BIBB COUNTY, Ga. (WGXA) - The man accused in the 2016 killing of a Macon woman has pleaded guilty to her murder.

The body of 27-year-old Kendra Roberts was found along Riverside Drive on the morning of August 7, 2016. A person driving along Riverside Drive said he saw what looked like a person laying just off the road in a grassy area and called 911. Deputies told WGXA News that day they found Roberts had been shot multiple times and was dead, marking that year's tenth homicide.

Less than a day later, deputies arrested Daniel Cornel Hall, who was later determined to be in a relationship with Roberts. Hall was indicted in October 2016 on murder charges, however, two years later, those charges were dropped after authorities connected gun evidence to a new suspect.

In December 2018, Sterling Bell, of Clarkston, Georgia, was arrested and indicted for Robert's murder following the gun evidence that cleared Hall. A police report shows officers arrested Bell in Clarkston's Milam Park after finding him there after hours. Bell was taken to the DeKalb County jail for an outstanding warrant and his car was impounded. Officers also found a loaded gun in his car and collected it for safekeeping. Bell was eventually released from custody but he never returned to retrieve his gun. In early 2018, ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) Agent Brian Moore collected the Clarkston PD's stored guns to shoot and test for any shell casings with unique markings found around crime scenes. Results from Bell's gun linked him to Roberts' murder, police say.

Then District Attorney David Cooke told WGXA, "In this case, our investigation led to Mr. Bell’s indictment and a dismissal of all charges against Mr. Hall. We look forward to the day that we can get justice for Ms. Roberts, her family, and the community.”

Fast forward to this month and Bell, now 33, has now pleaded guilty to Robert's murder and was sentenced to 20 years with credit for time served.