A 20-year-old Massachusetts man has been charged with murder, with police accusing him of stabbing his 17-year-old partner with a sword.
Shane Curry, of Stow, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Nevaeh Goddard, 17, in Stow, on April 5, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Stow Police Chief Michael Sallese announced in a statement on Friday, Sept. 6.
On the afternoon of April 5, Curry’s mother went to the Stow police station asking if officers could check on Curry at the home where he lived with Goddard, according to the indictment, which was obtained.
When officers arrived, Curry refused to open the door to a bedroom in which he had locked himself, the indictment alleges.
The officers asked Stow Police Chief Michael Sallese to come help because he had “a good rapport” with Curry and had interacted with him before, including during a mental health crisis, the indictment alleges.
After Sallese banged on the door, Curry allegedly opened the door a few inches and said, “Get the f— out, you creeps,” the indictment claims.
When Sallese knocked again, “the door opened slightly” and Sallese could see Curry and Goddard lying on a mattress on the floor, curled up next to each other, according to the indictment.
Officers pulled a blanket off of Goddard and Curry and saw the victim had cuts and bodily bruises and wasn’t moving. The victim was declared dead at the scene.
Curry was handcuffed and taken out of the room, where he allegedly told police that he and Goddard had gotten into a “brawl-level argument,” adding, “that’s why [the victim] is so bruised up,” the indictment alleges.
According to the indictment, Curry said Goddard was his “twin flame.”
During the violence, he allegedly said he was “hitting” the victim, adding, “that’s not working, so ok, I have to knife” the teen, the indictment claims.
He allegedly said he “stabbed” the victim with a sword in the abdomen, the indictment claims.
Officers found a sword and a kitchen knife in Curry’s bedroom, according to the indictment.
Curry allegedly told police he stabbed the victim again, saying that “it was horrifying,” the indictment alleges.
According to an autopsy, Goddard was stabbed in the neck, torso, liver and arms.
Curry allegedly told police he tried to die by suicide by cutting his arms when he “realized [the victim] was dead, dead,” the indictment claims.
Curry was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital for evaluation.
Curry was arraigned in Concord District Court on April 6 on charges of assault and battery on a household or family member and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury.
He was held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.
Prosecutors said at the time that more charges were possible.
After he was charged with murder, Curry was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court and ordered held without bail by Judge Patrick Haggan.
Goddard’s family started a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for funeral expenses.
“Nevaeh had such a genuine, pure, loving, caring soul,” Heather Coyne, the mother of the victim’s fiancée, wrote.
Goddard was reportedly missing for years before being found dead, GLAAD said in a statement in April.
Goddard, “went by both River and Nevaeh, used they and she pronouns, and was pansexual,” GLAAD said in the statement.
“We are absolutely heartbroken to hear of the death of another nonbinary teenager, River Nevaeh Goddard, who had been reported missing for years after reportedly surviving childhood abuse and time in foster care,” the organization’s president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis said in the statement.
Goddard, who is from Rhode Island, “was failed in life, and it’s up to all of us to make sure we don’t fail them, or any other LGBTQ youth, now,” Ellis said.
Goddard’s grandfather, Michael Simmons, told WJAR that Curry “promised to take care of” the teen.
He told WJAR the teen had “a difficult upbringing,” starting with being born in prison and then spending time in the care of the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families.
“There couldn’t have been a nicer, more soulful and more spiritual person,” he told WJAR.
Curry’s attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.
