Karen Solomon, wanted in connection with the death of her officer husband, believed to be found dead in woods, police say

By Cindy Von Quednow, Gloria Pazmino, CNN

(CNN) — The nearly weeklong search for Karen Solomon, a Massachusetts woman wanted in connection with the death of her police officer husband, ended Monday when she was believed to be found dead in the woods just days after police issued an arrest warrant for her, officials said during a news conference.

A gun was found near her, and authorities believe she took her own life, Worcester Police Department Chief Paul Saucier said.

Police had been searching for Solomon after her husband, Worcester police officer Kurt Solomon, was found dead at their home Tuesday. Karen Solomon was the co-founder of a group that advocates for the mental health of officers.

There was no history of domestic abuse between the couple, according to Saucier, who called the incident a tragic murder-suicide.

The already grieving agency received “somewhat closure” after the killing of their fellow officer, but it continues to be a difficult time, Saucier said, adding there are mental health services available for officers.

Karen Solomon was wanted for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon with serious bodily injury, Saucier said at a news conference Friday. She was considered armed and dangerous, the chief said at the time, though Kurt Solomon’s service weapon was not missing from the home.

Kurt Solomon’s injury involved a sharp object but Saucier declined Friday to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation into the officer’s death. He didn’t provide further details Monday.

Previously released doorbell camera footage of Karen Solomon shows her walking down a street in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops early Tuesday morning, just minutes after officers responded to a call from the home.

Two workers at a rehabilitation hospital in the area reported finding the body about a half-mile from where that doorbell camera footage was recorded, Saucier said.

A wake will be held on Tuesday and Kurt Solomon’s funeral will be on Wednesday, the police chief said Friday.

Dispatch recordings offer details

Worcester dispatch recordings obtained by CNN offer details about the response to the home where Kurt Solomon was found dead Tuesday, including reports of blood inside the residence, attempts to reach a female 911 caller and a missing SUV.

Around 5:30 a.m., first responders were dispatched to the home for a report of a man lying in the backyard, and a responding officer later reported seeing “visible blood inside the building, inside the bathroom, in the back,” according to the recordings.

The dispatcher said the person who reported the incident was a female resident of the home, and when dispatchers called back, the voicemail identified the number as belonging to Karen Solomon. Police have not publicly confirmed that Solomon placed the 911 call.

The audio then captures dispatchers saying they repeatedly called the number, but no one answered.

A gray 2023 Toyota Highlander registered to the homeowners was reported missing shortly afterward, prompting a be-on-the-lookout alert around 6:19 a.m., according to the dispatch audio.

The timing of the police dispatch recordings aligns with the Worcester Police Department’s public account of the initial response.

Kurt Solomon remembered as father and veteran

Kurt Solomon, 57, was described as a “hell of a guy,” “an awesome police officer and an awesome person.”

He was the father of two sons and “a dedicated gardener who took pride in his vegetable garden,” according to his obituary. He was an Army veteran who served more than three decades in the Worcester Police Department.

Kurt Solomon was “known as an incredibly dependable officer, colleague and friend,” the New England Benevolent Association, a law enforcement labor organization, said.

He often donated his extra vegetable crops to the food bank, enjoyed fishing, golfing and “simply sitting on his deck with a cup of coffee.”

“The nightmare of the past week has left our family heartbroken and rudderless,” the Solomon family said in a statement Saucier read during the news conference. “The selflessness of those who have helped us weather the storm cannot be expressed in simple words.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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CNN’s Elise Hammond, Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata and Amanda Jackson contributed to this report.