A man sentenced to life in prison has disclosed the disturbing motivation behind the brutal murder of his girlfriend, whom he nearly beheaded. In 2024, police responding to reports of a foul odor from an apartment discovered the body of 52-year-old Genna Rae LaCombe wrapped in blankets and left to decompose on the porch. Shane Levi Cole Roberts, found hiding in the apartment, was arrested. A coroner determined that LaCombe had suffered multiple stab wounds, including one nearly decapitating her. Roberts, 46, pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide and received an 85-year prison sentence.
During the recent four-hour sentencing hearing, prosecutors presented substantial evidence, revealing Roberts’ callous motive for the heinous crime. Police investigations uncovered photos on Roberts’ phone depicting the victim’s bloodied body in a bathtub, dated approximately nine days before her remains were discovered. Additionally, authorities found two bloodied knives, a hatchet, and a hammer. Roberts later confessed to his mother from jail, stating that LaCombe had provoked him. The couple had been in a relationship for about two years and shared a residence in Billings, Montana.
A forensic psychologist’s evaluation revealed that Roberts struggled with substance abuse and major depressive disorder. However, the assessment concluded that he was fully aware of his actions at the time of the offense. Despite the prosecution and defense initially agreeing on a 70-year sentence, Judge Colette Davies extended it to 85 years, emphasizing to Roberts that his actions were far from love but rather an abomination.
Meanwhile, the mother of a teenager brutally dismembered and discarded in a bin is determined to prevent the potential release of his killer, Stuart Diamond. Despite being deemed too dangerous for parole after his 1999 conviction, a review panel will reconsider his release this week. Christopher’s mother, Jean Hartley, expressed her ongoing grief over her son’s murder and vowed to ensure Diamond remains incarcerated, fearing encounters with him.
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