In an unexpected turn of events, the prime suspect in a 23-year-old kidnapping case, previously believed to have abducted her daughter, is now considered a missing person herself, according to law enforcement authorities.
Susan Gail Carter, who was thought to have kidnapped her 10-year-old daughter, Natasha "Alex" Carter, amid a heated custody dispute with her husband in 2000, is now believed to have disappeared simultaneously with her daughter. This revelation comes after decades of suspicion directed towards Susan, fueled by FBI wanted posters that offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to her capture.
The posters, which painted Susan as the alleged kidnapper, included a chilling quote from her to her husband, Rick Lafferty, stating that he would never see his daughter again. Additionally, the child's grandmother was quoted as saying that Natasha was fearful of her mother.
However, the narrative surrounding this cold case shifted dramatically over the past fortnight. New evidence gathered by the West Virginia State Police suggests that both Susan and Natasha vanished under mysterious circumstances.
Following the acquisition of fresh information, state police and FBI agents executed two search warrants at the last known residence of the Carters in Raleigh County, West Virginia. The FBI confirmed the recovery of additional forensic evidence pertinent to the investigation but refrained from disclosing specifics about the collected items or the reasons behind the search warrants.
The house, owned by Larry Dell Webb, was opened to the media by his caretaker, Terry Lilly, after the police concluded their search. Lilly showed reporters the areas where drywall and tile flooring had been removed, as reported by The Register Herald.
Susan was 41 and Natasha was 10 when they vanished on August 8, 2000, shortly after moving in with Susan's new husband. "This case was originally reported as Susan Carter kidnapping Natasha Carter, but over the course of this investigation it has been determined that both Susan Carter and Natasha Carter are, and have been, missing since August 8, 2000," stated the West Virginia State Police.
Despite attempts by Fox News Digital to obtain further information through messages and a public records request, the FBI directed all queries to the state police, who have yet to respond.
In light of these developments, law enforcement has doubled the reward to $20,000 for information leading to the discovery of Susan and Natasha Carter. The West Virginia State Police Beckley Detachment encourages anyone with information to contact them at 304-256-6700.
The case was highlighted in a 2022 episode of "In Pursuit with John Walsh."
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