Bodies Located in 24-Year-Old Cold Case - Suspect Dies the Same Day

In a recent development, an elderly individual from West Virginia, who was a suspect in a long-standing double murder case, passed away while in police custody. This event occurred just hours before authorities discovered the bodies of the alleged victims.

The two individuals had been missing since the year 2000, during which time they resided with Larry Webb. Webb passed away while awaiting trial in Fayette County, West Virginia, on Monday morning, according to WVVA.

Webb had been indicted for the murder of 10-year-old Natasha “Alex” Carter last October in Raleigh County. Despite the indictment, he remained free until earlier this month, as reported by WVNS-TV.

The child and her mother, Susan Carter, were last seen in August 2000 when they moved in with Webb at his residence near the Beckley community.

Advancements in cold case investigations led to the discovery of DNA evidence last year, compelling enough for authorities to charge Webb, who was in his eighties at the time, with murder.

However, the remains of Alex Carter and her mother had not been located until Monday afternoon when investigators uncovered both bodies at Webb’s residence.

Despite the grim discovery, Webb will not stand trial, as WVVA reported his passing at 10:30 on Monday morning at a local hospital due to a reported medical episode. Further details regarding Webb’s medical condition were not disclosed by the police.

WVNS–TV noted that Webb's recent arrest less than two weeks prior raised concerns about his mental state, with a previous caretaker mentioning his dementia.

The joint effort of West Virginia local and state authorities, along with federal agents including FBI agents and personnel from the U.S. Marshals Service, led to the excavation effort that ultimately uncovered the missing victims.

The pursuit of justice for the Carters was reignited in 2021 when authorities increased an old reward from $10,000 to $20,000 for information on the case, according to CBS News.

While it remains unclear if the reward played a role in Webb's identification as a suspect, he was eventually apprehended.

Notably, an old FBI flyer for the pair focused on a “contentious” custody battle that Susan Carter had with her daughter’s father, omitting any mention of Webb. It was initially speculated that Susan Carter might have disappeared with her daughter at the time of their disappearance.