PAW PAW, MI – A sentence has been handed down to a White Pigeon man in the hit and run death of a woman.

Van Buren County Circuit Court officials say 30 year old Colby Martin was sentenced Monday to life in prison without parole on charges of open murder, failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault causing death and concealing the death of an individual.

Martin struck and killed 64 year old Melody Rohrer while she was jogging near Oak Shores Campground on September 21, 2021.

Martin was identified as a suspect and questioned by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department the next day. During their interrogation, which was submitted as evidence during the trial, Martin admitted to hitting and killing Rohrer. Martin also says on the video that he put Rohrer’s body in the back of his pick up, and later hid her along Purgatory Road near the Three Rivers State Game Area.

Surveillance video was also presented to the jury showing Martin washing out the bed of his truck and the tires.

Detectives testified that they found gloves, bloody paper towels, underwear, and a used condom in the trash can at the car wash. Rohrer had no underwear on when her body was found.

Martin denies removing the clothes or engaging in sexual activity with Rohrer’s body, even though testimony was given by officers that they discovered Martin had looked up necrophilia online.