Missing Since: 1982-09-07 Location: Sonoma, California
Carter was last seen on September 7, 1982 at her home on Palmer Creek Road southwest of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California. Her two young children went to school that day, and when they returned home, their mother was gone. She has never been heard from again. The serial rapist and killer Joseph Naso was investigated for possible involvement in Carter’s disappearance. When he was arrested in 2010, authorities learned he kept a handwritten list of ten unnamed women and geographical locations. The first item was “Girl near Healdsburg Mendocino Co.” This roughly corresponds with Carter’s disappearance. Some of the items on the list corresponded with some of Naso’s known victims, but not all of the women he referred to on the list had been murdered; some of them turned out to be still alive. Naso was ultimately convicted of four murders and sentenced to death, but it’s unclear whether he was involved in Carter’s case. Her disappearance remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department 707-565-2994 Source Information California Attorney General’s Office Nightmare in Rochester: The Double-Initial Murders by Michael Benson Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated January 15, 2022; medical conditions added, distinguishing characteristics and details of disappearance updated.