Michigan man who lived with dead girlfriend for 7 months convicted of her murder

A Macomb County, Michigan, man has been convicted of killing his girlfriend and living with her body for seven months. 

Macomb County prosecutors say 42-year-old Matthew Lewinski of Clinton Township strangled his girlfriend in his home in December 2020 and left her body there after her death. 

Authorities say Lewinski initially put the victim's body in a bathtub before moving the body to the basement. 

Lewinski mutilated the victim's body to conceal and dispose of it, prosecutors allege. The victim's family later found the body in the basement on July 27, 2021. 

On Thursday, Lewinski was found guilty on charges of first-degree premeditated murder, disinterment and mutilation of a dead body and concealing the death of an individual. Lewinski faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to prosecutors. 

"After five years of litigation, appeals, and court proceedings that reached both the Michigan Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court, justice has finally been secured in this case. The defendant's conviction, as charged, including first-degree murder, reflects the unwavering commitment of prosecutors, investigators, and the victim's loved ones, who endured years of delays while continuing to seek accountability.

"No verdict can undo the profound loss suffered by the victim's family, but we hope this outcome brings them a measure of peace and closure after an extraordinarily long and difficult journey through the justice system. Our office remains steadfast in pursuing justice, no matter how complex or lengthy the process may be," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido.

Lewinski has been held without bond in the Macomb County Jail since July 30, 2021. He will be sentenced on July 14.