Council Bluffs Man Convicted of 1989 Murder

Robert Davis found guilty in cold case disappearance of Barbara Lenz after nearly 37 years.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 10:22pm

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A Council Bluffs man has been convicted of murdering Barbara Lenz, a woman who disappeared in 1989. Robert Davis was found guilty of second-degree murder after a jury deliberated for less than four hours. Lenz's remains have never been found, but prosecutors presented evidence that Davis had assaulted and threatened to kill her before her disappearance.

Why it matters

This case highlights the importance of cold case investigations and the impact unsolved crimes can have on a community. After decades of uncertainty, Lenz's family has finally received some closure, though her body has still not been recovered.

The details

In May 1989, Barbara Lenz, 31, was reported missing more than a week after her boyfriend Robert Davis claimed to have dropped her off at her apartment. Lenz's personal effects were found at her home, but she and her remains were never located. In 2025, prosecutors charged Davis, now 61, with Lenz's murder after a cold case unit was established. The charge was reduced from first-degree to second-degree murder shortly before the trial began on March 24, 2026. On March 31, the jury returned a guilty verdict after less than four hours of deliberation.

  • Barbara Lenz was last seen on May 6, 1989.
  • Lenz was reported missing more than a week later.
  • In 2024, the Iowa Attorney General's Office launched a cold case unit.
  • Prosecutors announced charges against Robert Davis in March 2025.
  • Davis' trial began on March 24, 2026, and the jury returned a guilty verdict on March 31, 2026.

The players

Robert Davis

A 61-year-old Council Bluffs man who was convicted of murdering Barbara Lenz in 1989, despite her remains never being found.

Barbara Lenz

A 31-year-old woman who disappeared in 1989 and whose murder case went unsolved for nearly 37 years until Robert Davis was convicted.

Brenna Bird

The Iowa Attorney General who announced the verdict, stating that "no one should get away with murder" and that Lenz's family has finally received justice after decades of waiting.

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What they’re saying

“No one should get away with murder. Barbara Lenz's family has been waiting nearly 37 years for justice. Today, after long last, they have it. Robert Davis will spend the rest of his life in prison.”

— Brenna Bird, Iowa Attorney General

What’s next

Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2026, and faces a 50-year prison term with a mandatory 35-year minimum before he can receive parole.

The takeaway

This cold case conviction highlights the importance of persistent investigations and the impact unsolved crimes can have on a community. While Barbara Lenz's remains have still not been recovered, her family has finally received some closure after nearly 37 years of uncertainty.