Alexia Anne Reale

• Missing Since 06/01/1997
• Missing From Elk Grove, California
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race Asian, Biracial, White
• Date of Birth 09/23/1991 (33)
• Age 5 years old
• Height and Weight 3'0, 40 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Biracial (Asian/Caucasian) female. Brown hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance

Alexia lived with her mother and stepfather, Barbara and Larry Carrasco, and her older sister Jessica in Elk Grove, California in 1997. Photos of Barbara and Larry are posted with this case summary.

Jessica subsequently 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 children. It was later learned that Larry and Barbara were using methamphetamine at the time, causing them both to behave irrationally.

Jessica said that physical and mental abuse began occurring in their household during the winter of 1997. Her sister claimed that Barbara intentionally burned Alexia on the back of one of her feet with a cigarette lighter, among other abusive incidents. Jessica stated Larry and Barbara forced her and Alexia to drink milkshakes mixed with bleach in late May 1997. This was apparently an effort to "cleanse" the children of their supposed possessions.

Jessica said that they were made to drink the concoction for eight consecutive days. She helped Alexia vomit up the milkshakes afterwards, but when their parents found out, they separated the girls and locked Alexia in a closet for five days.

Jessica stated that she last saw Alexia lying motionless on the floor of the family's residence sometime around June 1, 1997. Barbara was standing next to the child, who was pale and appeared to be dead. Barbara attempted CPR efforts, then stopped when she realized Alexia was deceased.

Jessica told investigators that Larry and Barbara kept Alexia's body in a freezer for a few days, then Larry dismembered the remains in a closet with a pruning saw. She stated that the child's remains were then incinerated in the family's fireplace and the ashes were put in a cooler and tossed into the Sacramento River, along with the tools used in the dismemberment.

She admitted she initially lied to authorities when they began investigating Alexia's disappearance during the summer of 1997. She told police that Alexia was living with her biological father in Illinois. She was apparently instructed by Larry and Barbara on what to tell authorities should questions about Alexia's whereabouts surface.

The abuse patterns were discovered when one of the girl's teachers noticed chemical burns on Jessica's body after the school year began in the fall of 1997. Alexia's sister then told authorities that Larry had doused her with bleach in another effort to "exorcise" her demons. The truth about Alexia's disappearance was uncovered, as her sister told the entire story to investigators.

Larry and Barbara were convicted of Alexia'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. Alexia's remains have never been located.

Jessica has written a memoir about her sister's murder, titled I'm Not Broken: Surviving the House of Demons.