LEONARDTOWN, Md. — A new Maryland statute establishing a felony offense for concealing a death or disturbing and dismembering human remains took effect on October 1, 2025, following advocacy from St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling. The law, enacted as House Bill 674 and its cross-filed Senate Bill 394, addresses acts intended to hide crimes by prohibiting the knowing and willful dismemberment, destruction, removal, burial, disposal or concealment of human remains. Violators face up to five years in prison or a fine not exceeding $5,000, or both, marking an upgrade from prior misdemeanor penalties.
The legislation originated from cases handled by Sterling’s office in her first term, where prosecutors encountered homicides involving dismemberment and concealment. Prior Maryland law classified such actions as a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail, which Sterling noted limited prosecutorial options due to statute of limitations issues in identifying victims. The new felony classification provides law enforcement and prosecutors with stronger tools to pursue these offenses, ensuring accountability for actions that obstruct investigations and deny closure to families.
Sterling collaborated with Senator Jack Bailey, who represents District 29 encompassing St. Mary’s and Calvert counties, and Delegate Aaron Kaufman of District 18 in Montgomery County, to introduce the bills in the 2025 regular session of the Maryland General Assembly. Senate Bill 394 was introduced on January 17, 2025, and assigned to the Judicial Proceedings Committee, where a hearing occurred on January 31, 2025, after an initial cancellation and rescheduling. House Bill 674 followed on January 24, 2025, referred to the House Judiciary Committee with a hearing set for February 11, 2025. Sponsors included Delegates Kaufman, Allen, Lopez, McComas, T. Morgan, Phillips, Shetty, Taveras, Tomlinson, Wims, Woorman, Arikan, Taylor, Sample-Hughes and Williams for the House version.
The bills advanced through committees with amendments. In the House, the Judiciary Committee issued a favorable report with amendments on March 14, 2025, leading to a second reading passage that day and a third reading approval by a 138-0 vote. The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee similarly reported favorably on April 4, 2025, with amendments adopted, followed by a 45-0 third reading passage. The reconciled version returned to the House for concurrence, passing without opposition. Governor Wes Moore approved the measure on May 13, 2025, designating it Chapter 545 with an effective date of October 1, 2025.
Sterling’s initial draft proposed a 10-year maximum penalty, but legislative debate resulted in a reduction to five years to balance severity with proportionality. The enacted text adds Section 10-405 to the Criminal Law Article, specifying that the offense applies when actions are taken with intent to conceal a death, including failing to report to emergency services or law enforcement, and extends to aiding or abetting such acts. Sentences under this section may run consecutively to other related convictions.
This change fills a identified gap in Maryland’s criminal code. Before this law, related offenses fell under general misdemeanor provisions for disturbing human remains, limited to one year imprisonment, which often proved inadequate in complex homicide probes where evidence degradation hindered murder charges. Testimony from state’s attorneys, including Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger, highlighted scenarios where bodies were discovered but causation could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt, leaving concealment unpunished at a felony level.
In St. Mary’s County, the impetus stemmed from multiple investigations. One notable case involved Michelina Desiree Goodwin, 46, of Great Mills, convicted on March 7, 2024, of second-degree murder and related charges in the 2022 killing and dismemberment of her boyfriend, James Volodimir Nalborczyk, 50. Goodwin shot Nalborczyk during an argument, then dismembered and disposed of his remains in remote areas of St. Mary’s and Charles counties. She received a 61-year sentence on August 5, 2024, with 30 years for murder and additional time for firearm use and body disposal. The case began as a missing person report before evolving into a homicide inquiry, illustrating challenges in evidence recovery that the new law aims to deter.
The legislative process in Maryland requires bills to pass both chambers in identical form before gubernatorial review. Introduction occurs in January for the 90-day session, with committee hearings allowing public input from stakeholders like state’s attorneys. Votes proceed through three readings, with opportunities for floor amendments. This bill’s swift passage in its debut year reflects bipartisan consensus on the need, garnering unanimous support in recorded votes.
Background on Maryland’s criminal law framework shows evolution in response to case-driven needs. Statutes governing human remains date to common law principles against desecration, codified in the Annotated Code under Title 10 for misdemeanors. Felony upgrades, as in this instance, follow patterns seen in other reforms, such as enhanced penalties for evidence tampering in violent crimes.
Sterling and fellow state’s attorneys testified before the Senate Judicial Proceedings and House Judiciary committees, emphasizing urgency. The measure received backing across party lines, reflecting shared priorities in a region where community ties amplify the impact of such crimes.
