Suvechha Sarkar
In March 2024, the life of 67-year-old Stuart Everett (born Roman Ziemacki) came to an abrupt halt when he was killed inside a shared house on Worsley Road in Salford, Greater Manchester. Investigators soon discovered that he was sharing the home with Marcin Majerkiewicz and Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski. Paramount+’s ‘The Jigsaw Puzzle Murder’ sheds light on the evidence that led officials to identify Marcin and Michal as the suspects. However, Michal was never convicted of any charges related to the crime. The docuseries also features interviews with him and the detectives who helped bring the truth to light.
Michal Polchowski Faced Authorities’ Scrutiny After One of His Housemates’ Death
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski was born on April 25, 1956, in Poland. It is worth noting that there isn’t much information available in the public reports about his early life. However, it is known that he eventually relocated to Manchester and settled in a shared home on Worsley Road in Salford, where he lived with Stuart Everett (born Roman Ziemacki) and Marcin Majerkiewicz. Eventually, Michal began working at a meat-processing factory in the Greater Manchester area. There, his daily roles included handling and packaging large pieces of meat. Things took a grave turn when officials discovered a part of a human torso neatly wrapped in plastic on April 4, 2024, in Kersal Dale Nature Reserve.
Over the next few days, DNA testing and inquiries helped investigators determine that the remains belonged to 67-year-old Stuart. According to reports, CCTV footage from near the nature reserve initially enabled authorities to identify Marcin as the suspect. The footage captured him entering the area with a heavy bag but leaving with what appeared to be an empty and folded bag. After tracking his whereabouts, they arrested him on April 25, 2024, on suspicion of Stuart’s murder. During his questioning, Marcin revealed that he and the 67-year-old had another housemate, Michal. As per police records, officials soon learned about Michal’s job, which led them to suspect he was involved in the crime.
Michal Polchowski and Marcin Majerkiewicz Were Identified as Suspects in the Case
According to the detectives on the show, forensic experts found that a section of carpet in Marcin’s bedroom had been cut out, and when the missing piece was recovered outside the property, a DNA test revealed it contained Stuart’s blood. Additionally, they found Stuart’s blood on the floor underneath that carpet and DNA of Marcin in the nails that were used to secure the replacement carpet. Meanwhile, digital experts checked Michal’s mobile data, which revealed that he was present in the home around the suspected time of the murder. Reports state that forensic experts had determined that the crime occurred in the late hours of March 27, 2024, or the early hours of March 28.
In their interviews, the detectives revealed that they eventually learned that Michal was on annual leave around the time of the crime. When they reviewed surveillance footage from his workplace and the plastic wrapping materials available there, they found nothing suspicious. According to one official, although some of Michal’s colleagues allegedly saw him appear distant and sad after returning to work following the completion of his leave, investigators were unable to find any evidence of the disposal of Stuart’s remains at the factory. He was also taken into custody, but when interrogated, he declined to answer questions. Ultimately, Michal and Marcin were both charged with murder and manslaughter.
Michal Polchowski is Likely Leading a Quiet Life Out of the Spotlight
As authorities prepared for trial, they collected several pieces of digital and forensic evidence that pointed to Marcin as the prime suspect. However, they were unable to find any concrete evidence against Michal indicating he might have been involved in the crime. The detectives eventually ruled Michal out as a suspect in the investigation. Subsequently, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges against him in February 2025, and he never went on trial or was convicted of charges related to the case. On the contrary, Marcin’s jury trial began in March 2025, and he was ultimately convicted of Stuart’s murder on March 21. On March 28, 2025, he was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum prison term of 34 years.
In his most recent interview on the show, Michal claimed that while residing with Marcin and Stuart, he always had the items he usually needed on his own floor. In his statements, Michal claimed he seldom went into the kitchen and never saw anything suspicious in the house in Manchester. On the show, he insisted that he hadn’t heard any sounds on that fateful day. He further alleged that one of the reasons why he might not have heard anything could be because Stuart often became drowsy after drinking alcohol. However, it is worth noting that none of those claims are substantiated with evidence. As of writing, Michal is residing in Wrocław, Poland, and appears to be maintaining a low profile.
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