Missing Florida woman's decomposing body found in wooded area near boyfriend's home

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (TCD) -- Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a man they believe killed his girlfriend, who was last seen Nov. 29.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that a pedestrian in the area of Carmel Avenue in New Port Richey came across a "decomposing body." Investigators located the body in a wooded area and said it was "partially buried by thick brush." They used tattoos to identify the victim as 34-year-old Kathleen Moore.

The area was reportedly 50 yards from Moore’s boyfriend’s residence.

On Monday, the Sheriff’s Office said they arrested her boyfriend Collin Knapp, 30, for second-degree murder.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office posted about Moore’s disappearance Nov. 30. The Sheriff’s Office said Moore was "normally very active on social media and communicative with friends and family," but friends and family grew worried when she did not post anything and then missed work and school.

WFTS-TV reports Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said Knapp and Moore had an "on-again, off-again" relationship for five years.

During a Dec. 6 press conference, Nocco said Knapp allegedly brought some items of clothing with him to work that he threw away. Investigators then sifted through 14 industrial-size dumpsters and eventually located the article of clothing, which reportedly had bloodstains on it. Investigators sent the clothing to a lab, which reportedly matched the blood to Moore.

WFTS reports Moore’s credit card, keys, and sweatshirt were found in the dumpster along with a comforter, sheet, and mattress cover with blood on it.

MORE: