Missing North Carolina woman Allisha Watts found dead; cops arrest boyfriend with reported criminal past

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Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman joins 'America's Newsroom' to discuss the years-long investigation.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina authorities on Thursday located the body of missing Allisha Watts, 39, who disappeared from Charlotte on July 16.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office told local news on Thursday afternoon that her body was located near the Norman Community Cemetery off Cemetery Road in Montgomery County – about a two-hour drive from Charlotte and about 20 minutes from Watts' Foxfire home.

Authorities arrested and charged Watts' 51-year-old boyfriend, James Dunmore, in connection with her murder.

Watts was last seen leaving Dunmore's home on Pamela Lorraine Drive in Charlotte in her black Mercedes on July 16. Two days later, authorities found her car unattended in Anson County.

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The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office told local news on Thursday afternoon that missing Allisha Watts' body was located near the Norman Community Cemetery off Cemetery Road in Montgomery County. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD)

A warrant for Dunmore's arrests states that he "unlawfully, willingly and feloniously did of malice afterthought kill and murder Allisha Watts."

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The 51-year-old suspect is being held at the Montgomery County Jail. 

Authorities arrested Allisha Watts' 51-year-old boyfriend, James Dunmore, in connection with her murder. (Montgomery County Sheriff)

Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields told WRAL that authorities believe Watts' body had been in the area of Cemetery Road since July 18. Investigators pinged a cellphone and used a cadaver dog to eventually locate her remains, Fields told the outlet.

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The Moore County Sheriff's Office, in collaboration with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and others, "had searched in that area seven to eight times, we think. We were looking at that area," the sheriff said.

Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields told WRAL that authorities believe Watts' body had been in the area of Cemetery Road in Montgomery County since July 18. (WRAL)

Dunmore and Watts had tickets to a comedy show at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte on the night she disappeared, according to WRAL.

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Dunmore reportedly had convictions out of Virginia for abduction, assault and battery, and stalking, the outlet reported.