Karen Solomon found dead in woods following manhunt over officer husband

Karen Solomon

A multiday search for Karen Solomon, a Massachusetts woman wanted in connection with the death of her police officer husband, has ended with the discovery of her body in a wooded area near a hospital. According to authorities, a gun was found near her body, and while a final identification is still pending, officials are confident that the body is that of Karen Solomon. The search for Solomon began after the body of her husband, Kurt Solomon, a 31-year veteran of the Worcester Police Department, was found at their home on Wildwood Avenue. Kurt Solomon was a distinguished member of the department and was nearing retirement. He had two adult sons and was described by his colleagues as a loved and respected member of the department. As Officer Thomas Duffy, President of NEPBA Local 911, said, "Kurt was a loved and respected member of our department with 31 years. When you serve 31 years with an individual, you become more than co-workers, you become family and today we lost a member of our family." Karen Solomon, 58, was a mental health advocate for law enforcement and had co-founded an organization called First H.E.L.P., which aims to support the mental health of first responders and their families. She had also written two books on the subject, "Hearts Beneath the Badge" and "The Price They Pay." Solomon had testified before the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice in 2020, speaking about the need for support for officers and their families. In a 2016 interview with WBZ-TV's Louisa Moller, Solomon discussed an app she was developing to support police officers in crisis and said, "I'm going to tell some stories about all the good things people forget they do. They buy meals, they save people's lives, they put themselves in jeopardy." The investigation into Kurt Solomon's death is ongoing, but authorities have described it as "an act of domestic violence." However, Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier has stated that there was no recorded history of domestic violence between the couple, and the incident is being treated as a tragic murder-suicide. Chief Saucier said, "We believe this case is a tragic murder-suicide that occurred, and we still have plenty of work to do as far as wrapping up all the pieces to this." The circumstances surrounding Kurt Solomon's death have not been fully released, but authorities have said that a sharp object was involved. The search for Karen Solomon involved multiple agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations. She was considered armed and dangerous, and a helicopter from U.S. Customs and Border Protection was used in the search. Doorbell camera footage released by authorities showed Karen Solomon walking down a street in a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops shortly after officers responded to the couple's home and found her husband's body. The discovery of Karen Solomon's body brings an end to the search, but the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the couple is ongoing. A wake for Officer Kurt Solomon is scheduled, followed by his funeral. The community has come together to support the family, with the Solomon family releasing a statement thanking all the departments involved in the search and expressing their gratitude for the compassion and empathy shown to them during this difficult time. The family said, "The nightmare of the past week has left our family heartbroken and rudderless. The compassion, dedication, and empathy of all agencies involved have given us light in the face of darkness. The selflessness of those who have helped us weather the storm cannot be expressed in simple words." The family also thanked all the departments who were involved in the search, saying, "You men and women have taken time out of your lives to help us find answers, if there ever will be any. You have given us comfort knowing you are working on our behalf, for us. God bless you all."