Father of 10-year-old murdered in Raleigh County reacts to remains found, suspect dead

RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – After decades of searching and not giving up hope, a family finally has answers after the remains of a mother and daughter were found on Monday in Raleigh County.

Law enforcement said a “death bed confession” is what led them to the discovery all these years later. Just hours before the suspected remains of Susan and Natasha “Alex” Carter were found, Larry Webb, the suspect, died in prison from a “medical episode.”

“I knew that something was wrong because she would’ve gotten in touch with me or my mother, but I never gave up hope that we would find her and bring her home,” said Ricky Lafferty, the father of Alex Carter. “[It was] just a mixture of feelings. I mean you’re happy they found her, but you’re sad of the circumstances of her not being alive.”

The case started to gain traction in 2020 when the FBI started to take another look at it. About a year and a half ago, they said a bullet with Alex’s blood on it was found inside Webb’s home, which is where Susan and Alex lived at the time of their disappearance in 2000.

Webb was charged with Alex’s murder in 2023, and in early April 2024, Webb was arrested after the FBI said he confessed to shooting Susan over a financial dispute and then killing her daughter because he told law enforcement “that at that moment [after killing Susan] he knew he had ruined his life forever.”

They said he waited two days before burying them in a shallow grave on his property in the Beckley-Mabscott Area. That’s where their suspected remains were found Monday afternoon.

“He detailed for us exactly how he murdered both women,” said Tony Rausa, FBI Supervisory special agent. “How he wrapped their bodies in bed linens. How they spent two days on the basement floor of his home, while they dug a shallow grave in his yard.”

Twenty-four years later, Lafferty, who never gave up hope in finding Alex, is finally able to bring her home and give her a proper “goodbye.”

“Never give up,” Lafferty said. “I mean I don’t care who you have to write. They may think you’re bugging, but just never give it up never because someone’s going to listen eventually someone’s going to listen they have to.”

At a press conference this afternoon, Lafferty was able to “thank” everyone who helped in finding his daughter. He was also given the necklace she was wearing when she was found, which he said is one of the last few items he has of hers.

Even though the suspect Webb died on Monday, the FBI said there is still an ongoing investigation, and the remains are currently at the medical examiner’s office.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOWK 13 News.