Remains believed to be missing woman, 10-year-old daughter found at suspect’s home on day he died

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ/Gray News) - Remains believed to be those of a mother and daughter who have been missing nearly 24 years were located Monday, according to West Virginia State Police.

The suspect in the girl’s death died in prison the same day the remains were found, authorities said.

Troopers said remains believed to be those of Susan and Natasha “Alex” Carter were found in the 100 block of Kyle Lane in Beckley around 4:30 p.m. Monday.

The location is the home of suspect Larry Webb, the Associated Press reported.

Investigators say around 10:30 a.m. Monday, Webb, who had been imprisoned at Mount Olive Correctional Complex, “suffered a medical episode and was pronounced dead at Montgomery General Hospital.”

Webb, who was in his 80s, was pronounced dead just six hours before the remains were discovered, the Associated Press reported.

Alex Carter was only 10 years old when she and her mother disappeared. They were last seen around Aug. 8, 2000, in Beckley.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation also has been involved with the case, including excavation efforts at the home.

At the time they went missing, Susan Carter, 41, was in a contentious custody battle with Natasha’s father and had told him he would never see his 10-year-old daughter again, according to an FBI flyer from back then, the Associated Press reported. Carter and her daughter were apparently living in Webb’s house when they disappeared, news outlets reported.

The FBI announced a renewed push for answers in the case in 2021. Police executed search warrants at Webb’s home in 2022 and 2023 and authorities said they recovered additional evidence in the investigation.

During one of those searches, Webb told news outlets he did not know what happened to the girl and did not know when he last saw her.

“I don’t remember,” Webb said. “I have dementia. I can’t say exactly.”

Raleigh County Prosecutor Ben Hatfield told local media that Webb allegedly had noticed his finances were out of order and that a violent domestic situation ensued.

Webb was indicted last October on a murder charge in the girl’s disappearance and held at a medical facility, according to WVVA-TV. He was then arrested on April 12 after being medically cleared for incarceration, Hatfield said.

Copyright 2024 WSAZ via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.