Columbus Woman Gets Life Sentence for Fatally Overdosing Four Men Who Met Her for Sex

Posted on 2/19/2026

Defendant: Rebecca Auborn

A Columbus woman was sentenced to prison for four consecutive life sentences, with eligibility for parole after 60 years for drugging multiple victims with a fatal dose of fentanyl prior to robbing them. Franklin County Judge Karen Phipps sentenced Rebecca Auborn, 35, on February 19, 2026.
 
Auborn pled guilty to four counts of murder and one count of felonious assault on December 19, 2025.
 
Case Background
 
In 2023, tips provided to The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force led to the investigation of a human trafficking ring that eventually led to a joint investigation by special agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and homicide detectives from the Columbus Division of Police.

The investigation revealed that between December 13,^th 2022 and June 17,^th 2023, Rebecca Auborn had been meeting men for sex in exchange for money in various locations in Columbus, then overdosing the victims with fentanyl  in order to steal their possessions. Auborn’s actions resulted in the deaths of four men, as well as an attempted overdose of a fifth man. The victims are identified as:

• Joseph Crumpler, 30, of North Linden, who died on January 15, 2023.
• Robert Snoke, 54, of Pataskala, who died on April 1, 2023.
• Wayne Akin, 64, of the Northeast Side, who died on April 17, 2023.
• Guy Renda, 42, of Belpre, Ohio, who died on June 17, 2023.
• Richard Bixler, 61, of Columbus, survived the attack. 

Auborn was indicted on September 11, 2023 following the investigation.

Renee Amlin and David Zeyen were the prosecutors on this case.