Courtesy Fox 4 News
TEXAS – A federal jury has convicted a Texas truck driver of kidnapping and murdering a 25-year-old woman he picked up in Dallas before abandoning her body in an East Texas wooded area.
The defendant, Naasson Hazzard, 28, is now facing a mandatory life sentence for his crimes.
The victim’s family has identified her as Caleigha Zangari, a U.S. Army veteran from San Diego, California, who had fallen victim to human trafficking.
The Crime and Investigation
After a nine-day trial, Hazzard was found guilty of kidnapping and killing Zangari, whose body was discovered in Pittsburg, Texas—120 miles from where she was last seen.
According to evidence presented in court, surveillance footage captured Zangari entering Hazzard’s semi-truck on August 15 in Northwest Dallas, near Harry Hines Boulevard—an area commonly associated with prostitution, referred to as “the blade” by advocates working with trafficking victims.
Her decomposing body was found eight days later, with a black plastic bag tied over her head. However, authorities have not disclosed an exact cause of death.
Digital Footprint and Key Evidence
Investigators used phone records, surveillance footage, and online activity to piece together Zangari’s final movements and Hazzard’s involvement:
- Online Exchanges: Zangari had online sex advertisements posted in Dallas between August 9-15. Hazzard exchanged over a dozen messages with her before picking her up.
- Phone Tracking: Cellphone data placed both Zangari’s and Hazzard’s phones in the same locations until hers was turned off. Her phone was later recovered on the side of LBJ Freeway.
- Suspicious Behavior: On the night of the crime, Hazzard texted his employer, claiming he would be out sick the next day. He later returned to the area with his wife before dining in Tyler, Texas.
- Evidence Tampering: Following the crime, Hazzard switched phones, deleted his Google and Life360 location-sharing accounts, and sanitized his truck with bleach.
- Incriminating Searches: Authorities uncovered disturbing online searches, including Hazzard looking up sentencing guidelines for various degrees of murder. His wife also searched for news from Pittsburg, Texas.
The Tragic Reality of Trafficking and Violence
Amanda Pettit, with the nonprofit Rescue Hill, which aids trafficking victims, emphasized the dangers faced by women in these circumstances.
“These women are not disposable,” Pettit said. “They are human beings.”
She noted that violence against trafficking victims is tragically common.
“Not once have I worked with a woman who said she hadn’t been beaten,” she added.
What’s Next for Hazzard?
Hazzard is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12. Given the nature of his conviction, he faces an automatic life sentence.
He has remained in custody since his arrest in August and will remain detained until his sentencing.
