Sterling Breynard Bell has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for firearms offenses connected to the 2016 murder of Kendra Roberts, whose body was discovered near Macon, Georgia. The sentencing took place on October 1, 2025, with Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May presiding.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg commented on the outcome: “The diligence of a federal special agent solved a murder and prevented the conviction of an innocent man. By using tools designed to test ballistics, the federal agent linked a gun seized from Bell to shell casings recovered from a murder scene two years earlier. The man initially charged [with] the murder was exonerated, and Bell was brought to justice.”
ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka highlighted the importance of technology in law enforcement: “This case underscores the vital role that the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network plays in solving violent crimes. By linking the firearm used in this tragic murder to Sterling Bell, our agents demonstrated the power of technology in the pursuit of justice.”
Kendra Roberts was found shot multiple times along a highway near Macon on August 7, 2016. Her boyfriend at the time was arrested and held for several months before being cleared of all charges. Ten days after Roberts’s death, Clarkston Police confiscated a Glock 9mm pistol from Sterling Bell without realizing its connection to her killing or that Bell had purchased it illegally by providing false information about his drug use.
In 2018, an ATF special agent utilized ballistic analysis through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) and confirmed that Bell’s firearm matched evidence collected at the crime scene. Subsequent investigation revealed that Bell suffered from schizophrenia and had refused prescribed medication.
Bell admitted responsibility for Roberts’s death and received a state sentence of 20 years imprisonment with parole eligibility after serving one-third of his term. On July 3, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to making false statements when acquiring a firearm and illegal possession as an unlawful user of controlled substances.
After serving his federal sentence, Bell will be under supervised release for three years and must undergo mental health and substance abuse treatment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation into this case. Prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laurel B. Milam and Phyllis Clerk.
More information about this case can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
