61-Year Sentence for Maryland Woman Who Killed and Dismembered Boyfriend

Maryland woman Michelina Goodwin was found guilty of the horrific murder and dismemberment of her partner James Volodimir Nalborczyk and was given a 61-year prison sentence. According to True Crime News, the sentencing was made public by the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office on August 5. Goodwin was found guilty in March of second-degree murder using a handgun while committing a felony and disposing of a body without authorization. The case started when Nalborczyk’s family filed a missing person’s report on December 21, 2022. His disappearance was a cause for concern as they hadn’t heard from him since earlier in the month. Nalborczyk was the victim of a homicide, investigators quickly concluded and Goodwin was the main suspect. On January 18, 2023 Goodwin admitted to authorities that during a heated argument at their home she grabbed a firearm which she claimed accidentally discharged fatally shooting Nalborczyk. Instead of calling for help Goodwin chose a horrifying course of action. She confessed to dismembering Nalborczyk’s body and scattering his remains in remote locations across St. Mary’s and Charles counties.

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61-Year Sentence for Maryland Woman Who Killed and Dismembered Boyfriend (PHOTO: True Crime News)

State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling emphasized the brutality of Goodwin’s actions in a statement: “The defendant’s heinous act of shooting the victim in the back pales in comparison to the gruesome details following the murder. After killing the victim the defendant dismembered him and scattered his remains throughout our county and a neighboring county.” The investigation was challenging and required extensive efforts from law enforcement to locate and identify Nalborczyk’s remains. The dismemberment and scattering of his body added layers of complexity to the case necessitating a meticulous and determined approach by the authorities. During the trial the jury was presented with the harrowing details of the crime. Goodwin’s defense argued that the shooting was accidental but the prosecution highlighted the deliberate actions taken by Goodwin to dispose of the body underscoring the severity of her crimes. The sentencing of 61 years reflects the maximum allowable punishment for the charges against Goodwin.

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