Boyfriend Arrested in North Carolina Woman’s Killing as Investigators Believe They Found Her Remains After Weeks of Searching, Police Say

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, NC — Authorities in North Carolina say they believe they have found the remains of Allisha Watts, a 39-year-old woman who had been missing since mid-July, and her boyfriend has been arrested in connection with her death. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said James Dunmore was taken into custody Thursday and charged with murder.

Sheriff Pete Herron said the discovery brought a painful turn in a case that had been treated as a missing person investigation for weeks. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police later said the matter is no longer being handled as a missing persons case. Officials did not immediately say where in Montgomery County the remains were found, and the investigation remains active.

Watts was last seen in Charlotte before her car was found in another county

Investigators said Watts was last seen in Charlotte on July 16. Two days later, police found her Mercedes in Anson County, southeast of the city, deepening concern about her whereabouts and prompting a wider search.

Watts lived in Moore County and had traveled to Charlotte to visit a cousin, who lives next door to Dunmore, according to her sister, Stephanie Johnson. Johnson said Watts had been in a relationship with Dunmore for about a year. The timeline described by police and family members has been central to efforts to piece together her final known movements.

Family members described Watts as dependable and caring

As word spread about the arrest, Watts’s relatives and friends spoke publicly about the loss they fear is now being confirmed. Johnson told ABC News that her sister worked in the mental health field and was known for being hardworking, independent and dependable.

She also described Watts as resourceful, loving, kind and attentive, portraying a woman whose life reached far beyond the missing-person case now unfolding around her. The family’s remarks highlighted the emotional weight of the investigation and the uncertainty they endured while waiting for answers about her disappearance.

Sheriff says the discovery may bring some closure to relatives

At a news conference, Herron said the outcome was not the one investigators had hoped for, but he believed the finding could help bring some closure to family members and friends. His comments reflected a shift from searching for Watts alive to confirming what authorities now believe happened to her.

The sheriff’s office has not released additional details about how investigators located the remains or what evidence led to Dunmore’s arrest. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said the case is no longer considered a missing person investigation, signaling that detectives are now focused on the criminal case itself.

Dunmore is being held without bond before his first court appearance

Dunmore, 51, is being held without bond and is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday. The arrest places the case at an early but critical stage, with prosecutors and investigators expected to continue sorting through the evidence surrounding Watts’s disappearance and death.

Authorities have not publicly detailed the circumstances of the murder charge. For now, the case centers on the last confirmed sightings of Watts, the discovery of her vehicle in a neighboring county and the remains investigators say they believe belong to her.

Friends say the loss has left a painful void

Friends of Watts said the news was devastating even as it answered some of their questions. Dorothy Brower told reporters that Watts did not deserve the fate investigators now believe she met and said she was furious about what happened.

Brower also said the people close to Watts had been hoping for a different ending, while acknowledging that the search had at least produced answers. Her remarks echoed the grief felt by relatives and friends, who described a woman remembered for her presence, kindness and the absence now left behind.