Man indicted for cold case murder of child in Raleigh County who hasn't been seen since 2000
BECKLEY, W.Va. (WCHS) — An elderly man has been indicted for the murder of a child who has been missing for more than 20 years.
Larry Webb was indicted Tuesday on a first-degree murder charge for the death of Natasha "Alex" Carter, according to Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney Ben Hatfield.
Carter and her mother, Susan Carter, have not been seen since 2000.
In Sept., the FBI confirmed it searched a home in Mabscott, in relation to the case.
At the house, a caregiver for Webb, who knew Carter and her daughter, said the FBI have questioned Webb and told him that a bullet with the 10-year-old’s blood on it was removed from a bedroom wall. The basement of the home had also been searched, the caregiver said.
“I don’t have any idea what happened to her,” Webb said during a Sept. interview with Eyewitness News reporter Bob Aaron following the search of the home. When asked if he remembered the last time he saw her, Webb said he did not.
“I don’t remember,” Webb said. “I have dementia. I can’t say exactly.”
At the time, state police could not confirm or deny the caregiver’s account. In a previous news release, troopers said they served two search warrants at Webb’s home and were able to “identify and recover additional forensic evidence related to this investigation.”
Hatfield said Webb, who previously told Eyewitness News he was in poor health, was currently was not in custody but they were working to arrest him.
"It is a logistical process that we are dealing with but it is my full intent that he be taken into custody and lodged at the Southern Regional Jail," Hatfield said during a news conference on Tuesday. He said Webb was currently in a "quasi-medical housing situation."
"We are going through all the necessary steps in order to ensure his incarceration," Hatfield said.
Hatfield announced Webb's indictment, along with three others in unsolved cold cases in the area.
A special grand jury convened this month to hear the cases, Hatfield said.
"It's a big day," Hatfield said.
Natalie Cochran, a pharmacist, was also indicted for the 2019 murder of her husband, Michael Cochran. Hatfield said she's now charged with first-degree murder in the case.
Hatfield said Michael Cochran's cause of death was recently determined to be an insulin overdose following an exhumation of his body.
Natalie Cochran is currently serving an 11 year federal prison sentence in connection with a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme.
Hatfield said Daniel Johnson was also indicted for the 2016 death of David Baker. Terrance Battle was indicted in connected with the 2004 shooting death of Belinda Flynn in Beckley.
