TOPOCK, Ariz. — Human remains found in Topock nearly two years ago have been identified, according to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office. The suspect in the case may be linked to other missing women's cases.
The remains that were found on May 1, 2019, in a remote desert area of Topock were identified as those of Nancy Hartz, a woman who went missing in 2015, investigators said.
The human remains were sent to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification to be examined.
In November 2020, a profile was created for the unidentified human remains, and on Dec. 15, 2020, the human remains were positively identified as Hartz.
Last week, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office received the autopsy report which showed Hartz was shot and killed. Her manner of death was ruled as homicide.
Hartz was reported missing on July 28, 2015, by family members.
She was last reported to be seen with a man from Lake Havasu City.
Investigators later learned that man was Robert Lawson Carnochan. He was reportedly using multiple aliases at the time.
Carnochan was arrested in 2016 on multiple counts of fraudulent schemes, theft and forgery. These charges were unrelated to the death of Hartz.
Carnochan was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
He died behind bars in September 2020, a few months before Hartz's remains were officially identified.
Investigators said Carnochan was the main suspect in the disappearance of Hartz, however, there was not enough evidence to connect him to her death without first finding her body.
Carnochan is also the suspect in the disappearance of two other missing women Neva Jane Lindley and Verna Clayton. These women have not been found.
