Post by JoannaL on Feb 18, 2022 17:57:25 GMT -5
Man Runs down Woman to Have Sex with Corpse
Colby Martin, 29, of White Pigeon, Michigan, deliberately ran down a 64-year-old woman in order to have sex with her corpse. On September 20, 2021, Melody Roher, a retired nurse, was walking near Oak Shores Campground outside Decatur in Van Buren County, when she was struck and killed. According to investigators, Martin stopped, confiscated the woman’s body and transported it to a wooded area in St. Joseph County. Roher’s husband reported his wife missing when she failed to return from her daily walk.
Martin was tracked through Roher’s cell phone and led authorities to the woman’s body near the Three Rivers State Game Area the following day.
Martin’s cell phone search history revealed he searched for pornography involving dead or unconscious women, said Andrew Galor, a detective with the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, Roher’s DNA was found on condoms recovered in Martin’s vehicle and a trash receptacle near his home.
During his arraignment Wednesday (February 16), prosecutors presented evidence showing Martin intentionally struck the woman, engaged in sexual activity with her body and described his actions as “chilling.”
Judge Michael McKay determined probable cause had been established to support a charge of murder. “That is a very different set of facts,” he said during the hearing. “I think he represents the most extreme danger to the public. ‘Chilling’ doesn’t begin to describe it.” He then ordered Martin be taken into custody and held without bond.
Prior to arraignment, Martin had been charged with manslaughter with a motor vehicle, failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death and concealing the death of an individual, and was free on a $300,000 bond. He had been living at the home of his girlfriend in Big Rapids.
Jim Mequio, Martin’s attorney, said he doesn’t believe the allegations justify the added murder charge. “We’re still waiting for reports and more evidence from the prosecutor’s office. From a legal standpoint, I’m not seeing the increase in charges will be justified.”
Van Buren County Sheriff Dan Abbott told reporters the investigation was ongoing. “We expect more information to keep coming forth. Our focus right now in this case to make sure no stone goes unturned,” he said.
Source: Michael Krafcik, WWMT, February 18, 2022.
