On Sept. 6, the United States Marshals Service arrested 42-year-old Joseph Roberts in connection with the death of 27-year-old Rachel Elizabeth Imani Buckner whose remains were found floating near the Bay Farm Island Bridge. The Alameda and Pleasanton police departments assisted with the apprehension of Roberts.

According to reports, the pair were in a romantic relationship. Both Roberts and Buckner are identified as Pleasanton residents. Alameda Police Department (APD) Lt. Alan Kuboyama said the department is still investigating whether Buckner was killed in the City of Alameda or at another location. According to reports, before his arrest, a search warrant was granted for Roberts' phone records, revealing that his phone last communicated with Buckner's phone on July 13.

According to the Alameda County Inmate Locator database, Roberts was charged with first-degree murder, which is punishable by 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Roberts is being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on no bail. His arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 8, at 9 a.m., at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland.

On July 20, APD officers located Buckner’s remains inside of a bag along the shoreline near the Bay Farm Island Bridge. APD dispatch received a call about an object floating along the shoreline around 3:30 p.m. that day. APD Investigators were called to the scene and began their investigation. Investigators discovered that the victim’s body had been dismembered. It was not known how long the remains had been in the water at the time of retrieval.

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau also initiated a death investigation. A preliminary autopsy by the coroner’s bureau ruled the death a homicide.

Due to limited identifying factors, the victim’s identity was unknown at the time. APD Investigations Unit immediately assumed the investigation and began searching the Missing and Unidentified Persons (MUPS) Database and contacting law enforcement agencies to identify the victim. On August 30, DNA evidence identified Buckner as the victim. Additional evidence helped detectives identify Roberts as the primary suspect. Authorities said Roberts' DNA was found on the duct tape used to encase Buckner's body, according to reports.

Since July, APD has worked tirelessly to identify the involved parties and understand the series of events that led to this death. APD and the Pleasanton Police Department will continue their joint investigation to determine the motive for Bucker’s death among other unanswered questions. The Federal Bureau of Investigation will assist with the investigation, according to reports.

“We appreciate the community’s patience and the support from our law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation, including Alameda County’s Search and Rescue Team, Alameda County Crime Lab, and the Contra Costa County Crime Lab,” wrote APD in a statement. “The Alameda Police Department remains in contact with the Buckner family, and we ask the community to respect their privacy during this extremely difficult time.”

Anyone with information that may further assist in the investigation is asked to contact APD at 510-337-8402.