Gulfport man gets 12 years for helping dispose of Tena Broadus’ remains

A former gang member who helped dispose of Tena Broadus’ remains before they were set on fire and dumped in the Biloxi River has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Aaron Bobinger, 33, of Gulfport, faced up to 20 years on a guilty plea to accessory after the fact to murder in the Sept.15, 2015, killing.

Bobinger pleaded guilty in August 2017, agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors at the trial in June of Joshua Peterman, according to prosecutors.

On Monday, Bobinger asked Circuit Judge Christopher Schmidt for leniency based on his cooperation, District Attorney Joel Smith said.

Bobinger is among five people indicted in the case.

Broadus had been reported missing by her mother Sept. 25, 2015, not knowing Broadus was already dead.

Gulfport police obtained information that linked the five people to her killing or the disposal of her remains. She was 29, 4-foot-9 and weighed 100 pounds.

Divers found her remains in the Biloxi River on Oct. 7, 2015.

Co-defendants have testified that meth dealer Joshua Peterman, 31, and Devon Gregory, 21, are the ones who killed Broadus. All those involved were using meth when Broadus was assaulted and killed.

At Peterman’s trial, several co-defendants said Broadus was at Peterman’s home in the 15300 block of O’Neal Road when the couple got in an argument that turned into a struggle. He was afraid Broadus would snitch on him to police over the theft of money from vending machines, according to testimony.

“During the struggle, Broadus was taken out back and placed in a building behind the residence, where she was restrained,” said ADA Mitch Owen, who prosecuted the case.

“The victim was continuously assaulted by the defendants,” Owen said.

Broadus was hit in the head with a machete handle. One of the men punched her with his fists.

Bobinger, Natasha Sellers and Kari Parker took the remains to a wooded part of O’Neal Road near Mississippi 605, where she was burned and her remains taken to the Biloxi River, according to testimony.

Peterman was sentenced to life without parole in June for Broadus’ murder.

Parker is serving 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

Sellers is serving five years on a guilty plea to an accessory charge.

Gregory will be sentenced Thursday on a guilty plea to second-degree murder, Smith said.

This story was originally published August 6, 2018 at 5:55 PM.