Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced yesterday (Tuesday) the arrest of a Council Bluffs man in connection with the 1989 disappearance and murder of Barbara Lenz. This marks the first arrest aided by the Iowa Cold Case Unit, which Bird launched in July 2024. Lenz was last seen in Woodbine on May 6, 1989, after Robert Allen Davis, her boyfriend at the time, said he dropped her off at her apartment. She was supposed to visit her former boyfriend, who was the father of her 3-year-old child, in Omaha, Neb., but never arrived. Investigators suspected foul play, and despite numerous searches and leads over the years, Lenz’s body was never found. The Iowa Cold Case Unit revisited the case, uncovering new information that led to Davis’ March 10 arrest. Bird says, “This arrest is a milestone in securing justice for Barbara Lenz. We are hoping to soon bring peace and answers to Barbara’s loved ones, who have waited 35 long years in the dark. I am deeply grateful to my team in the Iowa Cold Case unit, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa State Patrol, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Harrison County Attorney’s Office, and the Woodbine Police Department who have, and continue to, work diligently to crack Barbara’s case. No one should get away with murder.” The criminal complaint that was filed against Davis outlines a history of abuse, conflicting statements, and unusual behaviors, and that full document is included with this story on our website. The now 61-year-old Davis is charged with first-degree murder, a class A felony. The Iowa Attorney General’s Office and Harrison County Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case. The investigation is ongoing.
