Karen Solomon, a co-founder of First H.E.L.P., is being sought as authorities investigate the death of veteran Officer Kurt Solomon.
WORCESTER, Mass. — A woman who helped build an organization focused on suicide prevention and mental health among first responders is being sought by police after a veteran Worcester officer was found dead Tuesday in what authorities described as a domestic matter.
Karen Solomon, 58, is a co-founder of First H.E.L.P., an organization that works with first responders and their families on suicide awareness, mental health and support after a death. Worcester authorities said Solomon was at the Wildwood Avenue home where the officer was found and is wanted for questioning. Officials have said she may be armed, but no criminal charges against her have been announced.
The local police union identified the dead officer as Kurt Solomon, 57, a 31-year veteran of the Worcester Police Department. Officers responding to a reported medical situation shortly before 5:30 a.m. Tuesday found him dead at the home. Authorities have not publicly released his cause or manner of death.
The case has drawn added attention because of Karen Solomon’s public work involving law enforcement wellness. First H.E.L.P. said in a statement that she is a co-founder of the organization, which works to honor first responders who have died by suicide, support surviving families, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health care and raise awareness of mental health challenges among police officers and other emergency workers.
The organization expressed condolences to the dead officer’s family, colleagues and the Worcester law enforcement community. It said the circumstances in Worcester were part of an active law enforcement matter and that it would not comment further on the investigation.
Solomon’s advocacy work predates the current investigation by years. In a 2016 interview with CBS Boston, she discussed efforts to develop an application aimed at police officers in crisis. She also wrote about law enforcement and promoted stories about officers’ public service. Her work later included a broader focus on suicide prevention and the effect of officer deaths on families.
Authorities, meanwhile, have stressed that their immediate focus is locating Solomon and determining what happened at the Worcester home. Police Chief Paul Saucier said she was last seen walking toward Westcott Street in pajama shorts and a tank top. Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. called her a suspect and said investigators want to question her.
Early said state rules involving domestic violence cases prevented officials from publicly detailing the relationship between Karen Solomon and the dead officer. City records reviewed by The Associated Press show that the Solomons own the home. CBS Boston has reported that sources described Kurt and Karen Solomon as married, and Karen Solomon said in her 2016 interview that she was married to a Worcester police officer.
The investigation has brought local, state and federal agencies into the search. Officers worked in neighborhoods near Wildwood Avenue and searched areas around Mill Street and Coes Pond. Authorities also sent an emergency notification to residents within roughly 2.5 miles of the original scene, and police distributed flyers Wednesday as the search continued.
For the Worcester Police Department, the investigation is unfolding alongside the loss of an officer who spent more than three decades on the force. Police union President Thomas Duffy described Kurt Solomon as committed, dependable and deeply respected by fellow officers. The union said his death was being felt throughout the department.
No cause of death had been announced as of Wednesday morning, and authorities had not disclosed what evidence led them to seek Karen Solomon beyond saying she had been at the home and was wanted for questioning. The search remained active, and First H.E.L.P. said it would defer further comment while law enforcement continued its investigation.
Author note: Last updated August 19, 2026.