Police mental health advocate found dead in woods after officer husband killed

A US woman wanted in connection with the death of her police officer husband has been found dead in nearby woods, bringing a nearly week-long search to an end.

Massachusetts authorities had been searching for Karen Solomon after her husband, veteran Worcester police officer Kurt Solomon, 57, was found dead at the couple’s home last Tuesday.

Karen Solomon, 58, was a dedicated advocate for police mental health awareness and reform.

On Monday, two workers from a nearby rehabilitation hospital discovered a body about 800 metres from where she had last been seen on doorbell camera footage.

Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier said a handgun was found near the scene and investigators believe she died by suicide.

While authorities have yet to formally confirm the identity, police believe the body is Solomon’s.

Saucier described the case as a “tragic murder-suicide”, saying there was no known history of domestic violence between the couple.

Police had previously issued a warrant for Solomon’s arrest on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury.

She had been considered armed and dangerous, although investigators noted her husband’s service weapon was left inside the home.

Officials have said Kurt Solomon suffered a fatal injury involving a bladed object.

Doorbell footage from early Tuesday morning showed Solomon walking down the street in a T-shirt, shorts, and thongs, minutes after emergency services were called to the property.

Dispatch recordings obtained by CNN show first responders were dispatched around 5.30am following a report of a man lying in the backyard.

An officer on scene described “visible blood inside the building, inside the bathroom, in the back”.

The dispatcher identified the caller as a woman who lived at the home, and the voicemail for the number matched Solomon’s name.

Follow-up calls to the number went unanswered.

Shortly after, a grey 2023 Toyota Highlander registered to the couple was reported missing.

Kurt Solomon served with the Worcester Police Department for more than three decades and was an Army veteran.

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Colleagues remembered the father of two as an “awesome police officer and an awesome person”, while the New England Benevolent Association called him an “incredibly dependable officer, colleague and friend”.

His obituary mentioned his love for gardening, fishing, and golf, as well as his habit of donating home-grown vegetables to a local food bank.

“The nightmare of the past week has left our family heartbroken and rudderless,” Kurt Solomon’s family said in a statement read by Saucier.

“The selflessness of those who have helped us weather the storm cannot be expressed in simple words.”

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

If you or someone you know needs support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue. In the event of an emergency dial Triple Zero (000).

Reported with CNN