hair found in her book bag, linking them to the Deadmans' youngest daughter, Annalee, and a tenant named Russell Bradley Underhill. This discovery prompted extensive searches of Deadman properties, where an older model green AMC Rambler, potentially matching the FBI's description, was found. Investigators now believe Aisha was a victim of homicide, with the possibility of an accidental death and subsequent cover-up being explored, particularly in relation to the Deadman family's daughter, Lizzie, and her statements suggesting involvement and a cover-up.
Recent search warrants revealed text messages and phone calls between family members, including Roy and Connie Deadman, and their daughters, Lizzie, Sarah, and Annalee, which investigators interpreted as indications of obstruction of justice. These communications, along with Lizzie's polygraph results showing deception and a witness's account of Lizzie admitting to killing Aisha, have heightened suspicion. Despite these developments, no body has been found, and the Deadman family, through their attorney, denies any involvement, while hinting that the deceased tenant, Russell Underhill, might be a link. Aisha's mother continues to hold out hope for her daughter's return.