Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that today James Lombardi (age 33), of Cranston, waived indictment and pleaded guilty before Superior Court Justice Luis Matos to the April 2017 murder of Krystal Boswell (age 29) of Fall River. Under the terms of the plea, Lombardi was sentenced to the term of life in prison, plus two years as a habitual offender.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on April 1, 2017, Lombardi killed Boswell in the bedroom of his residence on Wakefield Avenue in Cranston by striking her in the head with a hammer and strangling her. He then attempted to cover up the crime by burying her body in the yard of a vacant home on Preston Avenue in Cranston.
Boswell's family reported Krystal missing on April 1st and told police she was last seen with Lombardi. After an anonymous tip who reported that Lombardi admitted to killing Krystal and burying her in the Preston Avenue yard, police located Krystal's body buried in the yard a short time later.
An autopsy conducted by the State Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.
"Krystal's family had to endure the unbearable pain of first not knowing where she was, and then to learn of her violent and senseless death. It is my sincerest hope that they find some peace with today's plea," said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin.
Cranston Police Detectives Robert Lindsey and John Ryan led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorney General David Bonzagni prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.