To continue getting breaking news and the full stories from The Boston Globe, subscribe today.

The Boston Globe

Metro

Boston.com

2 charged in NU student’s 2008 death

22-year-old senior was shot in Mission Hill; one suspect already in prison for unrelated crime

By Martine Powers

 |  Globe Staff  

  April 30, 2012

Two suspects have been charged in the May 2008 slaying of Rebecca Payne, a 22-year-old Northeastern University student, found dead in her Mission Hill apartment. Cornell Smith, 30, was indicted and charged with first-degree murder, the Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced Sunday. Michael Balba, 55, of Billerica was arrested Saturday and charged with charged with four counts of perjury for allegedly lying to a Suffolk County grand jury.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

Free access for home delivery subscribers.

Just need to link your home delivery account; one easy step.

Link my home delivery account

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help