Police say a body found in Worcester appears to be Karen Solomon, ending a weeklong manhunt with a grim turn.
Story Snapshot
- Police said the body appears to be Karen Solomon, pending medical examiner confirmation.
- A handgun was found near the body in the wooded area off May Street.
- Officers had been searching for Solomon after her police officer husband was found dead.
- Worcester’s police chief framed the case as a tragic murder-suicide.
Search Ends In Wooded Area With Gun Nearby
Worcester police said two Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital employees found a deceased person in the woods near 189 May Street around 12:49 p.m. on August 24. Officers responded, secured the scene, and reported a handgun in the area of the body.
At a briefing, Chief Paul Saucier said the remains appear to be Karen Solomon. He stressed that the medical examiner must confirm the identification before it becomes final.
Karen Solomon, wife wanted in Mass. cop hubby's death, found dead after going on the lam https://t.co/I7pAmahGQY pic.twitter.com/n6VT1erWxr
— New York Post (@nypost) August 24, 2026
Chief Saucier said investigators believe the case is a tragic murder-suicide. He noted that the department still has work to do to close the investigation.
The handgun’s presence, the location of the body, and the timeline from the initial home scene all shaped the department’s view. Officials have not publicly released the cause of Officer Kurt Solomon’s death. That detail will likely come from the medical examiner.
From Home Scene To Manhunt
Police had been searching for Karen Solomon since officers found her husband, Worcester Police Officer Kurt Solomon, dead at their home on Wildwood Avenue.
The Worcester County District Attorney said investigators wanted to question her about what happened in the house. Police also warned the public that she could be armed and dangerous as they widened the search. The police union identified Officer Solomon as a 31-year veteran of the force in earlier reports.
The manhunt drew help from local and state partners. Officers canvassed neighborhoods, checked parks and trails, and reviewed video where available. The wooded area off May Street sits near medical buildings and busy roads.
The discovery there ended the active search but shifted the focus to forensics. Detectives now need the final identification, the autopsy findings, and lab work on the handgun to map the last steps with clarity.
Why Police Landed On A Murder-Suicide Frame
Police often adopt a clear public safety message when a suspected killer is at large. The “armed and dangerous” alert can move tips, justify the search, and warn the public.
When the suspect is later found dead with a gun nearby, and the timeline fits, departments often describe the case as a murder-suicide. That label matches a known but rare pattern in domestic violence deaths in the United States.
Recent epidemiology places murder-suicide events at low population rates, yet these cases draw intense attention and fast conclusions. That context helps explain the department’s framing.
It does not replace the need for final confirmation from the medical examiner. One caveat remains: officials said the identification of the body is preliminary and will be confirmed by the medical examiner.
What Comes Next For The Case And Community
The medical examiner’s office will confirm the identity and determine cause and manner of death. Ballistics testing can link the recovered handgun to any evidence from the home scene.
Crime scene work at Wildwood Avenue and the May Street woods will build a final timeline. Those steps will show whether the physical record supports what police now believe about both deaths.
WORCESTER POLICE FIND BODY OF KAREN SOLOMON IN SUSPECTED MURDER-SUICIDE
Police in Worcester, Massachusetts have found the body of Karen Solomon, who was being sought in the killing of her police officer husband. The mental health advocate has disappeared from her home six days…
— Worldwide News Network (@WorldwideNNX) August 25, 2026
Families, neighbors, and the Worcester Police Department now face hard days. Officer Solomon’s long service adds weight to the grief.
Karen Solomon’s known work in police mental health circles adds a painful twist to the story. Facts should lead the finish of this case. Clear answers, grounded in forensic results, honor both the victims and the truth the public deserves.
Sources:
newsnationnow.com, abcnews.com, youtube.com, bostonherald.com, apnews.com
