The body of a Florida Black woman missing since Nov. 28 has been found. Police identified the remains on the morning of Dec. 7 in the New Port Richey woods one day after arresting the man they believe is responsible for her death.
Detectives working on the case confirmed that the Jane Doe was Kathleen Moore after identifying tattoos on her body. The family and friends of the deceased were informed by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office that her body had been discovered before revealing the news to the press.
Authorities reported that she was found by someone walking near Carmel Avenue on Tuesday morning, around 11:30 a.m., who saw her buried in the “thick brush.”
In a news conference, Sheriff Chris Nocco said information on how and when Moore died was not yet available, but his department is continuing to investigate her death.
“Our hearts and prayers pour out to the family and friends of Kathleen Moore,” Nocco communicated. “I know you were all searching for a better resolution, and we all were, but unfortunately, this is what we have.”
“If there’s one thing that I can tell the family is that Kathleen was absolutely loved by this community,” Nocco said.
The investigation did, however, identify her former boyfriend Colin Knapp as a key suspect in her slaying. He was arrested on Monday, Dec. 6.
The Tampa Bay Times notes that the 30-year-old suspect and Moore were last seen arguing during an outing with friends at a bar on Nov. 28 in Largo and Indian Rocks.
Knapp, who has been charged with second-degree murder, communicated that the two got into another argument at his home around midnight. He shared that she then left his home after the conflict. Knapp told authorities that he left his home at 1:30 a.m. to make his shift at the restaurant where he worked.
Knapp is being held at the Pasco County Detention Center and has secured an attorney.
The detectives have not found any evidence that supports Knapp’s claim that Moore ever left his home; instead, they were able to locate incriminating items at his job that pointed to Knapp being her killer.
Before someone stumbled upon her body, 50 yards from the boyfriend’s house, the sheriff’s office used canine units, a drone team, and “20 to 30” detectives to search for her, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Michael Rosa said.
A criminal complaint notes that investigators searched Harold Seltzer’s Steakhouse, where Knapp works, to search for anything to connect to Moore’s disappearance — even looking through a dumpster.
Authorities found black trash bags at the restaurant that contained various bedding (a mattress cover, a sheet, and a comforter) stained with a significant amount of blood covering them. There were also pillows in the bags that match pillows that the police had photographed at Knapp’s home, Tampa Bay Times reports.
The investigators said that the black trash bags, disposal supplies that were different from the clear recyclable bags usually used at the restaurant, also had items that they believe belonged to Moore.
A set of car keys, a debit card, and a Rugrats sweatshirt that Moore wore in a recent Snapchat were found in some of the bags. Also found were a pair of bloodied gray cargo pants, brown work boots, and a gray shirt. The blood on the bedding and clothes has been identified by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement test as belonging to the deceased woman.
“I wish to God we could bring her back. She’s with God now. She’s with the angels,” Sheriff Chris Nocco offered as comfort. “And we pray for her and we pray for her family right now because they’re going through so much. But with that, we will bring her justice, we will bring her family justice.”
More news from our partners:
