LANSING, Mich (Michigan News Source) – In a move that’s long overdue (seriously, who knew this wasn’t illegal yet?), necrophilia is now officially banned in Michigan. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a series of bills last week, bringing an end to this macabre oversight.
Necrophilia: from misdemeanor to major no-no.
Three bills signed by Whitmer lay down the law: a two-year misdemeanor charge for any individual engaging in inappropriate physical contact with a deceased body and a 15-year felony for full-blown necrophilia. Plus, those convicted will earn a spot on the sex offender registry, because clearly, they deserve it.
The newly minted “Melody’s Law” (SBs 841, 842 and 843) is named after Melody Rohrer, a 64-year- old jogger from southwest Michigan, whose tragic case highlighted this gaping hole in Michigan’s legal system. In September 2021, Rohrer was intentionally hit by a vehicle by Colby Martin, who then allegedly moved her body to a wooded area and committed sexual acts with her corpse.
Despite the horror, and being convicted of first-degree murder, concealing the death of an individual, and failing to stop at the scene of an accident, Martin was never charged for the sexual assault due to the lack of specific legislation.
He’s now serving a life sentence, but the lack of charges for the alleged sexual assault of Rohrer left her family outraged.
Whitmer’s bold words: “Making Michigan safer.”
“These bills correct this lapse, providing penalties and creating sentencing guidelines for individuals convicted of sexual conduct with or involving a corpse,” Governor Whitmer stated. “By ensuring criminals are held accountable for sexual assault of any kind, Michigan’s communities, and its residents, will be safer and stronger.”
Rohrer’s family played a pivotal role in advocating for this change, pushing lawmakers to close this grisly loophole. State Sen. Veronica Klinefelt (D-Eastpointe), the bill’s sponsor, expressed her relief and gratitude about the legislation saying, “I’m so glad to see Melody’s Law signed into law after a unanimous vote in both chambers. This legislation was the product of hard work done by Melody’s husband, Rick, and their daughters.”
When introducing the bill in front of the media in April, she had said, “I was shocked to find out that necrophilia is not against the law in Michigan. I don’t know how common it is … even if it’s a very small amount of people, statistically, nationwide, that would do something like this, that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a law against it, there still should be a law against it.”
What is necrophilia?
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The new Michigan law defines sexual contact as intentional sexual touching between a person and a dead body for sexual purposes or in a sexual manner out of revenge, to inflict humiliation, or out of anger. Simply put: if you think it’s a good idea to engage in inappropriate physical contact with a deceased individual, you’re looking at two years in the slammer and a $500 fine. For those who go the extra depraved mile with sexual penetration, that’s a felony, and you’re facing up to 15 years in prison.
Rohrer’s tragic story: A wake-up call.
Klinefelt said about working on the legislation to become a reality, “We worked closely with the family as well as Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office to craft a bill that would make it clear for prosecutors and judges that this heinous act is a crime in Michigan.”
Melody Rohrer’s legacy is now enshrined in a law that ensures no family will have to endure such a horrific ordeal without the assurance of justice.
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