BREAKING: BECKLEY, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – For the last 21 years, Rick Lafferty has touched the picture of his daughter, Natasha Carter, every time he leaves his house. Natasha, known to many as “Alex,” disappeared from her home in Raleigh County on or around August 8, 2000, as did her mother, Susan Gail Carter.
While this case has yet to be solved, it is not cold, nor is it sitting on a shelf.
Today, Lafferty joined with FBI Pittsburgh, the Beckley Police Department, West Virginia State Police and the U.S. Marshal Service to announce a new initiative in the search for Carter and her mother.
At the time of their disappearance, Lafferty and Susan Carter, who had since remarried, were having a custody dispute, which led to Natasha- then 10 years old- moving in with her mother and stepfather.
Lafferty had no idea that would be the last time he’d see his daughter.
Natasha was allegedly abducted by her mother and a felony warrant for Kidnapping was issued for Susan on November 13, 2000.
Fighting to contain his emotions, Lafferty spoke at Thursday’s press conference- held at the Beckley Police Department- and urged that anyone with any information come forward.
“It’s been 21 years of suffering every day,” he said. “I want her home. If anybody knows anything, please come forward…let someone know so we can bring her home.”
Lafferty shared that, although his mind wanders to horrible places by not knowing what happened to his daughter, he finds hope in the recent work being conducted by law enforcement.
According to United States Marshal Michael T. Baylous, while this case has been continuously investigated for the last two decades, its public resurgence stemmed from the more active role that the U.S. Marshals Service recently took to locate missing children.
This proactiveness of the U.S. Marshals Service led to the creation of a task force involving the FBI, as well as state and local law enforcement to specifically handle the Carter case. FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall says his department was brought on board roughly six months ago.
“Collaboration is vital for our agencies to be successful, and not just in drug and violent crimes,” said Beckley Police Chief Lonnie Christian. “Each individual agency represented here today possesses various resources and capabilities which allow limited successes. Without joint efforts, each of our agencies are constrained within the boundaries of those limited capabilities. But together, we all benefit from the combined resources, and with that, we become so much more.”
Nordwall says he believes the advancement in technology over the last 21 years has already and will continue to greatly help this new initiative. He could not give specifics of the case or its evidence but said every known avenue leading to Susan and Natasha’s disappearance has been investigated.
Together the task force has promised every available resource they have in addition to the implementation of a full-time FBI agent working diligently on the case.
“No parent should bear that burden of not knowing the whereabouts of their child, especially for 21 years of not knowing the status of their wellbeing,” Nordwall stated. “But there is hope. If we put the minds together of all these law enforcement agencies and all of our technology and resources- that creates hope in and of itself.”
The FBI is currently offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to a resolution in the case. Tips will be accepted from across the country and are anonymous.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has supplied age-progressed photos of both Susan and Natasha, which can be found on the FBI.gov website. Lamar Advertising has also partnered with the FBI to display Natasha’s picture on digital billboards throughout West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
Tips should be shared by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Natasha would turn 32 in December.