Massachusetts woman allegedly killed by family member remembered as sweet, happy

A Massachusetts man has been held without bail after allegedly murdering his half-sister.

A 38-year-old Lynn woman is deceased, and a 30-year-old Lynn man has been arrested and charged with murder, according to a release on Sunday by the Office of Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker.

Lynn Police received a call shortly after 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning and responded to an address on Newhall Street where they found the victim deceased.

The defendant was arraigned in Lynn District Court on Monday.

According to NBC Boston, at arraignment it was revealed that Michelle Knox was found dead following a violent incident. Police responded to reports at the residence, where they encountered her half-brother, Joshua Smith.

Smith was arrested at the scene and is facing charges of murder and kidnapping. He pleaded not guilty with a probable cause hearing set for October 14.

Prosecutors noted that Smith was on probation at the time, stemming from a July 2025 guilty plea to two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The complaint has been impounded due to the early stage of the investigation.

The District Attorney’s Office has not released further details on the motive or method.

Those who knew Knox remembered her as a sweet, happy, goofy, and hardworking person.

The incident remains under investigation by Lynn Police, the State Police Detective Unit assigned to Tucker’s office, and the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.