A woman has been convicted of murdering her partner, cutting her body in two and burying the remains in a back garden, more than 15 years after the victim was reported missing.
Anna Podedworna, 40, was found guilty at Derby Crown Court of murdering Izabela Zablocka, as well as perverting the course of justice and preventing a lawful burial.
Zablocka was last heard from in August 2010 after speaking to her mother in Poland. Her remains were discovered in June 2025 at a property in Princes Street, Derby, following information provided by Podedworna.
Prosecutors said Podedworna killed her partner shortly after the final phone call and dismembered her body using a large knife. The court heard she had previously worked as a butcher, with experience in deboning and cutting meat.
The body was buried in the back garden and covered with concrete. Police said electrical tape had been used to bind the victim’s legs before burial.
Podedworna contacted police in May 2025 after a Polish journalist sought to interview her about Zablocka’s disappearance. Investigators said mounting pressure led her to disclose the burial site.
During the trial, Podedworna claimed the death was accidental and occurred in self-defence during a confrontation. The jury rejected her account, hearing that considerable force would have been needed to dismember the body.
Prosecutors said the relationship was marked by jealousy and conflict, and that the motive remained unclear. Zablocka’s family had reported her missing in both the UK and Poland in 2010 and 2011.
Detectives described Podedworna as manipulative and said she had lied for years to conceal the crime. The Crown Prosecution Service said her actions had caused prolonged suffering for the victim’s family.
Podedworna will be sentenced on Wednesday.