Prosecutors say a judge in Maryland gave a woman 61 years in jail for killing and dismembering her boyfriend.
In March, a St. Mary’s County jury found Michelina Desiree Goodwin, 46, guilty of second-degree murder, using a firearm to commit a crime, and improperly removing a body about the death of James Volodimir Nalborczyk, 50. The trial lasted eight days. State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling says the judge gave the harshest sentence possible.
“The horrible things that happened after the murder were much worse than the crime itself, which was shooting the victim in the back.” Sterling said in a statement, “The defendant killed the victim, cut him up, and spread his parts all over our county and a neighboring county.”
On December 21, 2022, Nalborczyk’s family told the Maryland State Police that he was missing. Police found that 10 days had passed since they had seen or heard from him. Police said that after more investigation, they found evidence of foul play in his absence.
Body parts were found all over St. Mary’s County and the close county of Charles County. Goodwin was charged with murder by the police. In mid-January 2023, Larry Murphy, who is 42 years old, was also nabbed for murder and being an accomplice after the fact.
An arrest warrant for probable cause was obtained by Southern Maryland News. It says that Goodwin told Nalborczyk’s family that she had not seen him since early December 2022, when she was going to break up with him before he took off for Virginia in a company car. A police report said that she later told them that she and Nalborczyk were fighting when she pointed a gun at him. He was killed when it went off and hit him in the back.
Then, she allegedly asked Murphy to help her cut up Nalborczyk’s body and get rid of the pieces. Murphy said he wasn’t involved. He was finally charged with accessory after the fact and given a year in jail after being found guilty by a jury last year, records show.
“My hope is that the victim’s family can finally find peace, justice, healing, and closure with the outcome of today’s sentencing hearing,” Sterling said. “The horrific murder of their loved one.”
The death notice for Nalborczyk said that he was an HVAC worker for a number of years.
“Over the past few years, Jimmy has done odd jobs to help everyone around him. Many people remember him from his time at the St. Mary’s farmer’s market.” He worked hard all the time and always tried to help other people. “His family and everyone who knew him will miss him very much,” the obituary said.
