The discovery of 27-year-old Rachel Elizabeth Imani Buckner’s dismembered remains along a waterfront trail in Alameda, California, in July 2023 shocked the community and led to the conviction of her boyfriend, Joseph Roberts.
A California jury found Roberts guilty of second-degree murder, with sentencing set for June 14, 2024.
A Grim Discovery Along the Shoreline
On July 20, 2023, Alameda police responded to a “suspicious circumstance report” near the Harbor Bay Club on Bay Farm Island.
Officers found a black garbage bag containing the dismembered body of Buckner, triggering a complex investigation. Evidence collected included Roberts’ DNA on duct tape sealing the bag.
A Troubled Relationship
Prosecutors revealed in court that Buckner and Roberts met at Golden Gate University Law School in 2019 and later lived together in Pleasanton, California.
Police had previously been called to their apartment on multiple occasions for welfare checks and domestic violence incidents.
Despite living together at the time of her disappearance, Roberts never reported Buckner missing. Her remains were identified two months after their discovery.
A Shocking Verdict
The jury deliberated for less than a day before delivering the guilty verdict. Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price described the case as “unimaginable,” stating:
“The condition of her body when it was found shocks our humanity. This tragedy will leave her family and our community forever traumatized whenever her murder is mentioned.”
A Community in Mourning
Buckner’s family expressed their grief in a statement, noting that her death left “an indescribable void” in her community.
She leaves behind a young daughter whose life has been irrevocably altered by this tragedy.
Roberts faces a sentence of 15 years to life, a decision that Price believes serves as justice for Buckner and her family.
