BECKLEY, W.Va. — The FBI launched an new initiative Thursday it hoped would spark new leads in a 21-year missing persons case.
Natasha Carter, who was known to most as “Alex”, was almost 11 years old when she was last seen in Beckley on Aug. 8, 2000. Her mother, Susan Carter, has also not been seen since that date.
According to FBI Assistant Agent in Charge Scott Argiro, Alex and her mother disappeared during the height of a contentious custody battle between Susan Carter and the child’s father.
Investigators said Susan Carter told the father, Rick Lafferty, at the time he would never see his daughter again. The mother and daughter moved in with Susan’s new husband and soon afterward disappeared. Natasha’s grandmother also reported the child was afraid of her mother and didn’t want to live with her.
Argiro said the U.S. Marshal’s Service recently came across the case that had been with the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department. He said both local, state and federal authorities decided to take a cold case approach to the case in hopes of getting some new leads.
“We’re hoping that by creating a little bit of a media buzz and drawing some attention to it, even though it’s been 21 years, maybe there’s somebody out there that’s been reluctant to come forward and provide some information that could be valuable to the case,” Argiro told MetroNews after Thursday’s news conference in Beckley.
The FBI on Thursday released new posters in the case which included age progressed photographs of both women. Natasha would now be almost 32. An age enhanced photo of Susan Carter was also released. Argiro said she may have been using an altered identity like Susan Gail Carter Webb and may have changed her appearance.
The pictures will be posted to billboards in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. The West Virginia Sate Police, Beckley Police Department, and U.S. Marshal Service are also engaged in the investigation.
Argiro said the photos may be what’s needed to spark someone’s memory.
“It just takes one little break, one little tip or lead, to blow open a case to a point where you could really have some success,” he said.
A $10,000 reward is offered for information which can lead to the location of Natasha (Alex) and the arrest and conviction of those responsible for her disappearance. Investigators believed the two left West Virginia and now live out of state.
Anyone with information can contact local law enforcement or their local FBI office.
Argiro said it’s important to get closure for Alex’s biological father.
“He was at the press conference today and he was very passionate and very emotional. We really loved to, him being in his 80s right, give him some resolution in this matter,” Argiro said.
Anyone with information can contact local law enforcement or their local FBI office.