FLORENCE - The man police now seek for the kidnapping of a Florence woman and her young daughter has been wanted for more than two years on an unserved arrest warrant.
Carl A. Ashcraft, 38, has been sought since 1994 for violating parole for an eerily similar crime: the kidnapping and rape of his wife and children.
For all that time, Mr. Ashcraft has lived in Greater Cincinnati and was known by the Beck family of Florence. It is Kathy Beck, 48, and her daughter, Katina, 5, who disappeared with him. They have been missing a week today.
The only warrant on record in Boone County is one issued Friday
for the current kidnapping charges, according to the Boone Circuit clerk's office. But Florence police also have discovered that Mr. Ashcraft has been wanted on the older warrant, too.
It was unclear Monday whether police officers in the state knew of the old warrant for Mr. Ashcraft's arrest. Though it stemmed from an incident in Boone County involving his child and former wife, it was issued by state officials and therefore not entered into Boone County's database of wanted people.
The statewide database of warrants, called the Law Information Network of Kentucky (LINK), was not operational Monday and could not be checked for the warrant. Boone County probation and parole officials could not be reached for comment late Monday.
The service of arrest warrants has been a hot topic in Northern Kentucky since the death last April of Sandra Colston, who was shot by her estranged husband, Donald Colston, in Fort Wright. He had been wanted by local authorities for a year for failing to follow parole conditions.
Mr. Colston was a paraplegic who couldn't run from authorities. The Enquirer reported in December that there was no concerted effort to serve warrants in Kenton County.
Since then, Kenton County officials have made efforts to serve more of their 9,000 outstanding warrants and to make the lists of wanted people more accessible to police officers.
The Ashcraft case is expected to be on America's Most Wanted Saturday. Representatives from the television program were in Florence last weekend to interview Florence Police Detective Terry Vannarsdale and Mrs. Beck's family.
Local law enforcement has been familiar with Mr. Ashcraft since at least 1981, when he pleaded guilty to holding his daughter and estranged wife hostage in Covington.
If you have information about Mr. Ashcraft or the Becks, please call Florence police at 647-5420.
Arrest Warrants: Who's Responsible?
Statewide effort sought to address backlog Feb. 26, 1997.
Sloppy warrant law cited Feb. 21, 1997.
Vague laws frustrate police Feb. 18, 1997.
Boone, Campbell focus on big backlog Feb. 16, 1997.
Kenton Co. sheriff cancels 2nd shift Feb. 13, 1997.
Warrants backlog burgeons Feb. 8, 1997.
Searchers will have updated suspect list Jan. 15, 1997.
Chief organizes warrant search Jan. 5, 1997.
Kenton to focus on most wanted Dec. 26, 1996
Warrant backlog worse in Boone, Campbell Dec. 22, 1996
Kenton police chief proposes special unit Dec. 19, 1996
Sheriff pulls deputies off FBI team Dec. 18, 1996
Lawmakers want answer to unserved warrants Dec. 17, 1996
4,200 unserved warrants in Kenton County Dec. 15, 1996
