A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to life in prison after “viciously” murdering his girlfriend with a hammer and attempting to cover up the crime.
Conviction and Sentencing
Michael Carey Jr., 47, was found guilty of first-degree murder and possessing an instrument of crime by a Montgomery County jury. The jury deliberated for only an hour and a half before convicting Carey for the brutal killing of 34-year-old Jessica Zipkin in November.
Carey was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, which is the mandatory sentence in Pennsylvania for first-degree murder convictions.
The Murder
Carey killed Zipkin on the afternoon of November 1, 2023, at their shared home in Perkiomen Township. Prosecutors said Carey struck Zipkin over the head with a hammer more than 20 times.
However, police did not learn of Zipkin’s death until after midnight on November 2, as Carey waited ten hours before reporting the incident, using the time to try to conceal the crime.
Attempt to Conceal the Crime
At around 1 a.m., Carey reportedly told the owner of his building about the dead woman in his apartment. When police arrived, they found Zipkin’s lifeless body on the bedroom floor with a fatal head wound. An autopsy confirmed that Zipkin died from blunt force trauma to the head and ruled her death a homicide.
Prosecutors described the killing as gruesome, with a medical examiner noting that Carey’s hammer strikes were so violent they caused Zipkin’s brain to be “partially liquefied.”
Carey’s Actions After the Murder
Prosecutors said Carey took several steps to conceal his crime, including showering, changing clothes, and discarding evidence in a trash can at a nearby restaurant. Neighbors had reported hearing a woman’s screams shortly before Carey was seen entering the restaurant’s basement.
Carey’s Statement and Defense
In a recorded phone call from jail, Carey reportedly told a friend, “I heard her take her last breath … it is what it is,” acknowledging his role in Zipkin’s death.
While Carey’s defense attorneys argued that he was under the influence of drugs, including methamphetamine, and therefore lacked the ability to plan the murder, the jury ultimately found him guilty.
Victim’s Family and Judge’s Remarks
Zipkin’s family, including her mother, father, sister, and several nieces and nephews, were left devastated by her death. Judge Wendy Rothstein condemned Carey’s actions in court, calling the murder “vicious” and “hard to even describe.”
