What happened to David Carter? Theories around Unsolved Mysteries case

With a person of interest currently on the run and his family wanting answers, Carter's case is a relatively new mystery that'll break the hearts of viewers.

Here's everything you need to know about David Carter, what happened to him and who the police are looking for in relation to his murder.

Who is David Carter?

David Carter Sr was a 39-year-old father living in Melvindale, Michigan, whose dismembered body was found on 1st October 2018.

Carter, who worked at the Magna Seating Plant and volunteered with the Melvindale Junior Football League, was reported missing in the first week of October 2018 after failing to show up for work over three days.

Carter had been at the football game of his son DJ on 28th September with his whole family and DJ's mother Samia Conner. He was also there with his girlfriend of six months, medical centre worker and travel agent Tamera 'Tammy' Williams – however, according to Conner: "David and Tammy came to the game together, but weren't together at the game."

What happened to David Carter?

As recounted in the Netflix documentary, Carter's son DJ had visited his father's residence on 30th September to collect some items after his mother Samia Conner allegedly received a text from Carter's phone which read that he was feeling ill.

When DJ went to his father's house, he reportedly saw Carter's girlfriend Tammy taking out the bins.

"She ran to the apartment door – like ran," DJ told Unsolved Mysteries. "And when I got to my dad's house, the door was locked. You'd have thought since she saw me, she'd have left it unlocked but I had a key."

DJ said his bedroom door was closed while Williams closed the bathroom door, before allegedly telling the teenager that Carter had gone out for a walk.

On 30th September, Carter didn't show up for work and on 2nd October, his colleague asked his sister Tasia Carter-Jackson to check on him. When she visited his apartment, she reportedly found that his front door was unlocked while his bed was unmade. She claimed there was a large blood stain underneath as well as on top of the mattress, which also had a gunshot hole in it.

On October 1st, a department of transportation worker found Carter's lower torso and legs in a sleeping bag in weeds along a highway in Eagle Township, Ohio. Nine days later, Carter's head was found in a black duffel bag with a gunshot wound under his ear, while on 16th October, his upper torso and hands were found in a suitcase.

Who killed David Carter?

The main theory explored in the Unsolved Mysteries episode, Body in Bags, is whether Carter's girlfriend Tammy was the person who killed him.

The US Department of Justice is looking for Williams in relation to Carter's death, with Fox2 reporting that she is wanted for "mutilation, dismemberment of a dead body, tampering with evidence, and felony firearm".

The US Marshals are reportedly offering a $10,000 reward for information about Williams, with police saying in September 2021 that they think Williams's family may have helped her run from law enforcement.

Andrew Battersby of the US Marshals Task Force in Detroit told the documentary: "Somebody is helping her – financially and also providing her with a roof, a place to stay. She just did not disappear."

He added that Williams is believed to be "a dangerous woman", saying: "The weapon that was used has not been recovered."

He believes she could therefore be "armed and dangerous".

Williams, who previously worked as a travel agent and at a hospital, was initially arrested on 5th October 2018 after Carter's body was found, however she was released from custody as there wasn't enough evidence to hold her.

In mid-October, she fled Detroit – according to ClickOnDetroit – after which the authorities began searching for her.

"We are going to find you," Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Aaron Garcia told Fox2 in September 2021. "We have been investigating this case for three years and we've had very little cooperation at this point. People know where she's at, they know her location, know how to get in touch with her. They haven't come forward yet."

Unsolved Mysteries will return to Netflix on Tuesday 18th October. Volumes 1 and 2 are available to stream now. Read our guides to the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix.

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