Police in Phoenix plan to search landfill for woman's body

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Phoenix police are working on plans to search a landfill for the body of a missing woman whose ex-boyfriend is charged with murder in her May disappearance, a police spokesman said Wednesday.

A search for Christine Mustafa's body "is still in the planning stages" but officials hope the search can begin "in the next month or so," Sgt. Alan Pfohl said. Police officials said they will not be releasing the location, at this time.

Pfohl said additional information would be released after plans are finalized.

Robert John Interval on June 27 pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. His trial in Maricopa County Superior Court is scheduled for Feb. 22. Police paperwork indicates blood evidence was found in Mustafa's home.

Mustafa was last seen by a co-worker as she left work on May 10. Her sister was the last person to hear from her that afternoon.

Family members told police that Mustafa feared Interval and planned to leave him.

Police checking on Mustafa at her family's request found her car, purse and cellphone at the couple's home. Since Mustafa went missing in May, her family and friends organized their own searches. They covered miles of desert area near Mustafa's home, but turned up nothing.

The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report.