The former boyfriend of an Iowa woman who vanished 36 years ago has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in her disappearance, officials said Tuesday.
Robert Davis, who is now 61 and lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa, was arrested Monday in the case of Barbara Lenz, 31, who was last seen on May 6, 1989, the Iowa Department of Justice said in a news release. Davis, who was Lenz’ boyfriend at the time, reported dropping her off at her apartment in Woodbine, Iowa, that day. Lenz was then expected to visit her former boyfriend and the father of her 3-year-old child in Omaha, Nebraska, but she didn’t show up, according to the release.
Lenz’s family contacted the Woodbine Police Department on May 17. Police and family members entered Lenz’s apartment and found her pets had not been cared for “in some time,” according to a criminal complaint. Her personal effects, including her purse and wallet, were in the home. There were no signs of a struggle.
Police determined that Davis was the last person to have seen Lenz alive, according to the complaint. He told investigators Lenz had called him from Omaha to say she was with her daughter, but police determined she never arrived there.
During the course of the investigation, police found that Lenz had told several people she feared Davis, the complaint said. Shortly before her disappearance, Lenz told at least two people that Davis said he would kill her if she left him, according to the complaint.
Lenz was also allegedly assaulted by Davis “on several known occasions” during their two-year relationship, according to the complaint, including incidents during which she was allegedly strangled until she fell unconscious. There was also an incident where Davis allegedly hit Lenz’s daughter at a restaurant in front of Lenz and other witnesses. Davis admitted these incidents to police, the complaint said.
Davis told police he did not like Lenz going to Nebraska to see her daughter and ex-boyfriend, the complaint said, and several fights and assaults by Davis allegedly followed her visits. Davis said they had argued before her May 6 visit, according to the complaint. There were witnesses to the argument. One witness said Davis injured Lenz by slashing her across the cheek with a sharp object. Another witness reported seeing Lenz and Davis leaving the apartment complex together.
One witness told investigators that Davis’ brother showed them a spot in a rural area where he and Davis had buried something wrapped in plastic. The complaint did not say if the area was excavated or what was wrapped in the plastic.
Other witnesses told investigators that Davis told them they would “end up like Barbara” after arguments. The statements were made long after Lenz’s disappearance, the complaint said.
Lenz’s body has never been found. Investigators “pursued numerous leads and searches” over the years, to no avail, the Iowa Department of Justice said. In July 2024, the Attorney General’s office launched an Iowa Cold Case Unit to investigate unsolved crimes. The unit investigated Lenz’s case and “brought fresh eyes and a focused team to dig through information, meet with witnesses, and loosen up leads.”
That led investigators to Davis. The complaint alleges that because of Davis’ behavior and history with Lenz, investigators believe he murdered Lenz “with malice aforethought, wilfully, deliberately, and with premeditation.”
An attorney was not listed for Davis.
“Something I have waited for my whole life”
The case will be prosecuted in Harrison County, the Iowa Department of Justice said. Davis is being held without bond in the Harrison County Jail, CBS News affiliate KCCI reported.
Lenz’s daughter, Lindsy Baumgart, told KCCI that Davis’ arrest is “surreal” and that she is “grateful” for the investigation.
“I never thought this day would come,” she told KCCI. “It’s honestly something that I have waited for my whole life.”
Baumgart told KCCI she hopes investigators can find her mother’s remains.
“Justice for me would be bringing my mama home,” she said.
