Carol Batten Dowless

Whiteville, North Carolina is a small rural town situated west of Wilmington on Hwy 74 in Columbus County and not far from the border of South Carolina. It is surrounded by small communities most likely named for family farms such as Wyatts Crossroads, Wooten's Crossroads, Smith Crossroads, and many others. It's in this area that the Batten family owns horse pastures and where Carol "Prissy" Batten Dowless' vehicle was found in the early morning on September 4, 2005.



It is reported that Carol, known as Prissy, had gone missing a couple other times in the past, but she was located before reports to police would be filed. Prissy and her husband Jamie Dowless had 4 children, the oldest, Prissy's from a previous relationship and the youngest just 3 months old when her mother vanished.

There were the usual arguments in the marriage, but no domestic violence reports were ever made, and Jamie moved near his parents with all 4 children after Prissy went missing. Carol's father, Roger Batten, a long haul trucker, is still very involved with his grandchildren, and has stated that is one of the reasons he gets upset. Explanations to young children are difficult when there are no answers.

There have been several conflicting reports of the events on September 4, 2005, and according to the detective, the case has virtually hit a brick wall. They desperately need new clues to continue to move forward in the investigation.

Four young children wait and wonder, and will for a very long time, for answers to questions no one can answer. The mystery continues, did Prissy just walk away from her children and family that early morning? Her father talked to her that morning around 1am on the same cell phone that was found later broken in pieces. Did someone pick her up and leave with her? her husband reported hearing a vehicle leave their home around 5am.

If Prissy is out there somewhere, her family just wants to know that she is alright.

The family of Carol Batten Dowless will be honoring her and bringing attention to her case on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 by sponsoring a stop on the Cue Center Road To Remember Tour. Hopefully many members of the community will meet at the WalMart parking lot in Whiteville and support this family and the Cue Center.

http://www.whiteville.com/pages/2006WEBPAGES/SEPTEMBER2006/9.4.06/news3mon.html

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/d/dowless_carol.html

http://www.nampn.org/cases/dowless_carol_batten.html

http://www.columbusco.org/DotNetNuke_2/Default.aspx?alias=www.columbusco.org/dotnetnuke_2/sheriff

http://www.ncmissingpersons.org/ (Cue Center)

UPDATES

Missing Persons billboard generates tips to find Dowless

Oct. 15, 2008

There has been a major break in the murder case of a Columbus County woman. The Columbus County Sheriff's Office has arrested and charged a man with first-degree murder is in the case of Carol Batten Dowless. The man in custody is the victim's husband, Jamie Lee Dowless. The charges follow Monday's positive identification of her remains. The remains were found within weeks of putting up a billboard with her picture. The positive identification of Carol Batten Dowless' remains brings little closure to her friends and family. “When I go to bed tonight, my mama's not coming back. When I wake up in the morning she's not going to be there,” said Denise Batten, Carol’s daughter. While they now know it was in fact her body found in a wooded area in Chadbourn, questions still remains. Carol’s father, Roger Batten said, “I want to know why and everything that brought this on. I don't want to have no secret having to wonder how it happened or nothing like that.” A billboard unveiled September 10th, played a key part in generating tips as to where her body might be. “That was a real big help. We waited three years and within twenty days of the bill board going up we knew,” said Mr. Batten. Within just 16 days of its unveiling, the Columbus County Sheriff's Office found Dowless' remains about a quarter mile from her family home. That two weeks cracked a three year, missing persons case. The Cue Center for Missing Persons raised more a thousand dollars for the billboard. “Billboards kind-of replace that effort where you’re constantly putting out posters. It is a great effort, but after weather and time, they get taken down. A billboard sort of replaces that because it’s in your face and it’s life-sized,” said Monica Caison of the Cue Center. The billboard is being credited by Columbus County detectives with helping lead to a suspect in this three-year-old case. Columbus County coroner said he can not determine the exact cause of Carol Dowless' death, but that foul play had been definitely involved.

Dowless pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter in wife's death

Feb. 28, 2011

WHITEVILLE, N.C. – A Columbus County man pleaded guilty to the 2005 death of his wife. Jamey Dowless was arrested in 2008 and charged with killing his wife, Carol Batten-Dowless.

Carol Batten-Dowless was murdered in Sept. 2005. Her Remains were found three years later. In 2008, a tip led Columbus County Sheriff's deputies to a wooded area outside of Whiteville where they found her remains.

The remains were found just down the street from her father's home. Authorities say Batten-Dowless was strangled to death after a fight with her husband.

Jamey Dowless was arrested in Oct. 2008 about three weeks after his wife's remains were found. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the case last week. He will serve between 94 and 122 months in prison. 

However, the 34-year-old has 860-day credit for time served since his arrest reducing the minimum time down to 65 months. 

Carol, who was nicknamed "Prissy", left behind four girls.

http://triangle.news14.com/content/local_news/coastal/637429/dowless-pleads-guilty-to-voluntary-manslaughter-in-wife-s-death