Boyfriend Pleads Not Guilty in Bonney Lake Woman's Killing

A 38-year-old carpet cleaner from Zimbabwe was accused Tuesday of fatally beating his girlfriend and burning her body to cover it up, while the couple's young children were in the home.

Wearing a green, sleeveless body suit meant to protect him from himself, Mthulisi Bhala Ndlovu stared at the ground and did not speak at his arraignment on a charge of first-degree murder for the death of his girlfriend, Mary Mushapaidzi.

At the , a Pierce County judge set Ndlovu’s bail at $1 million and, due to his potential as a flight risk, ordered that his passport be surrendered if he makes bail.

Ndlovu, who pleaded not guilty, faces 22 to 27 years behind bars if convicted. The case is not being charged as a death penalty or life imprisonment case; due to the fact that he has no criminal history, Ndlovu could escape life behind bars if convicted.

Ndlovu’s citizenship is unclear. Prosecutors said that it appears he was born in Zimbabwe and has connections there, but is believed to be a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Charging documents less than an hour before the arraignment contain chilling details of Mushapaidzi's death in the presence of the two young children.

Ndlovu went into a fit of rage after he got in an argument with Mushapaidzi over dirty dishes left in the sink, documents say. He told police she hit him with her purse and at that point he became violent and started to beat her. He might have strangled and attacked her with dismantled garden shears, but told police he couldn't remember exact details. Eventually, after realizing she was dead, he allegedly dragged her body into a barrel and burned her in their garage. Later that morning, he put charcoal in the barrel and lit it, in an effort to hide the body.

Ndlovu’s 8-year-old child and the couple’s biological 2-year-old were in the house at the time of the killing. The 8-year-old told police that he went to bed around 10 p.m. Sunday evening, and sometime later heard his mother calling for help. He later told police he thought he must have been dreaming.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner indicated that Mushapaidzi suffered several large lacerations to the head, consistent with blunt force trauma. She was dead prior to being burned.

“The manner of death appears to be beating, blunt force trauma and results from that. The disposal of the body is obviously gruesome. Terrible, terrible circumstances,” said Pierce County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Philip Sorensen outside the courtroom.

After the short arraignment, family and friends of Mushapaidzi and Ndlovu quietly left the courtroom and all but one did not wish to comment.

“It’s very unfortunate, and out of character for [Ndlovu]. A lot of this is not normal, and it is so confusing,” said Marsha Mutisi, a friend of both Mushapaidzi and Ndlovu. “Everyone has lost in this.”

Mutisi said Ndlovu cleaned carpets for a living and did various repair work – he even installed the blinds in her home. She said the couple was “very well respected” in their tight-knit transplant community from Zimbabwe, and that Mushapaidzi had been successful at Payless Shoes, where she rose through the ranks as a manager.

“They were very reserved people, very private,” said Mutisi.

When asked if she was surprised by the grisly details of the case, Mutisi shook her head sadly and said the couple had some disagreements recently about Ndlovu’s desire to move to Zimbabwe.

“We can all speculate, but I know they weren’t on the same page about moving to Zimbabwe,” said Mutisi. “You don’t burn someone over dirty dishes.”

Sorensen said that the prosecution sees the dirty dishes argument as the “genesis” of the chain of events, but expects to uncover more as the case goes on.

 “The investigation is 36 hours old, but there may be many more facts that we learn about this relationship,” he said.

While prosecutors build their case, Mushapaidzi’s friends, family and coworkers are starting to plan her burial and memorial services, said Mutisi.

“She was a phenomenal mother,” said Mutisi. “The last time I talked to her, she had just come back from the Puyallup Fair and was so excited about all the rides they went on and the things they did together. She only wanted the best for her kids.”