Michelina Desiree Goodwin, 46, of Great Mills, Maryland has been convicted of second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and the unauthorized disposal of a body for the murder of her boyfriend at her home following an argument.
The investigation into James Volodimir Nalborczyk’s disappearance began when his sister, Candee Ellis, reported him missing on December 21, 2022, stating they had last seen him on December 7, 2022. The case quickly escalated into a homicide investigation, leading to Goodwin’s identification as a suspect.
During interrogation in January 2023, Goodwin confessed to the killing of Nalborczyk, 50, stating that a fight at her home led to her accidentally shooting him. The confession took a darker turn as Goodwin admitted to dismembering Nalborczyk’s body and disposing of the remains across remote areas in St. Mary’s and Charles counties.
The eight-day trial exposed jurors and the family to the graphic circumstances of Nalborczyk’s final moments and the gruesome mutilation of his body post-mortem, highlighting the irreversible harm caused by Goodwin’s actions.
Goodwin’s conviction brings a potential maximum sentence of 61 years in prison. She remains held without bail pending a sentencing hearing.
Additionally, the investigation uncovered the involvement of Larry Joseph Murphy, 40, who was enlisted by Goodwin to help dispose of and hide Nalborczyk’s dismembered body. Parts of Nalborczyk’s remains were found in Lexington Park and Nanjemoy, Maryland. Murphy now faces charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, disposing of/burying a body, and being an accessory after the fact of murder. Both Goodwin and Murphy are currently held at St. Mary’s Adult Detention Center without bond.
The State’s Attorney’s office, represented by Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Donna C. Pettersen and Jeffrey R. Maylor, and led by investigators Sergeant Roger Schwarb of the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit and Trooper First Class Evan Ruggles of the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division, worked tirelessly to bring the case to a resolution.
The trial was presided over by the Honorable Terrence J. McGann, who now faces the task of sentencing Goodwin in the coming period.