The former boyfriend of an Iowa woman who disappeared 36 years ago has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, officials announced Tuesday.
Robert Davis, 61, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was arrested Monday in connection with the disappearance of Barbara Lenz, 31, on May 6, 1989, according to a news release from the Iowa Department of Justice.
Davis, Lenz’ boyfriend at the time, said he dropped her off at her apartment in Woodbine, Iowa, that day. According to the release, Lenz was scheduled to visit her former boyfriend and the father of her 3-year-old child in Omaha, Nebraska, but she did not show up.
Lenz’s family contacted the Woodbine Police Department on May 17th. According to a criminal complaint, when police and family members entered Lenz’s apartment, they discovered that her pets had not been cared for in some time. Her personal belongings, including her purse and wallet, were inside the house. There were no signs of struggle.
The complaint states that Davis was the last person to see Lenz alive. He told investigators that Lenz called him from Omaha to say she was with her daughter, but police determined she never arrived.
During the investigation, police discovered that Lenz had told several people she feared Davis, according to the complaint. According to the complaint, shortly before her disappearance, Lenz told at least two people that Davis had threatened to kill her if she left him.
According to the complaint, Davis assaulted Lenz “on several known occasions” during their two-year relationship, including incidents in which she was allegedly strangled until unconscious. Davis was also accused of hitting Lenz’s daughter at a restaurant in front of Lenz and other witnesses. According to the complaint, Davis admitted these incidents to police.
According to the complaint, Davis told police that he did not like Lenz going to Nebraska to see her daughter and ex-boyfriend, and Davis allegedly assaulted her several times after her visits.
Davis claimed they had argued prior to her May 6 visit, according to the complaint. There were witnesses to the argument. One witness claimed Davis injured Lenz by slashing her across the cheek with a sharp object. Another witness observed 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 Iowa Department of Justice announced that the case would be prosecuted in Harrison County. According to CBS News affiliate KCCI, Davis is being held without bond at the Harrison County Jail.
Lindsy Baumgart, Lenz’s daughter, told KCCI that Davis’ arrest is “surreal” but she is “grateful” for the investigation.
“I never thought this day would come,” she told KCCI. “It is honestly something that I have waited for my whole life.”
Baumgart told KCCI that she hopes investigators can locate her mother’s remains.
“Justice for me would be bringing my mama home,” she told me.
