Driver convicted after dumping woman’s body in woods

PITTSBURG — According to our news partner KETK, a surveillance video reportedly caught a young sex worker entering Naasson Hazzard’s semi-truck in Dallas on Aug. 15, 2024, at around 9:27 p.m. Eight days later, her decomposing body was found in a wooded area off Texas Highway 11 in Pittsburg with a black plastic bag tied around her head. The victim’s body was recovered on Aug. 23 where officials found her phone shattered on the side of the road.

Hazzard, 28 of Austin, traveled from the pickup location to a nearby parking lot where he remained for around 17 minutes, cell phone records showed. He then drove three hours into Pittsburg. Hazzard proceeded to text his boss that he would be out sick the following day and remained for almost an hour before finishing a load for work. The next day, Hazzard and his wife returned to the scene before getting dinner in Tyler.

Authorities said Hazzard then switched phones and deleted his Google and Life360 location-sharing accounts. He then reportedly cleaned the truck with bleach and searched “how many years for first, second and third-degree murders.” His wife also searched for “Pittsburg Texas news.”

Hazzard has been convicted of the murder of that sex worker.

“A young woman’s life was cut tragically short, her last moments likely spent in terror,” Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham said. “But those final moments do not define her life. She mattered, her life had worth, and we are proud to put her kidnapper behind bars.”

Hazzard now faces an automatic life sentence, the United States Attorney’s Office said.