A Texas man has been arrested after an undercover operation uncovered his intent to sexually assault and murder a minor. 21-year-old Alexander Nathan Barter was taken in by the authorities following his communications with an undercover officer where he allegedly revealed his desire to engage in explicitly sexual activities with a young girl.
According to an affidavit obtained by KTRE, Barter posted an advertisement on the dark web asking anyone interested in allowing him to commit necrophilia and cannibalism to contact him. He provided two encrypted email addresses at which he could be reached. An undercover special agent working with the Texas Department of Public Safety came across the post and took things forward with the 21-year-old.
The agent reportedly responded by offering his young daughter to Barter, who is said to have replied enthusiastically with, "How old is your daughter? Can we kill her?" He then detailed the other gruesome activities he would like to do to the girl before and after her death, setting up a plan to meet the father-daughter duo.
In a series of emails after the initial contact, Barter constructed an idea to go for a hiking trip with the pair, following which he would take the young girl to a hotel in Joaquin, and then assault, kill, and cannibalize her. The 21-year-old also had other detailed instructions as well.
He advised the undercover agent to purchase a burner phone, buy new clothes to wear after he had committed the murder, and later go back to his stated home in Brevard County, Florida, and then tell the authorities that his daughter had run away from home once again.
As the investigation into Barter intensified, agents subpoenaed subscriber information and IP logs for the person having the username of the person in communication with the undercover agent. Officers contacted the internet service provider and soon made the connection to the 21-year-old.
Enforcement officials then sprung their trap. As Barter traveled to meet the father and daughter on October 19, he was caught by officers outside the designated residence. He was found to have been carrying a plastic trash bag and a knife and soon confessed to the conversations and email exchanges he had had with the undercover officer.
Barter has been charged with a slew of offenses including criminal solicitation, a first-degree felony, conspiracy to commit capital murder, a first-degree felony, criminal attempt to commit capital murder, a second-degree felony, and criminal attempt of sexual performance of a child, a second-degree felony. He is currently being held at the Shelby County Jail.
