A man has been sentenced for murdering his girlfriend after her dismembered body was found in a trash bag along a California trail.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday, July 2, that 43-year-old Joseph Roberts received a sentence of 15 years to life for killing 27-year-old Rachel Elizabeth Imani Buckner. He was credited with 300 days served before being transferred to San Quentin State Prison and ordered to pay $19,818 in restitution. Roberts was sentenced nearly two months after being convicted of second-degree murder.
On July 20, 2023, Alameda police responded to a report of suspicious activity. This report led to the discovery of a dismembered woman’s body in a black garbage bag along a waterfront trail on Bay Farm Island in Alameda. The remains were identified as Buckner's on August 29, 2023. Jail records show that Roberts was arrested nearly a week later, on September 6, 2023.
Police connected Roberts to the crime through his DNA found on a piece of duct tape used to seal the bag. The District Attorney's office explained that Roberts and Buckner met at Golden Gate University Law School in 2019 and shared an apartment together. According to the Los Angeles Times, the two were also engaged at the time of Buckner's death.
DA Price said something about hoping the sentence helps, but nothing can undo what Roberts did to Rachel and her family. Price also spoke about the immense pain this has caused Rachel's loved ones, calling it unimaginable.
Roberts received credit for 300 days in jail before being transferred to San Quentin. He also has to pay nearly $20,000 in restitution.
Buckner's death has left her family and friends heartbroken. Her mother wrote online about Rachel being a bright light with a personality that drew people in. The post also mentioned all Rachel had accomplished and her potential.
Rachel leaves behind her grandmother, mother, two brothers, a daughter, aunt, and other relatives. Losing this promising young woman demonstrates how devastating domestic violence can be.