A man accused of intentionally striking a 64-year-old woman with his pickup truck and then transporting her dead body to a wooded area miles away was convicted of murder and other crimes in southwestern Michigan.
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Authorities said Colby Martin hit Melody Rohrer in 2021 while she was out for a walk in Van Buren County, put the body in his vehicle and engaged in sexual acts.
Martin, 31, was convicted of first-degree murder Wednesday, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison. He didn't know Rohrer.
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Martin acknowledged in a police interview that he struck Rohrer and left the body in St. Joseph County, but he denied any sexual acts. His attorney told jurors that it was an accident.
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Richard Rohrer, the victim's husband, told WWMT-TV that he was thankful for the verdict, "though there is no joy in my family’s heart today."