Nancy Kareen Moyer
Moyer, circa 2009; Eric Roberts; Moyer's tattoos
- Missing Since 03/06/2009
- Missing From Tenino, Washington
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Sex Female
- Race White
- Date of Birth 11/22/1972 (51)
- Age 36 years old
- Height and Weight 4'11 - 5'0, 105 - 120 pounds
- Associated Vehicle(s) White Honda Civic Del Sol (accounted for)
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Dark brown hair, brown eyes. Moyer's ears and navel are pierced. She has a scar on her right knee. She has the following tattoos: an armband with stars, hearts and flowers on her right upper arm, a butterfly on her lower back, the words "Doublemint" and "Juicyfruit" with flowers and hearts on her upper back, a hibiscus flower on her left hip, a Playboy bunny on her right hip, and cherries with the initials A.S. on her right foot. Photos of the tattoos are posted with this case summary. Moyer smokes cigarettes.
Details of Disappearance
Moyer was last seen in Tenino, Washington March 6, 2009. She worked as a financial analyst for the state Department of Ecology in Lacey, Washington. She left work at 5:15 p.m., drove a coworker home, and bought some items at a Thriftway Market, paying by check, at 6:45 p.m. This is the last time anyone saw her.
Moyer's two daughters were visiting her estranged husband for the weekend. When he took them back to their mother's home 700 block of state Route 507 on March 8, she wasn't there.
The front door was ajar, the television and living room lights were on, there was a partially consumed glass of wine on the coffee table and the bedside lamp in Moyer's bedroom was on. Her identification, purse, car keys, wallet, cigarettes, clothing and toiletries were all in the house and her car, a white Honda Civic Del Sol, was parked out front. She was reported missing at 5:00 p.m. on March 8.
An extensive search of the home turned up no indications of a break-in or a struggle. Moyer does not own a cellular phone, and her credit cards and bank accounts have not been used since her disappearance. Her family stated she would never have left of her own accord and abandoned her daughters.
She wasn't dating anyone or having any personal problems at the time of her disappearance, and she had no drug issues or mental illness that could explain her disappearance. She had worked for the Department of Ecology for twelve years and her employers described her as a reliable worker who would always notify them if she had to miss work.'
In July 2019, Eric Lee Roberts called 911 to say he wanted to confess to Moyer's murder because he was tired of holding it inside. When interviewed by police, he stated he'd been having "rough sex" with Moyer at his house when he accidentally strangled her with a scarf.
A photo of Roberts is posted with this case summary. He was a coworker and neighbor of Moyer's. She was reportedly dating Roberts's nephew at the time she disappeared, and had supposedly visited Roberts's residence late at night on several occasions to meet with his nephew, but Roberts had claimed she'd never been at his house.
Roberts has a prior criminal history for domestic violence. A former girlfriend of his told police he had a "Jekyll and Hyde" type personality and became violent when he drank alcohol, and that during sex, sometimes he would choke her to the point where she had to struggle with him and scratch him to make him stop.
Another witness said Roberts had held parties on his property and people had gone camping there, but the parties and camping stopped after Roberts created an "odd concrete structure" on the property following Moyer's disappearance.
Robert's girlfriend said he'd poured a large concrete pad on the rear of his property and said he was going to make either a fort for his son or a "man cave", which struck her as odd, because there were no utilities running back there. She said Roberts had told her he'd had a sexual relationship with Moyer, something he'd denied to the police, and that when her mother asked him about Moyer's disappearance, he got upset and said "What are you, the f***ing police?"
Police arrested Roberts on suspicion of second-degree murder, and searched his home in the 16500 block of Shelton Lane southwest for two days, but didn't find any remains. They stated Roberts told them he didn't think Moyer's body would ever be found, and suggested they focus their search on his basement and in the area of the backyard fire pit. He said he'd burned the scarf he used to strangle Moyer.
After Roberts retracted his confession, however, the prosecution said they didn't yet have enough evidence to file murder charges against him. He remains in custody on weapons charges and the prosecution hopes to be able to file murder charges against him at a later date.
Moyer and her husband had separated two years before, but it was an amicable breakup and they worked out a shared child custody arrangement without involving the courts. He isn't considered a suspect in her case. Foul play is suspected in Moyer's disappearance due to the circumstances involved.
Investigating Agency
- Thurston County Sheriff's Office 360-786-5279
Updated 6 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated July 16, 2019; details of disappearance updated.