Left: Shane Roberts (KTVQ). Right: Genna Rae LaCombe (Legacy).
In a grim turn of events, a Montana man, Shane Levi Cole Roberts, has been sentenced to life in prison following the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Genna Rae LaCombe. This shocking crime, which unfolded in Billings, resulted in a deliberate homicide conviction for the 46-year-old Roberts, who received an 85-year sentence on Friday.
The chilling details of this case emerged during a four-hour sentencing hearing, as reported by local CBS affiliate KTVQ. The prosecution recounted how Roberts, in a fit of rage, nearly decapitated the 52-year-old LaCombe, later wrapping her lifeless body in blankets and leaving it on a porch to decompose.
The discovery of LaCombe’s body came on August 24, 2024, when neighbors reported a foul odor emanating from a nearby apartment. Responding officers found the remains on the porch, wrapped in blankets, towels, and a shower curtain. Their investigation led them inside the apartment, where Roberts was found hiding in a closet with a dog, leading to his immediate arrest.
A coroner’s report revealed that LaCombe had suffered multiple stab wounds, one of which was nearly fatal enough to cause decapitation. This gruesome detail was corroborated by evidence uncovered during the investigation, including disturbing photos on Roberts’ phone showing LaCombe’s bloodied body in a bathtub, dated about nine days prior to the discovery of her remains.
Further searches uncovered a trove of incriminating items: two blood-stained knives, a hatchet, and a hammer, all pointing unequivocally to Roberts’ involvement in the heinous act. The evidence painted a stark picture of a crime fueled by an explosion of violence, leaving a community reeling in its wake.
The evidence Roberts left behind was plentiful — namely photos on his phone showing his girlfriend’s bloodied body in a bathtub, dated about nine days before her remains were discovered. Cops also recovered two bloodied knives, a hatchet and hammer.
Then, there was the phone call he made to his mother after he was placed inside the Yellowstone County Jail where he reportedly admitted to killing LaCombe, saying she “pushed him too far.”
Prosecutors and Roberts’ defense attorney agreed to a 70-year prison term. But Judge Colette Davies tacked on 15 years to the sentence.
“I’m told that you loved this woman,” Davies told Roberts, according to KTVQ. “But this is not love. This is abomination.”
LaCombe was a mother of two, her obituary said.
“In addition to her role as a devoted mother, Genna cherished her hobbies,” the obituary said. “She was talented in arts and crafts, particularly painting and beading. She also had a passion for cooking, with her chicken noodle soup and pork chop chili being family favorites. Genna’s love for 80s music filled her home with dancing — even if her sons did so begrudgingly.”
