Wife Sought After Veteran Police Officer Found Dead at Home

A Veteran Officer Is Found Dead at Home

A 31-year Worcester police veteran was found dead inside his Massachusetts home, and authorities are searching for Karen Solomon, 58, under an arrest warrant accusing her of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury.

Officer Kurt Solomon, 57, was found at the Wildwood Avenue home shortly before 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 18, after police responded to what had initially been reported as a medical situation.

CBS Boston has described Karen Solomon as his wife. The Associated Press reported that court records indicated the two had been married, while authorities declined to publicly detail the current status of their relationship because of domestic-violence privacy restrictions.

Police Launch a Wide Search

Police said Karen Solomon was seen on video walking away from the area early Tuesday morning, only minutes after officers responded to the home.

By Friday, Worcester police publicly announced that an arrest warrant had been issued. Authorities asked people in the area to inspect yards, garages and sheds and to review security-camera footage for anything that might help investigators locate her.

The search expanded around Mill Street and Coes Pond, roughly half a mile from the home.

Federal personnel joined local authorities, and investigators used divers, sonar and other resources in the search. City officials temporarily closed public areas around Coes Pond as the operation continued.

Police Chief Paul Saucier said investigators would continue until they found her.

A Department Mourns One of Its Own

Kurt Solomon had served with the Worcester Police Department for 31 years and was approaching retirement, according to CBS Boston.

Colleagues remembered him as a respected and deeply familiar presence within the department. The police union president described the loss in terms usually reserved for family, reflecting the bonds built across three decades of service.

Saucier similarly praised Solomon as both a police officer and a person, saying he would be greatly missed.

A wake and funeral were scheduled for the following week as fellow officers and loved ones prepared to say goodbye.

The Public-Facing Contrast Adds Another Layer

Karen Solomon has been publicly associated with advocacy for first responders.

The Associated Press reported that she helped start First H.E.L.P., an organization focused on first-responder mental health, and had written books dealing with the experiences of police officers and other emergency workers.

CBS Boston had previously interviewed her about efforts to support law enforcement officers in crisis and her writing about positive acts performed by police.

That background creates a striking contrast with the current investigation, but it does not establish what happened inside the home.

Authorities have not publicly provided a complete account of the events leading to Kurt Solomon’s death.

Serious Questions Remain Unanswered

Police have said Kurt Solomon suffered injuries involving a sharp object, but officials have limited the details they are releasing. The arrest warrant against Karen Solomon is an accusation, not a finding of guilt.

As of the latest supplied reporting checked on August 23, authorities were still searching for her.

For Worcester police, the case has two difficult dimensions unfolding at once: an active investigation requiring a large-scale search and the loss of an officer who spent most of his adult life serving the department.

The unanswered questions remain with investigators. For Solomon’s colleagues and family, however, the grief is already immediate - a veteran officer is dead, his funeral is approaching, and the search connected to his death has not yet reached its conclusion.

References: Arrest warrant issued for Massachusetts woman sought in officer’s death | Arrest warrant issued for wife of Worcester police officer found dead