Brockton woman sentenced to life in prison after killing boyfriend, stabbing him over 40 times

BROCKTON – A Brockton woman has been convicted of brutally stabbing her boyfriend to death, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.

After a five-day trial, a jury deliberated 15 hours today before finding Kathryn R. Podgurski, now 38 years-old, guilty of Murder in the First Degree in the death of Joseph E. Shaw, 44. Plymouth Superior Court Judge Elaine Buckley sentenced Podgurski to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On July 21, 2017, at approximately 9:49 p.m., Brockton Police received a phone call from a relative of Podgurski’s, who told them Podgurski said men had entered her apartment, attempted to rob her and Shaw, and then the men killed Shaw and made Podgurski clean up the blood.

The relative then directed Brockton Police to the Elm Court Hotel. Police responded to the hotel but were unable to locate anything. At that point, Podgurski flagged police down and directed them to her third-floor apartment at 42 Green Street, where she resided with Shaw. Police found Shaw’s body in a closet, buried under several items of clothing and bedding, a chair, and covered with kitty litter. It was apparent to police that Shaw had been deceased for some period of time. There were multiple, severe stab wounds and cuts to the victim consistent with a homicide. A family member had reported Shaw missing to Brockton Police on Monday, July 17, 2017.

Brockton Police contacted Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and an investigation began. State Police and Brockton Police conducted interviews and executed search warrants as part of their investigation. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of Shaw’s death was multiple sharp force injuries, and the manner of death was homicide. The Medical Examiner found Shaw to have been stabbed more than 42 times and Shaw’s lower left portion of his leg was severed below the knee, and his right arm was severed below the elbow.

At trial, jurors heard details about how Podgurski killed Shaw, hid his body in the apartment closet, and told police the killing was committed by others during a botched robbery.

“This defendant stabbed Mr. Shaw 42 times and left him to suffer with fatal wounds that were strong and deep,” DA Cruz said. “His family then had to suffer through gruesome testimony at trial about their loved one’s murder. I hope that with today’s verdict and sentence this family is finally able to find some peace.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Richard Linehan and Courtney Scalice and was investigated by Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and Brockton Police.