Newly-obtained court documents reveal that the boyfriend of missing North Carolina woman Allisha Watts had a restraining order placed against him a few months before she disappeared.
According to ABC 11, a woman who listed herself as the spouse of James Dunmore filed for the protective order in Charlotte in May, listing “prior acts of violence including choking, punching, and verbal attacks.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Watts was last seen at Dunmore’s home in Charlotte, on Pamala Lorraine Drive. Her family reported her missing on July 16.
Two days later, police found Watts’ Mercedes SUV in the parking lot of the Anson County Department of Motor Vehicles office in Polkton, around 45 miles from Charlotte.
“Cellular data records that have been obtained show that Allisha’s phone, her boyfriend’s phone, and the vehicle all return to the home at 1633 Pamela Lorraine Drive at around 3 p.m. on 7/16/2023,” the search warrant read. “All three remain at that location until around 6 a.m. on 7/18/2023.”
The Anson County Sheriff’s Office said North Carolina state troopers saw the vehicle with a man later identified as Dunmore inside; he told the deputies he was taking a nap, but when the troopers returned to the lot three hours later, he was unresponsive.
He was taken to a hospital, but his current location and condition are unknown. The Anson County Sheriff’s Office said their last update came on July 20, and he was still alive at that time. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police did not provide an answer to a request about his status.
Watts’ cousin, Gwen Utley, told ABC 11 that she knew Dunmore had previously been married but didn’t know the wife.
“Surprising and scary, you know, it’s terrifying…Which me and a lot of my neighbors now are terrified because we’re like, ‘who were we living beside?'” she asked.
“When I met him, he told me that he was not married. He told me- the lady that he was with when I moved here. And he told me that, that was his girlfriend.”
As of Friday morning, Dumore has not been named as a suspect in Watts’ disappearance. Law enforcement said he is, however, considered a person of interest at this point.
Meanwhile, police said they found shell casings from a 9mm gun outside of Dunmore’s home. They’re now looking for “any evidence of the crime of murder” and “materials that may be used to clean or cover up evidence of a homicide or assaults.”
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, the Anson County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, or dial 911.
This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information becomes available. Check back for updates.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode:
[Feature Photo: Handout]
