Kagney Linn Karter was an American pornographic actress, model and stripper. Karter was raised in Saint Joseph, Missouriand Ridgway, Pennsylvania. She grew up in St. Joseph, MO, and Ridgway, PA. She not only ran track and was a cheerleader in high school, but participated in speech and debate. She worked as a hostess at a Mexican restaurant and at Office Max prior to starting out in the adult entertainment industry as an erotic dancer in Missouri. She was named Missouri's" Deja Vu Showgirl of the Year" in 2007 and was a national second-place runner-up that same year. She eventually signed with top modeling agency L.A. Direct Models and posed for photo shoots for noted adult photographer Holly Randall. Karter began erotic dancing while in Missouri and was named the state's Déjà Vu Showgirl of the Year in 2007. She later moved to California to pursue an acting and singing career. Karter fell out with her manager when he discovered she had been working as an exotic dancer. While continuing to dance in California, she eventually moved into modeling and, after signing with the agency LA Direct Models, posed for shoots with erotic photographer Holly Randall. Karter entered the adult film industry in September 2008, In regard to her stage name, Karter has stated that Kagney was her real first name (her father named her after James Cagney) and Linn was her real middle name. She chose Karter as her surname because it "just fit perfectly." She was chosen as the Penthouse Pet of the Month for June 2009, and appeared on the covers of Hustler in April 2009 and Adult Video News in June 2009. At the age of 36, Karter committed suicide in February of 2024.