1.5 min readBy Published On: October 7th, 2015Categories: News0 Comments on Barbara Coyne murder trial

Verdict is in

Timmy Kostka was found guilty of first degree murder and senteced to life without parole. 

On April 16th, 2012 – Marathon Monday – Barbara Coyne, 67, was found stabbed to death in her home on East Seventh Street in South Boston.  It was home invasion and robbery that went terribly wrong. 

Less than a week later, South Boston resident Timothy Kostka was charged with first degree murder for the crime.  It is alleged that Kostka broke into the Coyne’s home for some high-end fishing equipment – that belonged to Barbara Coyne’s son, Rick Coyne – to steal and then sell.  (CIS featured Rick Coyne as our Character of the Month this past March – https://caughtinsouthie.com/people/characterofmonth/rick-coyne  Rick ran 50 miles in one day in his mother’s memory.)  Kostka pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail.  

A jury began deliberating this case on Wednesday afternoon.  According to the Boston Herald, Assistant DA Ursula Knight stated that defendant Timothy Kostka “savagely”  killed Barbara Coyne by repeatedly stabbing her in her bedroom.  Prosecutors say that Kostka’s fingerprints were found on two of Coyne’s jewelry boxes and Kostka’s DNA was under Coyne’s fingernails.  

From the Herald:

“Barbara Coyne likely fought him — stab wounds to the elbow, wrist, pinky indicate that it was a struggle. Bumps, bruises, contusions, cuts on her mouth, her upper and lower lip — consistent with his hands over her mouth,” said Knight. 

The Suffolk Superior courtroom was packed, and muffled sobs could be heard during Knight’s passionate closing argument in which she told the jury Kostka stole lottery tickets from Coyne and cashed them for a quick heroin fix.  “$152 total, four bags of heroin: The value Timothy Kostka placed on Barbara Coyne’s life,” Knight said.