Wife of Police Officer Found Dead Sought
Sandego.net – The wife of police officer who was discovered lifeless inside the couple’s Worcester, Massachusetts home is now being tracked by investigators as a suspect described as “armed and dangerous.” Karen Solomon, 57, faces a warrant charging her with assault and battery using a dangerous weapon that caused serious bodily injury. Her husband, Kurt Solomon, was found at the Wildwood Avenue residence earlier this week, and authorities say the search for her has entered its second week.
At a Friday press conference, Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier urged residents to stay alert while clarifying that the department-issued sidearm belonging to the slain officer had not been removed from the property. He stressed that investigators would continue their pursuit no matter where the suspect surfaces.
“Right now, we’re continuing our search. We will not stop until we find her either way, here or somewhere else,” Saucier told reporters gathered outside the station.
Dispatch Audio Reconstructs the Morning Timeline
Recordings from the Worcester dispatch center, reviewed by CNN, lay out a minute-by-minute picture of the initial response. At roughly 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, units were dispatched to the Wildwood Avenue address after a report of a man lying in the backyard. The first officer on scene described visible blood inside the structure, concentrated in the bathroom and along the rear corridor.
Dispatchers repeatedly tried to reach the female resident who had placed the original call. When the number finally went to voicemail, the greeting identified the phone as belonging to Karen Solomon. One dispatcher asked a colleague whether the caller was male or female; the answer confirmed a woman whose recorded greeting carried the name Solomon. Police have not publicly stated whether she made that first call, and the recordings do not reveal its contents.
A gray 2023 Toyota Highlander registered to the homeowners was reported missing shortly after the initial response. A be-on-the-lookout alert for the vehicle went out at approximately 6:19 a.m. ET. The timing in the dispatch audio aligns with Saucier’s own Tuesday statement that officers arrived at Wildwood Avenue around 5:28 a.m. ET in response to a “medical person down” call.
Charges, Privacy Protections, and What Remains Undisclosed
The warrant charges Solomon with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury. Saucier indicated the injury involved a sharp object but declined further detail, citing the active investigation. No motive has been publicly identified.
Court records confirm the two were married and shared the Wildwood Avenue address. Officials, however, declined to characterize their relationship at the time of the incident, invoking domestic-violence privacy protections. The department has likewise withheld what was said during the original 911 call.
A Three-Decade Career and a Community in Grief
Kurt Solomon, also 57, spent more than three decades with the Worcester force before his death. An Army veteran and father of two sons, he was remembered in his obituary as “a dedicated gardener who took pride in his vegetable garden.” Neighbors recalled that he routinely donated surplus produce from his plots to a local food bank.
Outside his duties, he enjoyed fishing, golf, and what his obituary called “simply sitting on his deck with a cup of coffee.” The New England Benevolent Association, the regional law-enforcement labor organization, described him as “known as an incredibly dependable officer, colleague and friend.”
Worcester Mayor Joe Petty posted a tribute on Instagram, recalling the man’s “caring personality and the warm smile with which he always greeted me at City Council meetings.” Petty added that those small interactions “spoke to the kind of person he was and will be greatly missed.”
“Kurt was a hell of a guy. He was an awesome police officer and an awesome person and he’s going to be truly missed,” Saucier said. “The Worcester Police Department is hurting right now and we’re hoping we can bring closure to the family.”
A wake is scheduled for Tuesday, with the funeral to follow on Wednesday, Saucier confirmed. He described the family as “going through a lot right now” and called the situation “very difficult.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Karen Solomon being sought? Authorities have not disclosed a specific location. The search spans Worcester and surrounding areas, and Saucier indicated investigators would pursue the suspect wherever she is found.
What charges does she face? The arrest warrant lists assault and battery with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury. Chief Saucier confirmed the injury involved a sharp object but provided no further specifics.
Was the officer’s service weapon taken? No. Saucier stated at the Friday briefing that the department-issued sidearm had not been removed from the Wildwood Avenue property.
When are the funeral arrangements? A wake is set for Tuesday and the funeral for Wednesday, according to the chief’s public remarks.
Can residents help with the search? Saucier urged the public to remain vigilant and report any sightings of Solomon or the missing gray 2023 Toyota Highlander to Worcester Police.
