Man arraigned for South Boston woman's death

BOSTON (WHDH) -- Timothy Kostka was arraigned on Monday for allegedly stabbing and killing a South Boston woman on April 16.

Police said they were able to lift a fingerprint linking the crime to Kostka. The victim was stabbed to death in her own home and found by her son on Monday morning with a wound to her neck.

“[Kostka] slipped into Barbara Coyne’s home in broad daylight and beat her and slashed her throat, leaving her bloody and dying,” said Prosecutor Ursula Knight. “One print off a jewelry box was a match to the defendant, as was a second print on a piece of mail that was strewn about in and about some losing lottery tickets. That print was found in blood.”

“Standing alone, fingerprints are weak evidence, especially since there’s no way to date them, especially when you got people that know one another,” said William Gens, defense attorney.

Prosecutors said this started as a home break-in on Marathon Monday. The suspect allegedly ransacked the home trying to get money to buy heroin. The state claims he planned to steal high-end fishing gear.

The District Attorney says Kostka, 26, expected the victim’s son, Richard Coyne, to run the marathon, but it was too hot so he was home.

Prosecutors say Richard Coyne caught a brief glimpse of Kostka after he allegedly stabbed the victim to death.

Sources said there was no sign of forced entry into the home. Sources added that the suspect’s family and victim’s family knew each other well.

The District Attorney plans to present surveillance video shot at a South Boston convenience store. Prosecutors said they have images of Kostka buying a lottery ticket just minutes after the murder.

“The curtains were saturated in blood. This was a very bloody affair. You don’t slice someone’s throat and come away with it without blood all over you. And he’s videotaped almost contemporaneously at a -- buying a lottery ticket?” Gens said.

Kostka was arrested on an unrelated home break-in in Plymouth over the weekend.

The defense attorney says the victim has never been convicted of a crime.