Victim’s Sister: “I Feel So Alone In This World Without Her”

BOSTON, Sept. 12, 2016— As a jury was being seated for her murder trial, a Dorchester woman pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing 26-year-old Maria Sanchez and injuring a second woman during a fight outside a house party in 2014, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

TAKISA MATTHEWS (D.O.B. 5/4/84) today pleaded guilty to manslaughter, armed assault with intent to murder, and assault and battery.  Suffolk Superior Court Judge Douglas Wilkins sentenced her to 12 to 13 years in state prison. Matthews faced a mandatory term of life in prison had she been convicted of first-degree murder.

Had the case proceeded to trial, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Hickman of the DA’s Homicide Unit would have presented evidence and testimony to prove that in the early morning hours of Oct. 18, 2014, Sanchez attended an afterhours party at a Washington Street apartment with a 37-year-old female relative.  Matthews was also present at the party with a second group, though the two groups were unknown to one another.

During the party, an argument arose between members of the two groups regarding a cigarette.  A member of Matthew’s group was removed from the party, but the confrontation with remaining members continued, prompting Sanchez to spray mace.

The party’s host soon shut the gathering down; however, the confrontation between the two groups continued outside the building.  Sanchez and Matthews then fought on the stairs, where Matthews suffered a stab wound to the arm, and again in a nearby parking lot.  During that final altercation, Matthews stabbed the surviving victim multiple times in the abdomen and then stabbed Sanchez in the back and shoulder as Sanchez fought with another acquaintance of Matthews.

Both victims were critically injured.  Sanchez later died of her injuries at Boston Medical Center.  The second victim was treated at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and survived her injuries.

Matthews sought treatment later that day of a stab wound to her arm, telling medical staff and Boston Police detectives that she had been stabbed during a robbery, but Boston Police homicide detectives collected witness statements and forensic evidence identifying her as the assailant.

Before Matthews’ sentence was imposed today, members of Sanchez’s family spoke in court.

“I am a very happy person, just like my daughter Maria was, but now I’m more secluded in my own four walls,” Sanchez’s mother told the court.  “I’m strong in front of everyone, staying busying, working or preaching, but on the inside I’m destroyed.”

“My sister meant the world to me.  She was my everything.  She was my best friend.  I feel so alone in this world without her,” Sanchez’s sister said.

Eliana Builes is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Matthews was represented by Christopher Belezos.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.