Church-Going Neighbour Convicted of Murdering Partner After 15-Year Cover-Up
Anna Podedworna, a 40-year-old woman described by neighbours as a 'lovely' and church-going individual, has been found guilty of murdering her lesbian partner Izabela Zablocka fifteen years ago. The gruesome crime only came to light due to the relentless efforts of the victim's daughter, Kasia, after police initially closed the missing persons case within ten days.
Grim Discovery Under the Patio
Podedworna, a skilled butcher, spent two hours dismembering Ms Zablocka's body at the waist following a fatal argument in 2010. She then placed the remains in black bin bags and buried them beneath a concrete hardstanding in the garden of their two-bedroom terrace home in Derby. Shockingly, just one month after the murder, Podedworna moved her mother and sister into the property and proceeded to live a normal life, marrying a man and having two children with him.
She maintained a facade of normalcy, attending church, going to work, taking holidays with her children, and chatting amiably with neighbours, who never suspected her dark secret. One former neighbour expressed disbelief, stating, 'You would never have known she could have done something like that.'
Daughter's Determination Uncovers Truth
The breakthrough in the case came from Kasia, Ms Zablocka's daughter, who was just nine years old when her mother disappeared. Despite Derbyshire police closing their investigation in December 2010 after minimal inquiry, Kasia, now 25, refused to give up. In 2024, she contacted Polish missing persons charities and participated in media interviews to publicise her mother's disappearance.
Her perseverance led a Polish journalist to doorstep Podedworna at her Derby home, which prosecutors described as the 'tipping point.' The following day, Podedworna 'cracked' and emailed police, revealing the location of the buried remains. In June last year, officers discovered Ms Zablocka's body under the patio, surrounded by animal bones and a carrier bag containing blood-stained clothing.
Courtroom Revelations and Conviction
During a three-week trial at Derby Crown Court, it was revealed that the couple had argued over Ms Zablocka's reluctance to undergo gender reassignment surgery, which Podedworna had made a condition of their relationship continuing. Podedworna claimed she accidentally killed Ms Zablocka during a row by hitting her with a horse figurine, acting in self-defence, but jurors found her guilty of murder, preventing a lawful burial, and perverting the course of justice.
Following the conviction, Derbyshire police admitted that without Kasia's persistence, 'there was no doubt' Podedworna would still be living her life freely, leaving the family in the dark. Podedworna now faces a life sentence, bringing a measure of closure to a case that haunted a community for over a decade.
