Authorities now believe they have discovered the individual responsible for the stabbing death of a woman in her Ayre, Massachusetts home in 1980.
45 years ago, Katharina Reitz Brow, aged 48, was viciously attacked and killed in her residence.
Following her death, Kenneth Waters was apprehended and found guilty of the murder, as a bloodstain at the crime scene matched his blood type.
However, Waters was exonerated in 2001 when it was revealed that his DNA did not correspond to the bloodstain in question, after spending almost 18 years in prison.
Sadly, just six months after his release, Waters died in an accident.
With all charges against Waters dismissed in 2001, authorities were left with no suspect in Brow’s murder — until now.
On Thursday (June 14), the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office announced they had identified Joseph Leo Boudreau as the perpetrator of Brow’s murder through DNA evidence.
At the time of Brow’s murder, Boudreau was 37 years old, and she suffered 30 stab wounds, with five piercing her heart.
Prior to Brow’s murder, Boudreau had been convicted of armed robbery in New Hampshire in 1975.
In 1987, he relocated to Maine, where he lived until he passed away at 61.
Commenting on the significant breakthrough in this long-standing cold case, District Attorney Ryan said: “Today’s announcement illustrates the cornerstones that define this Office: integrity in our convictions, persistence and an unwavering commitment to accountability. Although the original conviction in this case was vacated, we did not stop there. We do not forget when someone enters Middlesex County and violently takes a person’s life.”
“No matter how much time passes, our priority remains the same, to seek answers,” he continued. “In this case, that meant identifying the person responsible for Mrs. Brow’s death, even though they could no longer be held accountable through the criminal system. Today, we are able to name her killer and provide long-overdue clarity to her family.”
Ayer Police Chief Brian Gill remarked that Brow’s murder ‘shook the Town of Ayer to its core’.
“Since the conviction in this case was vacated in 2001, many investigators had been assigned to review the investigation, follow up on leads, and apply known investigative techniques,” Gill stated.
“Unfortunately, information to further the investigation never developed. The investigative breakthrough came when forensic investigative genetic genealogy DNA testing was applied to evidence recovered at the scene. This ultimately led us to today’s announcement. I am thankful, that we may be able to finally bring some closure to the Brow family and a measure of justice for Katharina.”