Dayton woman found guilty of murder in 2021 death of Riverside man

Montgomery County Common Pleas Courtroom. JIM NOELKER/STAFF FILE

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Montgomery County Common Pleas Courtroom. JIM NOELKER/STAFF FILE

Riverside police Maj. Matthew Sturgeon announced that a Dayton woman accused of stabbing and killing a man in June 2021 was found guilty Thursday on all charges in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

Sarah Marie Bierma | Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Jail

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Sarah M. Bierma, 40, was charged with two counts each of murder and felonious assault, and one count each of aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence.

Bierma was accused of killing 60-year-old Kendall Combs in his home in the 300 block of Wendell Lane. The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office said that Combs appeared to have been stabbed to death with a pair of scissors.

Combs’ niece found her uncle dead June 21 in his kitchen after she became concerned about not being able to contact him.

Sturgeon said in 2021 that Combs had been dead for at least 24 hours when his niece found him. He said that investigators were led to Bierma after tracing Combs’ missing cellphone, which was found with Bierma after police pinged its location.

Sturgeon said that Combs and Bierma didn’t appear to have “any consistent connection,” though Combs reportedly picked up Bierma on Xenia Avenue the Saturday before his death.

According to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records, Bierma is scheduled for a hearing Sept. 5.

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