A Texas truck driver kidnapped and killed an Army veteran last year before dumping her body in the woods; on Thursday, he learned that he would spend the rest of his life in prison.
In February, a jury convicted Naasson Hazzard, 28, of Austin of kidnapping resulting in death, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison. When that sentence was made official on Thursday, authorities recognized the case’s completion as well as the victim, Caleigha Zangari, an Army veteran and mother from the San Diego area.
“The tremendous, relentless work of multiple law enforcement partners brought the terrible acts of this predator to light, and the jury answered the call for justice by finding him guilty,” acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy Larson said in a press release from the US Attorney’s Office.
“Now, the life sentence he will serve reflects the worth and dignity of this victim’s life. We hope that this sentence assists her family in their healing process.”
Zangari entered Hazzard’s semi-truck in Dallas on August 15, 2024, around 9:30 p.m., according to surveillance video evidence presented during the trial. According to Hazzard’s arrest affidavit, she was a sex worker who traveled from California to Texas with her child during the week of August 5, 2024.
On August 21, 2024, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office informed Homeland Security Investigations’ North Texas Trafficking Task Force that Zangari and her son had been reported as missing and at risk.
Two days later, on August 23, 2024, her body was discovered in a wooded area near Pittsburg, Texas, with a black plastic bag tied around her head.
Authorities did not disclose the cause of death. It is also not clear what happened to the victim’s son. Law&Crime contacted the US Attorney’s Office for more information.
Cell phone records turned out to be the most useful lead for investigators. According to the affidavit, Zangari, who had posted advertisements online in the previous days, communicated with a number of people about 13 times in the two days leading up to her kidnapping. That number belonged to Hazzard.
Investigators obtained Hazzard’s cell phone records and discovered that he went from the pickup location in Dallas to a nearby parking lot and stayed there for 17 minutes.
He is said to have then driven over three hours to a wooded area east of Dallas, where he texted his boss that he would be taking a sick day the next day. He then stayed in that area for almost an hour.
Prosecutors described how the next day, Hazzard and his wife returned to the Pittsburg scene before heading to Tyler, about an hour south, for dinner.
The following days were instructive for investigators. Hazzard is said to have switched cell phones, deleted his Google and Life360 location sharing accounts, cleaned his truck with bleach, and searched the internet for “how many years for first, second, and third degree murders.”
His wife appeared to have suspicions, searching for “Pittsburgh, Texas news.”
Prosecutors said that the same day Zangari’s body was discovered, her cell phone was found shattered on the side of the road on the route Hazzard took on the night of August 15.
During a sentencing hearing on Thursday, Zangari’s brother discussed her death.
“Your Honor, Naasson did not simply take a life. He destroyed futures. “He caused a ripple effect of suffering that reaches far beyond his comprehension,” he told the court.
“Please do not treat my sister as if she were just a name in a case file. She was a daughter. A sister. A mother. Everyone who knew her saw her as a bright spot in their lives. Her life mattered. And her death must have some significance.
