A man sentenced to life in prison for brutally killing his girlfriend by almost decapitating her has disclosed the chilling motive behind the heinous act. The incident unfolded in 2024 when neighbors alerted authorities about a foul odor emanating from a nearby apartment. Upon investigation, police found the lifeless body of 52-year-old Genna Rae LaCombe wrapped in blankets, towels, and a shower curtain on the porch. The culprit, Shane Levi Cole Roberts, was apprehended in the apartment after attempting to hide in a closet with a dog.
The coroner’s report confirmed that LaCombe had been subjected to multiple stab wounds, one of which nearly decapitated her. Roberts, aged 46, received an 85-year prison sentence after admitting to deliberate homicide. During the sentencing proceedings, prosecutors presented substantial evidence, including Roberts’ callous reasoning for the gruesome crime. Police discovered photos on Roberts’ phone depicting his girlfriend’s bloodied body in a bathtub about nine days before her remains were found. Additionally, authorities recovered two bloodied knives, a hatchet, and a hammer.
In a conversation with his mother from Yellowstone County Jail, Roberts confessed to killing LaCombe, attributing it to her “pushing him too far.” The couple had been in a relationship for approximately two years and shared a residence in Billings, Montana. A forensic psychologist’s evaluation revealed Roberts suffered from substance abuse and major depressive disorder, although it did not deem him incapable of understanding his actions at the time of the offense.
While prosecutors and Roberts’ defense counsel agreed to a 70-year prison term, Judge Colette Davies imposed an additional 15 years. Addressing Roberts during the sentencing, she remarked that true love was not reflected in his actions, labeling them as an abomination. LaCombe, survived by two children, was described in her obituary as a devoted mother with a passion for arts and crafts, cooking, and 80s music.
In a separate incident, the mother of a teenager who was brutally dismembered and discarded in a bin vowed to prevent the release of the perpetrator, Stuart Diamond. Despite assurances of Diamond’s perpetual incarceration after his 1999 conviction, a review panel is considering his potential parole release. The teenager’s resolute mother, Jean Hartley, expressed her determination to ensure Diamond remains behind bars, recounting the profound impact of her son’s tragic murder on the family.