PITTSBURGH, PA—Today, FBI Pittsburgh, the Beckley Police Department, West Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service announced a new initiative in the search for Natasha Carter. Carter, better known as “Alex,” was just 10 years old when she disappeared, along with her mother Susan Carter. They were last seen on or about August 8, 2000.

The FBI also announced it is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to a resolution in this case. At the time of their disappearance, Susan Carter and Alex’s father were having a custody dispute and Alex moved in with her mother and mother’s new husband. Not too long after Alex moved in with her mother, the two of them vanished. Alex would turn 32 years old in December. Age progressed photos done by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are also available at https://www.missingkids.org/poster/ncmc/895999/1.html/mainposter.

“Even though it has been 21 years, this case is not sitting on a shelf,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. “I want Alex’s family and the community to know that we are focused on getting answers in this case and following every lead.”

“The WV State Police is a dedicated partner to this collaborative investigation, and we will continue to assist in all efforts to locate Susan and Natasha,” said Lt. Tim Bledsoe with the West Virginia State Police.

“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. In policing today, we must coordinate and work to support one-another, so that we may provide the most benefit to the many communities we all diligently work to keep safe.”

Missing persons posters can be found on the FBI.gov website and our partners at Lamar Advertising will be displaying Alex’s picture on digital billboards throughout West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. The company is donating available space to help us publicize this important case and we are thankful for their help.

Links to the posters on FBI.gov:

• https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/natasha-alex-carter
• https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/susan-gail-carter

For media inquiries, please call (412) 432-4291 or email cpolicicchio@fbi.gov