Joshua Smith appears in Lynn District Court on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, for allegedly murdering his sister (WFXT/YouTube).
A Massachusetts man is accused of killing his older sister over the weekend in a case that has been described as being “very sad.”
Joshua Smith, aged 31, faces charges for the murder of 38-year-old Michelle Knox. The Essex County District Attorney’s Office announced these charges on Sunday. Although the announcement didn’t specify names, Smith appeared in court on Monday with media coverage present.
Smith had his court appearance at Lynn District Court, facing charges of kidnapping and murder, as shown in a video from WFXT, a Boston Fox affiliate. He remained calm as prosecutors laid out their account of the incident.
Early Sunday, around 1 a.m., the Lynn Police Department responded to a call to Newhall Street in the city, located roughly 15 miles north of Boston. Police found a victim, later identified as Knox, deceased when they arrived, as reported by the office of Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker.
Prosecutors have not revealed how the victim was killed, but neighbors suggested her death was not quiet.
“It was like horrific screams, like somebody got stabbed or something,” one neighbor told the local outlet.
Another resident appeared shaken by what happened.
“We’re just trying to make sure that we just stay calm and just keep ourselves away from what happened,” he said.
When officers arrived at the apartment building on Newhall Street, they were reportedly met outside by Smith.
“Once on scene, officers encountered the defendant, Joshua Smith, outside the home, where he made several incriminating statements about killing his sister, Michelle Knox,” prosecutor Stefanie Stanbro reported in court on Monday.
WFXT reported that Smith shared the apartment where the crime happened with his father. It remains unconfirmed if Knox, who was reportedly his half-sister, also lived there.
When the incident took place, Smith was reportedly on probation, having pleaded guilty in July to two instances of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Smith pleaded not guilty on Monday and is being held without bail ahead of his Oct. 14 probable cause hearing, local NBC outlet WBTS reported.
The death continues to be investigated by the Lynn Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit, and the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Everyone involved with the case – including the defense team – appeared disheartened by the woman’s death.
“Every one of these cases is a difficult situation. No matter whether someone is guilty or not guilty,” Defense Attorney Michael Phelan told WFXT. “It’s still … we have an individual who’s passed away and it’s very, very sad — not just someone is gone, it also impacts their family. It’s a hardship on everyone.”
