Murder trial begins for Bay Area man accused of dismembering his girlfriend with a saw
The murder trial for a Bay Area man accused of dismembering his girlfriend began with prosecutors highlighting DNA evidence in opening statements Alameda County Superior Court trial begins for Bay Area man, Robert Roberts, accused of murdering his girlfriend, Lisa Buckner, with a saw. Buckner's mutilated body was found in a garbage bag wrapped in duct tape along an Alameda waterfront trail in July, with her head, hands, and feet cut off. Roberts allegedly used an electric saw to sever her body parts to conceal her identity. The case attracted widespread media attention due to the gruesome details of the killing and Roberts' past. The Trump administration portrayed Roberts as a victim of an overzealous #MeToo movement after he claimed he was falsely accused of sexual harassment. Roberts has pleaded not guilty to murder and his lawyers argue there is no direct evidence linking him to the crime.
Published : a month ago by David Hernandez in General
Roberts was charged in Alameda County Superior Court with murder after Buckner’s mutilated body was found in a black garbage bag wrapped in duct tape along an Alameda waterfront trail last July. Investigators said Roberts used an electric saw to sever her body parts to conceal her identity.
Roberts pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers argued Wednesday that there is no direct evidence linking Roberts to the crime. The case garnered widespread media attention not only because of the grisly details of the killing, but also Roberts’ past. In 2017, The Trump administration held up Roberts as a victim of an overzealous #MeToo movment after he claimed he was falsely accused of sexual harassment.
Buckner’s torso — her head, hands and feet were cut off — was found a few days after Buckner and Roberts last exchanged messages, Burris said during opening statements at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.
DNA found on the garbage bag and on a piece of duct tape later linked Roberts to the crime, Burris said, adding that cell phone records allegedly placed Roberts in the area on July 19, the day Buckner’s body was likely dumped . The same day, on July 19,, searches on his cellphone referenced an article titled, “Development of fingerprint impressions on plastic bags over time under different storage temperatures,” Burris said.
During a search of the couple’s apartment in Pleasanton, authorities found a human bone that lab testing determined was Buckner’s, Burris said. Authorities also discovered that the carpet in the apartment was removed.
In Roberts’ wallet they found Buckner’s bank cards, which were used during the time when her whereabouts were unknown, Burris said. Roberts also started using a dating app. He even told a woman his girlfriend was dead, before her death was revealed publicly, Burris said.
Defense attorney Charles Woodson tried to cast doubt on Burris’ statements. He noted that the cause of Buckner’s death wasn’t determined, adding that the area where Buckner’s body was found is highly visible and heavily trafficked.
During an inspection months before Buckner’s death, the managers at the apartment complex where Buckner and Roberts lived determined the carpet needed to be replaced, Woodson said. He added that Buckern’s belongings were not destroyed or discarded.
A Navy veteran, Roberts first received nationwide attention after he was expelled from Savannah State University in Georgia in 2013. He was touted as a victim of the #MeToo movement when the Trump Administration rolled back reforms to Title IX, a law that prohibits sexual discrimination at universities that receive federal funds.
Topics: Crime, Murder