Worcester police are searching for a 58-year-old woman named Karen Solomon in connection with the death of a man at her Wildwood Avenue residence, and officers have warned the public that she may be armed. Solomon was last seen walking toward Westcott Street, wearing pajama shorts and a tank top, and is described as a white woman with dark brown hair and brown eyes.
According to CBS Boston, police sources say Solomon is being sought in connection with the death of a Worcester police officer, though department officials have not publicly confirmed the victim's identity or occupation. Worcester police posted the warning on Facebook Tuesday, saying there is concern Solomon may be armed and asking anyone who spots her to contact police immediately. The department has not released additional details about how the man was found or the circumstances that led investigators to name Solomon as a person of interest.
A National Advocate for Officer Mental Health
The case carries a bitter irony for those familiar with Solomon's public work. She is the co-founder of Blue H.E.L.P., an organization established in 2016 that became the first national group to systematically track year-over-year law enforcement suicide statistics and support surviving families, according to background reported by Officer Magazine. The organization expanded in 2021 into First H.E.L.P., broadening its mission to include firefighters, EMS workers, and dispatchers, and Solomon now serves as that group's CFO and has authored law enforcement-focused books including “Hearts Beneath the Badge” and “The Price They Pay.”
Solomon's ties to Worcester and to policing run deep. A July 2016 profile from CBS Boston reported that she was a Worcester resident married to an active Worcester police officer at the time she launched 1stHelp.net, a crisis-resource platform for first responders. That personal connection to the department now investigating the death at her home adds a layer of complexity to a case that is still in its early hours.
Where the Investigation Stands
Worcester is located about 40 miles west of Boston, and the Wildwood Avenue neighborhood where the death occurred has seen other violent incidents in recent months. In April, police responded to a separate stabbing near Wildwood Avenue and Laurel Brook Drive that led to an arrest on a charge of armed assault to murder, according to reporting from news photographer Dylan Azari. That earlier case is unrelated to Tuesday's investigation but underscores the area's recent history with violent crime.
The Worcester Police Department, now led by Chief Paul B. Saucier since his appointment in March 2025, is conducting the search amid a broader staffing crunch. As of February, the department was operating with roughly 400 sworn officers, about 58 short of full staffing, per Police1. City and state officials have taken steps to address the shortfall, including legislation Governor Maura Healey signed in June raising the maximum age for new Worcester police recruits from 32 to 39.
Potential Legal Exposure
No charges have been filed as of Tuesday, and homicide prosecutions in Worcester County fall under the jurisdiction of District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., who has served as chief prosecutor since 2007, according to state records. If formal murder charges are eventually brought, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265, Section 1 sets a mandatory penalty of life imprisonment without parole for a first-degree murder conviction, a statute that covers theories of deliberate premeditation, extreme atrocity, or felony murder. Authorities have not indicated what charges, if any, they are considering, and the exact cause of the man's death has not been made public.
Worcester police continue to ask residents not to approach Solomon if spotted and to contact them instead. As the search continues, officials have not released further details on a possible motive or the relationship between Solomon and the man found dead at the Wildwood Avenue home.
