CA Alexia Anne Reale (5) - Elk Grove CA, 1997

Reale lived with her mother and stepfather, Barbara and Larry Carrasco, and her older sister in Elk Grove, California in 1997. Photos of Barbara and Larry are posted below this case summary. Reale's sister told authorities that their family life had been relatively normal until February 1997, when Larry suddenly stopped working and he and Barbara began speaking about demons and vampires inhabiting both Reale and her sister. It was later learned that Larry and Barbara were using methamphetamine at the time, causing them both to behave irrationally. Reale's sister said that physical and mental abuse began occurring in their household during the winter of 1997. Her sister claimed that Barbara intentionally burned Reale on the back of one of her feet with a cigarette lighter, among other abusive incidents.

Reale's sister stated that Larry and Barbara forced her and Reale to drink beverages mixed with bleach in late May 1997. This was apparently an effort to 'cleanse' the children of their supposed possessions. Reale's sister said that they were instructed to drink the concoction for eight consecutive days. She stated that she last saw Reale lying motionless on the floor of the family's residence sometime around June 1, 1997. Barbara was standing next to the child, who was apparently pale and appeared to be deceased. According to Reale's sister, Barbara attempted CPR efforts before realizing Reale was dead.

Reale's sister told investigators that Larry and Barbara dismembered Reale's body in a closet with a pruning saw shortly after her death. She stated that the child's remains were then incinerated in the family's fireplace and tossed into the Sacramento River, along with the tools used in the dismemberment.

Reale's sister admitted she initially lied to authorities when they began investigating Reale's disappearance during the summer of 1997. She told police that Reale was living with her biological father in Illinois. Reale's sister was apparently instructed by Larry and Barbara on what to tell authorities should questions about Reale's whereabouts surface. The abuse patterns were discovered when one of Reale's sisters' teachers noticed chemical burns on the girl's body after the school year began in the fall of 1997. Reale's sister then told authorities that Larry had doused her with bleach in another effort to 'exorcise' her demons. The truth about Reale's disappearance was then uncovered, as her sister told the entire story to investigators.

Larry and Barbara were convicted of Reale's murder and additional child abuse charges in 2000. Larry is currently serving a 40-year-to-life prison sentence, while Barbara is serving 15 years to life. Reale's remains have never been located.

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