A woman who spent years advocating for police officers and other first responders is wanted after her husband, a veteran Worcester police officer, was found dead at the Massachusetts home they shared.
Karen Solomon, 58, became the subject of a multi-agency search after Patrolman Kurt Solomon, 57, was found dead early Tuesday morning. By Friday, Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier said an arrest warrant had been issued for Karen.
Saucier said Karen is currently charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury. He described Kurt’s injuries as involving a “sharp object.”
Long before the current investigation, Karen had become an advocate for police mental health and suicide prevention.
The Search
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Around 5:30 a.m., a dispatcher sent officers to the Wildwood Avenue home after a caller reported a man lying in the backyard who might not be breathing.
Officers arrived and found Kurt Solomon dead. They also reported finding blood inside the home.
About 20 minutes later, dispatch called the original number back and reached a voicemail identifying it as Karen Solomon’s. The original caller has not been identified, according to Boston 25 News.
Kurt was off duty at the time. The New England Police Benevolent Association identified him as a 31-year veteran of the Worcester Police Department.
Worcester Police began looking for Karen that morning, saying she was being sought “regarding the death of a male at her residence.” She had last been seen on foot walking toward Westcott Street, and there was concern she might be armed.
Surveillance footage showed Karen walking in the Coes Pond area at approximately 5:41 a.m.
Saucier said the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security, and other agencies joined the search. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter assisted from the air, while crews used divers, sonar, and dogs around Coes Pond.
On Friday, the City of Worcester closed several public areas around Coes Pond because of the investigation.
The Arrest Warrant
During a Friday press conference, Saucier said the warrant for Karen had been issued approximately two days earlier.
He said she is currently charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury.
Saucier described Kurt’s injuries as involving a “sharp object” but did not identify it. He also said Kurt’s police service weapon was accounted for at the residence when a search warrant was executed.
Karen was still considered armed and dangerous.
“We will not stop until we find her,” Saucier said.
All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Police Mental Health Advocacy
Karen had worked on police mental health and suicide prevention for years.
A U.S. Department of Justice biography lists her as co-founder and president of Blue H.E.L.P. and creator of 1sthelp.net.
She wrote Hearts Beneath the Badge and The Price They Pay, two books about law enforcement officers and their families.
She also served as co-chair of the Data and Research Committee of the National Consortium on Law Enforcement Suicide Prevention.
In 2020, Karen testified before the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice about officer suicide, mental health, stigma, and support for families after an officer’s death.
She later helped co-found First H.E.L.P., which works with first responders and their families.
After Kurt’s death, First H.E.L.P. offered condolences to his family, colleagues, and the Worcester law enforcement community, according to the Associated Press.
Three Decades of Service
Kurt spent 31 years with the Worcester Police Department. The New England Police Benevolent Association remembered him as a dependable officer, colleague, and friend.
He is survived by his sons, Niklas and Brandon; his mother, Shirley; and his brothers, Karl and Eric.
During Friday’s press conference, Saucier called him an “awesome police officer and an awesome person.”
Court records reviewed by the Associated Press show Karen and Kurt had been married and shared the Worcester home.
A wake for Kurt is scheduled for Tuesday, followed by his funeral Wednesday, according to the AP.
Karen remained at large Saturday afternoon. Worcester Police have asked anyone who sees her not to approach her and to call the department or 911.