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DALLAS — A Texas truck driver has been sentenced to life in federal prison for the kidnapping and death of a 25-year-old woman, Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson announced today.
Naasson Hazzard, 28, of Austin, was convicted in January 2025 following an eight-day jury trial on a charge of kidnapping resulting in death, a crime carrying a mandatory life sentence. U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay imposed the sentence today.
The victim, a U.S. Army veteran, had entered the military immediately after high school. Her funeral was held with full military honors.
“This life sentence reflects the gravity of the loss and the inhumanity of the defendant’s actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Larson. “We hope this verdict brings a measure of peace to her family and underscores our commitment to justice for victims.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard added: “This individual will no longer be able to harm others. The successful resolution of this case demonstrates the relentless dedication of the North Texas Trafficking Task Force and our law enforcement partners.”
Case Details
Surveillance footage showed the victim entering Hazzard’s semi-truck at 9:27 p.m. on August 15, 2024, in Dallas. Eight days later, her decomposing body was discovered in a wooded area off Texas Highway 11 in Pittsburg, Texas, with a black plastic bag tied around her head.
Evidence revealed that Hazzard picked the victim up under the pretense of engaging in a sex act. He drove more than three hours to the woods, where he texted his employer to say he’d be “out sick” the next day. Cell phone data showed that he remained in the area for nearly an hour.
On the following day, he returned to the crime scene with his wife, then went out to dinner in nearby Tyler, Texas.
Over the next several days, Hazzard attempted to cover his tracks. He:
- Switched cell phones
- Deleted his Google and Life360 location data
- Bleached the interior of his truck
- Searched “how many years for first second and third degree murders”
Meanwhile, his wife searched for news coverage related to Pittsburg, Texas.
On August 23, the same day the victim’s body was found, agents discovered her shattered phone discarded along Hazzard’s travel route.
In a powerful victim impact statement, the victim’s brother told the court:
“Naasson didn’t just take a life. He destroyed futures. My sister was a daughter, a sister, a mother. Her life mattered, and her death must mean something.”
Investigation and Prosecution
The case was investigated by the North Texas Trafficking Task Force, led by HSI Dallas, with support from:
- FBI Dallas
- Texas Rangers
- Dallas Police Department
- Midlothian Police Department
- Titus County Sheriff’s Office
- Buda and Austin Police Departments
- Hays County Sheriff’s Office
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Dallas County District Attorney’s Office
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandie Wade and Renee Hunter prosecuted the case, with assistance from Appellate Liaison AUSA Jonathan Bradshaw.
