WAUKESHA, Wis. (Court TV) — A Wisconsin man convicted of murdering his long-time girlfriend and dumping her body in the woods maintained his innocence at his sentencing, telling the judge, “I am the only victim here.”
Matthew Pahl enters court ahead of his sentencing on Nov. 11, 2025. (Court TV)
Earlier this month, a jury found Matthew Pahl guilty on charges of first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse in the death of Stephanie Pavlons. Pavlons was last seen on Aug. 23, 2022, leaving the apartment the couple shared. Her body was found badly decomposed in the woods 17 days later by a group of construction workers who were posting “No Trespassing” signs in the area.
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During his trial, prosecutors painted Pahl as a controlling and abusive boyfriend who killed Pavlons during a domestic dispute. The couple had been in an on-and-off relationship, and witnesses testified about previous incidents of violence and controlling behavior. At Tuesday’s sentencing, prosecutors emphasized Pahl’s history of violence and revealed that he had been the primary person of interest in a 1993 murder in Milwaukee.
“It just shows the violence that the defendant has had for his entire life,” Prosecutor Kristi Gordon said. “Mr. Pahl is a violent and abusive man. He is the epitome of domestic violence.”
When he was offered a chance to address the Court, Pahl wasted no time firing back at the prosecutor, saying, “I want to correct some of the puke coming out of Gordon’s mouth,” as he denied any involvement in the 1993 murder. Pahl railed against what he called a “sham trial called ‘Making a Murderer’ here in Waukesha,” and declared himself the victim. “I am the one being murdered by the new Gestapo,” Pahl said.
Pahl’s attorney, Peter Wolff, questioned his own abilities as he recalled the prosecution’s rebuttal closing argument, in which Gordon suggested that Pahl murdered Pavlons with the strap of her purse. “I may have made a mistake by never testing that purse,” Wolff said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think they would argue that Ms. Pavlons was strangled with the chain of that purse.”
As he handed down the mandatory life sentence, Judge Ralph Ramirez noted that the jury took less than one hour to convict Pahl. “In my 40-plus years of legal experience, to my recollection, this is the fastest verdict that I can recall.”
Ramirez sentenced Pahl to a term of life in prison without the chance of release, with an additional 12.5 years to be served consecutively. “Mr. Pahl, I’m not a psychiatrist or a psychologist, but the things I see about you…you’re the center of the universe. The universe revolves around you,” Ramirez said. “Everyone is wrong, you’re the only one that’s right. Sir, what you have exhibited to me demonstrates to me what I consider, and again, I’m not a shrink, this is what I consider to be narcissistic behavior.”
Resitution was set at $8,309, which Pahl said he felt he should not have to pay.
