Man Stabbed Ex-Girlfriend 217 Times After She Said She Was ‘Done’ with Him, as Mom Confronts Killer in Court

A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the horrific stabbing death of his former girlfriend.

Bruce Maiben, 48, was convicted of first-degree murder on Monday, Nov. 3, for killing 40-year-old Sherell Pringle.

“This verdict and subsequent sentence will ensure that the defendant will be held accountable for his senseless and atrocious conduct,” Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker said on Wednesday, Nov. 5. “Our hope is that the family and friends of Sherell Pringle can find some comfort in this outcome.”

Pringle, the mother of a teenage son, disappeared in the early morning hours of Dec. 19, 2021. Two days later, her body was discovered in the Rumney Marsh Reservation in Saugus.

According to Boston25News, Pringle had been stabbed more than 217 times.

Court filings cited by Boston.com revealed that Pringle texted a friend shortly before her death, saying she was “done with [Maiben]” after he allegedly broke into her home and threatened her with a knife.

At Maiben’s sentencing, Pringle’s mother, Pearl Garner, delivered a powerful victim impact statement, calling Maiben “scum.”

“You don’t deserve to be walking here,” she said, according to Boston25News. “You will get what you deserve because God don’t like ugly. I hope you rot in hell for what you did.”

Garner added that her daughter’s funeral had to be closed-casket due to the severity of the attack, NBC10 reported.

According to her obituary, Pringle, who worked with a medical group, loved traveling, shopping, and taking photos. “She enjoyed life,” it read. “Our queen was a natural-born leader. She was very ambitious. She was an amazing mother.”

Boston25News also reported that Pringle had recently made an offer on a home, which was approved shortly after her death.

Maiben was arrested on Dec. 23, 2021.