The death of a woman whose body was found last week near Pace Bend Park was ruled a homicide on Monday and authorities have a suspect in custody in North Dakota.

The Travis County Sheriff's Office said the body of Veronica Navarro, 22, of Spicewood, was found floating in Lake Travis near the East shoreline of Pace Bend Park just before noon on Wednesday.

The body was found wrapped in a tent and weighted down by a paint can, the sheriff's office said.

The suspect is identified as Joe Carr, 27, a firefighter with the Pedernales Fire Department. A search of the woman's home led authorities to Carr. The sheriff's learned from Canadian authorities that Carr was attempting to enter their country from North Dakota.

Carr was detained by U.S. Customs officials and is being held in the Pembina County jail with bail set at $100,000.


According to Travis County sheriff's spokesman Roger Wade, Carr was arrested Saturday. He is currently charged with tampering with evidence, but Wade said additional charges are being prepared.

He said that Carr and Navarro had been involved in a romantic relationship and had shared a house not too far from where the woman's body was found.

Authorities have not made a ruling on when Navarro died, but her family had last heard from her via a Facebook posting in late June, Wade said.