Dorchester woman arrested in fatal July stabbing near Park Street Station on Boston Common
Arrest follows months-long investigation into July killing near downtown transit hub
Boston police have arrested a Dorchester woman in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 21-year-old South Boston woman near Park Street Station, a heavily traveled area bordering Boston Common and the downtown shopping district.
The arrest occurred at about 6 a.m. on Saturday, November 4, 2023, when officers took 30-year-old Alyssa Partsch into custody on a murder warrant issued out of Suffolk Superior Court. Police reported the arrest took place near Wainwright Street in Dorchester.
What investigators say happened on July 20
The victim, Jazreanna Sheppard, was found by responding officers just after 11:30 p.m. on July 20, 2023, near 121 Tremont Street, outside the Park Street MBTA station. Sheppard was suffering from stab wounds and was transported to Tufts Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Court records later described an encounter that escalated into a physical fight and ended with Sheppard being stabbed before the suspect fled. Prosecutors have alleged the incident was captured on security video and that the two women had not met in person prior to the killing, though they had communicated on social media.
Charges and court timeline
Partsch was arraigned on Monday, November 6, 2023, in Suffolk County Superior Court and entered a not-guilty plea to a charge of second-degree murder. The court ordered her held without bail at that arraignment.
A Suffolk County grand jury indicted Partsch on the murder charge on Friday, November 3, 2023, shortly before her arrest. A pretrial hearing date was set for November 16, 2023.
Prior case referenced in court proceedings
During the November 6 arraignment, prosecutors confirmed that Partsch previously pleaded guilty to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, stemming from an earlier knife attack on a different victim. Court records placed that prior incident in May 2017, with the guilty plea entered in March 2019.
What is publicly known about the victim
Family statements released after the July killing described Sheppard as a mother who left behind a young son. Relatives also said she had been returning from a concert on the night of the stabbing.
Victim: Jazreanna Sheppard, 21, of South Boston
Location: near 121 Tremont St., outside Park Street Station
Date of stabbing: July 20, 2023, about 11:30 p.m.
Arrest: November 4, 2023, about 6 a.m., Dorchester
Charge: second-degree murder; plea: not guilty
The case remains pending in Suffolk County Superior Court.