WORCESTER, Mass. — Remains believed to be those of Karen Solomon were recovered in a wooded area, the Worcester Police Department said.
Police had been searching for Solomon since her husband, Worcester Police Officer Kurt Solomon, was found dead in their home on Aug. 18. She was wanted in connection with his death.
Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier said investigators believe the Solomons died in a murder-suicide.
Two employees of a nearby rehabilitation center discovered the body while taking an afternoon walk on Aug. 24. A handgun was found nearby, and preliminary evidence indicated Karen Solomon suffered a gunshot wound, according to the chief.
The handgun was not Kurt Solomon’s service weapon. Investigators were still working to determine who owned it.
The remains were found about 0.6 miles from where video last showed Karen Solomon near Coes Pond, a roughly 90-acre park that had been the focus of the search.
The identification of the body remains preliminary and must be confirmed by the medical examiner’s office, Saucier said.
Saucier also addressed the department’s earlier classification of the case as a domestic incident. He explained that under Massachusetts law, crimes involving family or household members are classified as domestic incidents. The Solomons had no known history of domestic abuse, he said.
Kurt Solomon served with the Worcester Police Department for 31 years.
Following the discovery, the Solomon family released a statement thanking the local, state and federal agencies involved in the search.
“The nightmare of the past week has left our family heartbroken and rudderless,” the family said. “The compassion, dedication, and empathy of all the agencies involved have given us light in the face of darkness.”
The family thanked the Worcester Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, several area police and fire departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other federal partners.
“You men and women have taken time out of your lives to help us find answers, if there ever will be any,” the statement read. “You have given us comfort knowing that you were working on our behalf, FOR us.”
The family also thanked those who had offered prayers and condolences.
“Thank you for your basic human compassion,” the statement read. “May God be with us all.”
