James Dunmore given $1 million bond in Allisha Watts murder case; Montgomery DA won't seek death penalty

A $1 million dollar bond has been set for James Dunmore in the murder of Allisha Watts.

In a Wednesday court proceeding, Montgomery County District Attorney Lynn Clodfelter stated they will not seek the death penalty.

"We came a long way but apparently we haven’t gotten far enough," Tea Hines, Allisha Watt's cousin said.

Dunmore is due back in court Jan. 8. He could face life in prison without parole.

"I don’t understand how he’s able to get out or the possibility that he can spend the holidays with his family but Allisha’s not going to be able to make the holidays with her family," Hines said.

If Dunmore were to make bond, additional conditions surrounding the bond would include electronic house monitoring and he would only be allowed to leave to go to work or for medical reasons.

"I don't think he should be given the opportunity to flee," Miriam Rosenthal, Nonprofit member with Allisha Watts, said.

On Sept. 14, the court found probable cause that Dunmore murdered Watts on or around July 18.

Dunmore was Allisha Watts' boyfriend.

On July 18, Dunmore was found unresponsive in Watts' SUV in the parking lot of the DMV office in Polkton – a lot frequented by troopers filling up their vehicles with gas. A detective said he overdosed on blood pressure medication.

Dunmore was unresponsive when he was taken to the ICU in Union County.

When authorities went to speak with Dunmore days later, they noted he was sweating and breathing rapidly. He told detectives that he wanted to watch TV and that he wanted to hire a lawyer before saying anything else.

Moore County detectives said that Dunmore and Watts went to the mall on July 16, but never returned home.

Authorities found Watts' SUV on July 18, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) filed the missing persons report for her on the same day.

When Dunmore's older sister collected items from Watts' SUV at the DMV, she found Watts' purse and luggage, but not her phone. She provided detectives with a bag of his belongings from the hospital that included muddy sweatpants, sweatshirts and muddy shoes filled with pine needles and vegetation.

More than a month later, Dunmore was arrested and charged with murder.

Hines told WRAL the fight for answers started when she first went missing, but it hasn't stopped.

"We’re always about seeking justice for Allisha. Period," Hines said.