Bonney Lake man gets 20 years for murdering girlfriend
BONNEY LAKE, Wash. -- A Bonney Lake man who admitted to killing his girlfriend and burning her body in a metal drum was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison.
Mthulisi Ndlovu,39, had already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing his 42-year-old girlfriend, Mary Mushapaidzi, in October 2011.
Ndlovu first called police on October 9, 2011 to report Mushapaidzi missing. He said she'd gone for a run early that morning and never returned, according to prosecutors.
When officers arrived at the couple's Bonney Lake home, they noticed a burning smell and, after getting a search warrant, found five empty gas cans and a large metal drum in the garage. Ndlovu told the officers he had been burning junk mail, but when investigators pried open the drum they found charred human remains.
Ndlovu later admitted strangling and viciously beating Mushapaidzi with a pair of pruning sheers after an argument over dirty dishes. When he realized she was dead, Ndlovu dragged his girlfriend's body into the garage, put her in the barrel with charcoal and lit her on fire.
An autopsy showed that despite the severity of her beating, Mushapaidzi may have been alive when Ndlovu put her in the barrel, according to prosecutors.
"This was a brutal crime and a sad case," said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "The defendant deserved the high-end sentence he received."
The couple have a 2-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son
Mthulisi Ndlovu,39, had already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing his 42-year-old girlfriend, Mary Mushapaidzi, in October 2011.
Ndlovu first called police on October 9, 2011 to report Mushapaidzi missing. He said she'd gone for a run early that morning and never returned, according to prosecutors.
When officers arrived at the couple's Bonney Lake home, they noticed a burning smell and, after getting a search warrant, found five empty gas cans and a large metal drum in the garage. Ndlovu told the officers he had been burning junk mail, but when investigators pried open the drum they found charred human remains.
Ndlovu later admitted strangling and viciously beating Mushapaidzi with a pair of pruning sheers after an argument over dirty dishes. When he realized she was dead, Ndlovu dragged his girlfriend's body into the garage, put her in the barrel with charcoal and lit her on fire.
An autopsy showed that despite the severity of her beating, Mushapaidzi may have been alive when Ndlovu put her in the barrel, according to prosecutors.
"This was a brutal crime and a sad case," said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "The defendant deserved the high-end sentence he received."
The couple have a 2-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son
Wow..very sad. And so sad for the two motherless children. I wish the best for them.
He deserved a he!! of a lot longer sentence than years. The brutality of the beating combined with the fact that she may have been alive when he put her in the barrel, seems to me that he should never breathe free air again.
She may have been alive when he put her in the barrel? I'm sad this monster gets to live.