Boyfriend Of Kathleen Moore Charged With 2nd-Degree Murder

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — Up to 40 Pasco County sheriff's detectives, deputies and K-9 dogs spent days sifting through tons of trash in a Pasco County landfill to come up with the crucial piece of evidence that led to an arrest in the Kathleen Moore missing persons case.

On Monday night, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco announced that Moore's boyfriend, Collin Scott Knapp, 30, was arrested around 4 p.m. Monday on a charge of second-degree murder based on a bloody article of clothing recovered from the county dump.

Knapp was taken to the Land O' Lakes Detention Center where he evoked his right to remain silent and requested an attorney.

While the Florida Department of Law Enforcement forensic lab confirmed that the blood stains on the clothing belong to 34-year-old Kathleen Moore, the sheriff's office has not recovered a body.

In a public plea, Nocco asked that Knapp tell investigators where Moore can be found, so her family can give her a proper burial.

"Please share with us where Kathleen is, so we can give the family some kind of resolution," Nocco said.

He also addressed Moore's family and friends.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Kathleen Morris," Nocco said. "I know you all were searching for a better outcome. I know you are in awful pain, and God bless you at this time."

Moore lived in Largo and worked as a bartender and waitress at Whiskey Wings in St. Petersburg while attending school at Southern Technical Institute Pinellas Park to become a phlebotomy technician.

On Sunday, Nov. 28, she spent the evening socializing with co-workers until Knapp picked her up and drove her to his house at 7149 Carmel Ave. in the Seven Springs neighborhood of New Port Richey.

Her best friend, Nikki Wallen, said Moore left her car at Wallen's house. When Moore didn't return for her car on Monday or Tuesday and failed to show up for work or school, Wallen filed a missing persons report in Pinellas County.

Pasco sheriff's Sgt. Michael Rosa said Moore had been missing for 35 to 40 hours before the case was turned over to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

He said that provided plenty of time for Knapp to cover his tracks and conceal Moore's body.

Moore and Knapp, who previously lived in Largo, dated off and on for about five years. A year ago, Knapp moved to New Port Richey after purchasing the home in Seven Springs. He worked as the kitchen manager for Harold Seltzer's Steakhouse at 9409 U.S. 19, Port Richey.

The last time anyone saw or heard from Moore was about 1 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 29, when she Facetimed a friend on her cell phone, telling the friend that she and Knapp had gotten into an argument. She said she had called for an Uber ride to take her home.

Moore's phone was later discovered by a man searching the dumpster behind a Walgreens a few blocks from Knapp's home. He turned the phone over to the sheriff's office.

Detectives searched Knapp's home but found no evidence of wrongdoing. However, when they interviewed Knapp, Rosa said there were "multiple things he said to us that we found inconsistent."

Detectives learned that Knapp had driven to Harold Seltzer's around 1:30 a.m. Monday to begin food preparations. Rose said that would have given him an opportunity to dispose of evidence in the restaurant's dumpster.

But by the time the Pasco sheriff's office was assigned the case, the contents of the dumpster had been taken to the county landfill.

Nocco said it was like finding a needle in a haystack combing through the mounds of garbage at the landfill in search of evidence. But after getting almost no sleep for six days, investigators finally recovered the bloody article of clothing and other evidence Nocco declined to specify.

Knapp has an extensive criminal history including at least two arrests on charges of domestic violence, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. None of those arrests involved Moore.

In all, Nocco said Knapp has 10 felony arrests and nine misdemeanor arrests, most of them in Pinellas County when he lived in both Largo and Clearwater.

He was arrested on a domestic violence charge by Clearwater police on Feb. 9, 2014, and by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office on April 4, 2013. He was also charged with aggravated battery by Kenneth City police on May 2, 2010.

Other charges include reckless driving, possession of cocaine, possession of meth, possession of Alprazolam (Xanax), possession of marijuana, possession of ecstasy, possession of oxycodone and resisting arrest.

Law enforcement is continuing to solicit tips in the hopes of finding Moore's body. Moore has been silent since his arrest Monday, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Anyone who spotted a black 2006 Cadillac CT6 with Florida tag Z917XC or a black 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with a bed cover and the Florida tag QXLT69 between Monday, Nov. 29 and the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 30 is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 727-847-8102, option 7.

See related story: Arrest Made In Kathleen Moore Missing Persons Case