~UPDATED~Burned Car Found in National Forest Belongs to Missing Hot Springs Village Police Dispatcher:

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Dawna Natzke is missing

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Authorities in Hot Springs, Arkansas are searching for a police dispatcher who has now been missing a week.
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Forty six year-old Dawna Natzke was last seen with her boyfriend leaving a Christmas party that was held at Property Owners Association general manager Scott Randall's home within the gated community of Hot Springs Village about 10:30 p.m. last Wednesday (12-21.) 
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The privately owned gated community, with its own private police force which employs approximately thirty officers, is home to about 12,000 residents.

Natzke's son reported his mother missing about 6 a.m. Friday morning.  That was about the same time her shift was to begin at the Hot Springs Village Police Department.  Fellow employees became alarmed when Natzke, who has been employed by the department for the last seven years, failed to show up for her shift.  "She is a conscientious employee," said Public Safety director Laroy Cornett.

A U.S Parks Service employee found Natzke's teal 1997 Ford Escort "burned out" off of Highway 298 in the Ouachita National Forest about 11:15 a.m. on Thursday December 22nd.  There was no one inside the vehicle.  "At that time she hadn't been reported missing," said Cornett.

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A dog team was unsuccessful Monday (12-26) in finding the missing woman when it searched the area near where Natzke's charred car was found. The vehicle has been sent to the Arkansas State Police Crime Lab in hopes that it will aid authorities in their investigation into the woman's disappearance.

Natzke's live-in boyfriend, Kevin Duck, says Natzke was watching T.V. when he went to bed at 11:00 p.m. and he has no idea how she went missing, or why her car was found burned.  Natzke's house is within the gated community, according to Cornett. 
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Kevin Duck is a "person of interest" in Natzke's murder

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Duck told investigators that when he woke up about 7:30 a.m. Thursday (12-22) he assumed Natzke had gone to work.  However, she had taken a vacation day for Thursday and was not due to report to work until 6 a.m. on Friday.

A friend of Natzke's told investigators they received a text message from Dawna about 8:00 a.m. Thursday (12-22) stating that she was "Okay....but the style and verbage used was not consistent with the way Dawna sent text messages," said Director Cornett's assistant, Eloise Wiegand." 
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According to a timeline of events provided by Cornett, the "friend who had received strange text message called neighbor of Mrs. Natzke about 8:30 p.m.  Neighbor went to Mrs. Natzke's home and talked to family member.  No sense of alarm at that time."
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At 6:38 a.m. Friday (12-23) morning a BOLO was issued for Natzke and her vehicle.  Cornett says that numerous interviews were conducted by investigators Friday and Saturday and that Natzke's vehicle was reported "located" at 10:35 p.m. on Christmas Eve. 
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When asked about some alleged scratches and abrasions to Duck's body that appeared after Natzke's disappearance- Cornett said, "I've not been made aware of any.  We  have interviewed a number of people, including him, in an attempt to develop leads in our missing colleagues disappearance."

Director Cornett says rumors that officers suspended their search for the missing mother of three on Friday so officers could spend the holidays with their families "are absolutely false."  "One of my investigators canceled a prepaid vacation to look for her over the holiday weekend."

According to Patty Hathaway, Natzke's best friend, authorities told her there has been no activity on Natzke's cell phone or credit cards in the last week.

"Her disappearance is suspicious.  We really don't have an identifiable crime scene and can't say for certain at this time that a crime has been committed.  We're covering all our bases so if our worst fears are realized we can bring it to a successful prosecution," said Cornett.
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Natzke is 5'6" with brown hair with blonde highlights and brown eyes.  If you have any information about her disappearance you're asked to call the Hot Springs Village police at 501-922-0011.

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12-27-11:

Calls made to speak to someone Tuesday at the Hot Springs Village police department regarding Natzke's disappearance were not returned. A spokeswoman for the department said, "We expect to have a news release out tomorrow (12-28-11) about 2 p.m."
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12-29-11:

Searchers on foot, horseback and helicopter combed through dense woods in western Arkansas today looking for any signs of Natzke, who disappeared more than a week ago.

Hot Springs Village sits in two counties, Saline and Garland.  Sheriff's offices from both counties are now assisting Village police in the investigation into Natzke's disappearance, according to Cornett.

Cornett says nothing new was turned up by searchers today, and workers are checking ravines and culverts for Natzke in the village.

When asked if they had pinpointed the location from which the "strange text message" was sent from Natzke's phone to a friend last Thursday, Cornett said, "We're diligently working all aspects of this case, Kathee."

Natzke's family says volunteers are needed to help search for the missing woman this weekend.  A community search will get underway at 8 a.m. Saturday (12-31) at Jessieville School.
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12-31-11:
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Body Recovered In Search For Missing Police Dispatcher:

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A body was recovered this morning (12-31) during an organized search near Jessieville, Arkansas for a missing police dispatcher.

Laroy Cornett, the Public Safety Director for Hot Springs Village, says a body believed to be that of Dawna Smith-Natzke was found in a pond about 5 miles from where the charred remains of Natzke's vehicle were found last week. "We're not entirely certain that it is our missing employee, but there is only one missing persons case in this area. We are certainly going on the assumption that it is Mrs. Natzke."

Over 300 volunteers were involved in the search for Natzke.
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Cornett says the body was found in Garland County and his department will assist deputies in their investigation. "We're handling it as a homicide but no one has been charged and there is no one in custody at this time in connection with Mrs. Natzke's disappearance."

Conett says he has not seen the body and he does not know if there were any visible wounds like gunshots or stab wounds to the body that was recovered about 9:00 this morning.

Natzke went missing after attending a holiday party with her mother and boyfriend last Wednesday (12-21) within the gated community of Hot Springs Village. Natzke's live-in boyfriend, Kevin C. Duck, 28, told investigators that Natzke was watching television when he went to bed around 11:00 p.m.

Dawna was not reported missing until Friday morning around 6 a.m. after her son called police and she did not show up for her scheduled shift at the department.

Duck allegedly told authorities he has no idea how Dawna went missing or why her car was burned in the Ouachita National Forest. Duck has family that live not far from where the body was recovered.

Sources say Duck's brother and sister-in-law are hiding because Duck allegedly told them, "If I go down for this you are too."

By all accounts, Natzke, who had separated from her husband in April, was a loyal and caring woman who gave one of her kidney's to her father to save his life.

According to Cornett, Natzke's house was searched, but not sealed, by investigators and no one has been living in the house since Natzke's disappearance.  So, who was the "family member" the neighbor talked with when they went to check on Dawna after a friend called them about receiving a strange text message from the missing woman.  "Her children are with their father,"  said Cornett.

Natzke's boss says, "We've tried to preserve as much evidence as possible for a prosecutable case."

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TIMELINE PROVIDED BY HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE POLICE IN DAWNA NATZKE DISAPPEARANCE:

Hot Springs Village Police Department Missing Person Case No. 2011004709

Wednesday, 12/21:

7 p.m. Dawna Natzke and boyfriend attend party at Hot Springs Village Property Owners Association General Manager, Scott Randall's home.

10:30 to 11 p.m. Mrs. Natzke and boyfriend seen leaving party together.

11 p.m. Boyfriend reports he and Mrs. Natzke went home. He went to bed; she was watching T.V.

Thursday, 12/22:

7:30 a.m. Boyfriend reports he awoke and found Mrs. Natzke and her vehicle gone. Assumed she had gone to work. (Note: Mrs. Natzke was not due to work as she had taken a vacation day.)

8:00 a.m. (approx.) Friend of Mrs. Natzke received a strange text message from Mrs. Natzke's cell phone.

11:15 a.m. Mrs.  Natzke's vehicle was discovered by U.S. Forest Service employee in a remote area. The vehicle had been been burned.

7 p.m. Boyfriend reported to Hot Springs Village Police Dept. he had not seen Mrs. Natzke all day.

8:30 p.m. Friend who had received strange text message called neighbor of Mrs. Natzke. Neighbor went to Mrs. Natzke's home and talked to family member. No sense of alarm at that time.

Friday, 12/23:

6 a.m. Mrs. Natzke did not report for duty. Son of Mrs. Natzke reported mother had not returned home. Investigation begun.

6:38 a.m. BOLO (Be on the lookout) issued regarding Mrs. Natzke and her vehicle. Search begun. Numerous interviews conducted.

Saturday, 12/24:

Interviews conducted: search for Mrs.  Natzke and her vehicle continued.

10:35 p.m. HSVPD notified Mrs. Natzke's vehicle located.

Sunday, 12/25:

Mrs. Natzke's vehicle towed to HSVPD garage.

Monday, 12/26:

Area around spot where Mrs. Natzke's vehicle was found was searched. Search dogs were utilized.

Tuesday, 12/27:

Interviews of potential witnesses continued.

Wednesday, 12/28:

Search dogs and team again being utilized in area where car was recovered.

Mrs. Natzke's vehicle being processed by the Arkansas State Crime Lab.

February 02, 2012:

Kevin Duck is in jail on a probation violation

Kevin Duck was arrested by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana on February 1, 2012 on a no bond Arkansas Warrant for probation violation.

Lt. James "Corky Martin said in a news release, "There are still lots of rumors and false information being spread via the internet on this case. We would like to stress that anyone with information pertaining to this case to please call Garland County Sheriff’s investigating officers at 501-622-3690. If the caller wishes, they can leave an anonymous message at 501-622-3674. "

The Garland County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $1000 reward and Hot Springs Village has offered an additional $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Dawna Natzke.