A Maryland resident, Michelina Desiree Goodwin, 46, has been sentenced to 61 years in prison for the murder and dismemberment of her boyfriend, James Volodimir Nalborczyk, 50. The verdict was delivered by a St. Mary’s County jury in March, following an eight-day trial. Goodwin was convicted of second-degree murder, unauthorized disposal of a body, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The charges stemmed from the death of Nalborczyk, with the presiding judge imposing the maximum sentence possible, as confirmed by State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling. The crime was described as particularly gruesome by Sterling, who detailed how Goodwin shot Nalborczyk in the back before dismembering him and scattering his remains across St. Mary’s County and a neighboring county.
Nalborczyk was reported missing by his family to the Maryland State Police on December 21, 2022, after a 10-day period of no contact. The subsequent police investigation revealed foul play in his disappearance. Body parts were discovered in various locations across St. Mary’s County and nearby Charles County, leading to Goodwin’s arrest and murder charge.
Larry Murphy, 42, was also arrested in mid-January 2023 on charges of murder and accessory after the fact. Court documents disclosed that Goodwin initially told Nalborczyk’s family that she last saw him in early December 2022, when she was planning to end their relationship before he left for Virginia in a company vehicle. However, she later confessed to police that she had shot Nalborczyk in the back during an argument.
Goodwin reportedly enlisted Murphy’s help to dismember Nalborczyk’s body and dispose of the parts. Murphy, however, denied his involvement. He was later indicted for accessory after the fact and sentenced to one year in jail after a jury found him guilty of the charge last year.
Sterling expressed hope that the sentencing would bring some measure of peace, justice, healing, and closure to the victim’s family after the horrifying homicide of their loved one. Nalborczyk, who had worked for several years as an HVAC technician, was remembered in his obituary as a hardworking individual who was always willing to help others. He was a familiar face at the St. Mary’s farmer’s market and will be deeply missed by his family and all who knew him.