'Skilled butcher' murdered, cut up and buried partner
A jury has found Anna Podedworna, 40, guilty of murdering her partner, Izabela Zablocka, following a cold case investigation that spanned 15 years.
Podedworna, a skilled butcher originally from Poland, killed 30-year-old Izabela in August 2010. She then dismembered the body, cutting it in half, and buried the remains in the back garden of their home on Princes Street, Normanton, Derby. The site was later concealed under a concrete hardstanding.
On Tuesday, 10 February 2026, Podedworna was convicted at Derby Crown Court of:
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Murder
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Perverting the course of justice
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Preventing a lawful burial
The "Tipping Point": A Journalist's Visit 📺
For 15 years, Podedworna maintained a web of lies, telling Izabela’s family and authorities that she had simply "run off" to London or left the country. The breakthrough came in May 2025 when Rafał Zalewski, a journalist for the Polish TV program Interwencja, travelled to Derby to confront her.
Under the "mounting pressure" of the impending interview and contact from missing persons' charities, Podedworna finally "cracked." She emailed Derbyshire Police disclosing the location of the body, though she initially claimed the death was an accident occurring in self-defence.
A "Chilling" Level of Skill 🔪
The prosecution, led by Gordon Aspden KC, highlighted Podedworna's background as a professional butcher at a poultry factory in Scropton.
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The Act: The court heard that "considerable force" and professional skill were required to bisect the body. Podedworna used a large knife to cut Izabela in two before trussing the remains with electrical tape.
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The "Butcher's Skill": Investigators noted her expertise in deboning and portioning carcasses was directly applied to the disposal of the body.
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The Aftermath: Employment records showed Podedworna took two weeks off work immediately following the final phone call Izabela made to her mother in August 2010.
Impact on the Family 🕊️
Izabela’s daughter, Katarzyna, who was a child when her mother disappeared, told the court of the "15 years of confusion and anguish" the family endured. Following the verdict, she expressed an "enormous sense of relief" that justice had finally been served.
Detective Inspector Kane described Podedworna as a "self-proclaimed, deceitful, manipulative liar" who had "deleted every trace" of Izabela to protect herself.
Sentencing ⚖️
Anna Podedworna is scheduled to be sentenced at Derby Crown Court today, Wednesday, 11 February 2026, where she faces a mandatory life sentence for murder.
