A Massachusetts man appeared in Lowell District Court yesterday for his arraignment on charges of killing a woman and burying her beneath his garage floor. This was his first court appearance since his arrest after he allegedly told a friend he accidentally shot and killed another friend named Jill.
Arraignment Hearing
Shawn Sullivan, 40, is charged with murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and improper disposal of human remains. He did not speak during the hearing on Wednesday, but his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Prosecutors say that Sullivan admitted to a friend that he shot and accidentally killed his friend named Jill, buried her body under his garage, and lived with it in his house for a couple of days. Sullivan claims he was falling asleep with the gun in his hand when he jerked awake, shooting the gun off in the direction of the victim, piercing her in the chest.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Sullivan’s arrest Monday afternoon after the friend he confided in reported the incident to the police. Assistant Middlesex District Attorney Ceara Mahoney said during the brief hearing that police recovered the victim’s body and positively identified her as Jill Kloppenburg, who was reported missing by friends in February 2025.
Sullivan’s defense attorney, Ryan Sullivan, argued that the defendant should be charged as involuntary manslaughter instead of murder, stating the evidence suggests “This was a tragic accident, followed by inexcusable panic.” He further suggested that Sullivan’s decision to allegedly confess to a friend shows he was “trying to get the weight of a tragic mistake off his shoulders.”
Sullivan is being held without bond and will return to court for a probable cause hearing on April 17, 2026.
Alleged Tragic Accident
Jill Kloppenburg was last seen in January 2025 and was reported missing the following months by friends. Her body was discovered in Shawn Sullivan’s home in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, last week after Nashua police received a tip from someone who claimed to be Sullivan’s friend.
Authorities arrested the homeowner on Monday, March 16, 2026, more than a year after Kloppenburg was reported missing. Prosecutors allege Sullivan was showing Kloppenburg a gun in his bedroom when he accidentally shot her and decided to bury her a few days later. However, Sullivan relays a different version of events.
“The defendant said he was with Jill and holding a firearm while falling asleep. At some point, he made a jerking motion, which caused him to pull the trigger, discharging a firearm and shooting Jill in the chest. He stated that Jill soon died, and if there was a chance for her survival, he would have called for help. Instead, the defendant kept Jill’s body in his room for a couple of days. He then brought Jill’s body to the garage, where he dug a hole, placed her body in the hole, and then filled the hole,” Sullivan’s attorney explained.
While Sullivan’s attorney acknowledges the defendant’s inexcusable actions to accidentally murder and conceal a body, he claims his client has been in a state of panic for over a year now. The defense argues this case does not meet the statutory requirements to be tried as murder, but instead should be tried as involuntary manslaughter.
Victim’s Friends Do Not Buy It
Kloppenburg’s loved ones are rightfully outraged and in disbelief at the entire situation. Several were interviewed outside the courthouse after Sullivan was arraigned. They do not believe his version of events that he accidentally killed her, or if he did, that he is remorseful for his actions.
“He dug a hole in his friggin’ garage,” Laura, a friend of Kloppenburg, said. “You think he’s really sorry? No!“
“She was a mother, she was a friend, and a sister, a daughter,” another friend, Theresa Brink, said as tears escaped her eyes.”Just be a man and just do your time,” Cindy Crowley said.
