Man Killed 64-Year-Old Woman With Car To Abuse Her Dead Body: Prosecutors

A 29-year-old man in Michigan is accused of deliberately hitting a woman with his car and killing her to engage in sex acts with her body, investigators said.

Colby Martin, of White Pigeon, Michigan, was arraigned on an open murder charge in Van Buren County District Court Wednesday in connection to the September 2021 death of 64-year-old Melody Rohrer, WWMT reported.

Martin was initially charged with manslaughter and concealing a body in Rohrer's death in September last year. However, prosecutors authorized the murder charge after detectives presented DNA evidence and the suspect’s online search history as evidence during Tuesday's probable cause hearing in Van Buren County District Court.

Martin allegedly struck Rohrer with his 2013 Ford F-150 as she was walking outside the Oak Shores Campground in Decatur, Michigan, on Sept. 20, 2021, and then moved her body in order to engage in sexual acts with the dead victim, Van Buren County prosecutors said.

The following day, Martin led police to the victim's body in the Three Rivers State Game Area park, detectives said.

Detectives discovered that Martin had searched for pornography involving dead or unconscious women immediately after Rohrer was reported missing, Van Buren County Sheriff's Office detective Andrew Galor testified Tuesday.

Investigators also found Martin and Rohrer's DNA in condoms recovered from the suspect's vehicle and a trashcan near his home.

Before these discoveries, detectives said Martin's car had severe front-end damage when they encountered him at a Walmart in Oshtemo Township on Sept. 21, 2021. Authorities had located him in the parking lot with Rohrer's cell phone.

Martin made multiple attempts to conceal several pieces of evidence associated with the crime, detectives alleged.

After detectives presented the evidence, Van Buren County District Court Judge Michael McKay said probable cause was established for open murder. The judge said the evidence showed that Martin intentionally struck the woman, took her body and engaged in sexual acts with the body.

"The probable cause is he struck her with the vehicle, so he can do those acts," McKay said.

Martin's attorney Jim Mequio said he doesn't think the allegations justify the added murder charge.

"We're still waiting for reports and more evidence from the prosecutors office. From a legal standpoint, I'm not seeing the increase in charges will be justified," Mequio said.

Martin had been out on a $300,000 bond since the initial charges were filed in September 2021.

He was arrested at his girlfriend's home in Big Rapids earlier this week. The suspect was living in White Pigeon when the crime occurred, investigators said.

Martin is now detained at the Van Buren County Jail. The judge denied bond for the suspect.

"I think he represents the most extreme danger to the public. Chilling doesn't begin to describe it," McKay said about the allegations.

The investigation into the case is ongoing, according to Van Buren County Sheriff Dan Abbott.

"We expect more information to keep coming forth. Our focus right now is this case to make sure no stone goes unturned," Abbott said.