Disappearance of Nancy Moyer

Nancy Kareen Moyer grew up in Olympia, Washington, and studied accounting at Washington State University. While interning at a garden nursery she met Bill Moyer, whom she later married; the couple had two daughters before separating in 2007 and sharing custody. At the time of her disappearance, Moyer lived in Tenino, Washington, and worked in Lacey as a financial analyst for the Washington State Department of Ecology.

On March 6, 2009, Moyer left work around 5:15 p.m. and drove a co-worker home. A receipt found later at her residence showed a purchase at 6:45 p.m. at a store about five minutes from her home. Her movements between that purchase and later that evening are unknown. A Tenino police officer running radar in the area reported seeing her outside her home between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m., carrying shopping bags from her car and appearing to be alone. On March 8, her husband Bill arrived at the house to drop off their daughters and found the front door open. Inside were Moyer's keys, wallet, and other personal belongings, along with a glass of wine and a second empty cup on the coffee table, and the television and lights left on.

Following the report of her disappearance, deputies, volunteers, bloodhounds, and cadaver dogs conducted extensive searches of the property and surrounding rural areas, but found nothing. Investigators noted the absence of forced entry or signs of a struggle and the presence of her essential belongings inside the home, leading them to suspect foul play. Based on her last confirmed sighting and a spike in the home's power usage attributed to the front door being left open, detectives believe she disappeared the night of March 6, likely between 9 p.m. and midnight.

In August 2010, Bernard K. Howell III was arrested in Tenino after deputies found a homicide victim in his vehicle. Because his arrest occurred near where Moyer disappeared, investigators examined any possible connection. They learned he had previously sold meat door-to-door and that the same product was found in Moyer's freezer; a family member identified him as the person who had delivered it. Howell denied knowing Moyer or having any involvement, and no evidence was found linking him to the case.

In July 2019, Eric Lee Roberts, a former coworker of Moyer's and the uncle of a man she had dated after her separation, called 9-1-1 and reportedly said he wanted to admit responsibility for her death. When deputies arrived, he repeated the claim and told a detective the incident occurred during sexual activity at his residence, suggesting investigators might find evidence in a fire pit or his basement. Detectives searched the property and collected items for forensic testing, but no remains were found. Roberts was detained on suspicion of second-degree murder but recanted his statements the next day, saying he did not know why he had confessed.

Nancy Moyer remains missing, and her disappearance is classified as unsolved.