Woman found charred and rotting in shed after texting pal ‘I think this dude … might try to kill me’

An Oregon man has been convicted in the killing of a woman who had previously warned a friend that she feared he might harm her. The case centers on the death of 31-year-old Kaley Snow, whose body was discovered weeks after she disappeared in 2024.

A Clackamas County jury found 33-year-old Bobby Alsup guilty of second-degree murder along with arson, theft, abuse of a corpse, and unlawful use of a weapon. Prosecutors said Alsup killed Snow and later set fire to a shed on their property in an attempt to hide the crime.

According to authorities, Snow and Alsup were living on the same property in the Flavel area after he began renting a room there shortly before the killing. Although Alsup had a girlfriend who was friends with Snow, prosecutors said the two had secretly started a romantic relationship.

Investigators told the jury that Snow had grown uneasy about Alsup’s behavior. Weeks before her death, she texted a friend saying she believed the man staying at her home might try to kill her. In another message, she said she was less afraid of dying than of no one knowing who was responsible. She also described Alsup as acting suspiciously and noted he was behind on paying rent.

Prosecutors said Alsup had already begun taking belongings from the house and selling them online after moving in. They also alleged he continued selling Snow’s property following her death.

Text messages shown during the trial indicated Snow questioned Alsup about whether he still wanted to keep renting the room just days before she was killed. Cellphone data later placed Alsup at the house for several hours on March 17, 2024 — the time investigators believe the killing occurred.

Authorities said Snow was struck twice in the head with a hammer. Afterward, prosecutors said Alsup wrapped her body in a blanket and left it inside a shed on the property. They also alleged he tried to cover his tracks by pouring cleaning fluid on the hammer and the body and sending text messages from Snow’s phone to create the appearance she was still alive.

Alsup’s defense attorney argued that he had returned to the home and discovered Snow already dead. According to the defense, he panicked because of his past assault convictions and feared he would be blamed, so he hid the body.

Prosecutors rejected that claim, saying the evidence clearly pointed to Alsup. Investigators found Snow’s blood on his clothing, tracked his movements using cellphone records, and discovered internet searches he made trying to find out whether police had located Snow or started a missing-person investigation.

Early on March 21, 2024, prosecutors said Alsup returned to the property and ignited the shed using gasoline. Firefighters responding to the blaze found Snow’s remains inside.

During the trial, prosecutors told jurors that both physical evidence and digital records tied Alsup directly to the crime scene.

Alsup now faces a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole after 25 years. His sentencing is scheduled for March 25.