A Boston man will spend at least a decade behind bars for the 2023 stabbing death of a woman on a South End street near the notorious Mass. and Cass intersection, while the woman accused of helping him is set to stand trial this week. Michael Bellanti, 35, was sentenced to 10 to 15 years in state prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the killing of 39-year-old Kimberly Webb.
According to The Boston Globe, Webb died from her injuries after Bellanti stabbed her near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, an area widely known as Mass. and Cass that has long served as the hub of an open-air drug market and homeless encampment. Crystal Morgan, who is charged in connection with Webb’s death, is expected to see jury selection begin Wednesday at Suffolk Superior Court, the newspaper reported, citing a statement from the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office.
The fight that led to Webb’s death began the evening of August 18, 2023, on Atkinson Street, where Boston police initially broke up an altercation involving Webb, Bellanti, and Morgan and sent the parties walking in opposite directions, per the DA’s statement relayed by the Globe. Webb headed down Atkinson Street before turning onto Southampton Street and then Topeka Street, while Bellanti and Morgan reportedly went the other direction on Atkinson before cutting over to South Bay Avenue and Topeka Street themselves, according to evidence described in the case.
How the Confrontation Turned Deadly
Evidence showed Bellanti retrieved an item from his right sock area and approached Webb on Topeka Street, with Morgan following behind him. Bellanti then backed Webb toward the opposite side of the street with Morgan’s help, and Morgan is accused of preventing Webb from leaving by putting her hands on Webb’s arm as Bellanti slashed and stabbed in Webb’s direction, per the DA’s account cited by the Globe. Webb was stabbed through her right breast, hand, and arm area before Bellanti and Morgan left the scene toward Southampton Street, officials said. Webb was transported to the hospital from Atkinson Street but died from her injuries…