Brockton woman convicted of stabbing to death her 52-year-old boyfriend

BROCKTON – A Brockton woman has been convicted on a charge that she stabbed a man to death, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.

Monday after trial, a jury deliberated 10 hours before finding 59-year-old Kirstin Smith guilty of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in the death of 52-year-old Scott Benoit. Sentencing is scheduled for July 12.

Just after 1:00 p.m. on June 22, 2017, Brockton Police received a 911 call for 65 Maguire Road. Upon arrival, police and emergency responders found Benoit unresponsive inside the residence. Benoit was pronounced dead on scene.

Brockton Police contacted Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and began the investigation. Investigators recovered a seven-inch knife covered in blood, along with other evidence from the scene.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that the cause of death of Benoit was a stab wound to the chest, and the manner was ruled a homicide.

Police developed information, and as a result, they sought and obtained an arrest warrant and Smith was taken into custody.
At trial, jurors heard evidence that Smith stabbed Benoit in the heart.

Assistant District Attorney Alexander Zane prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and Brockton Police.