Police Say They've Finally Solved 1980 Cold Case After Wrong Man Spent 20 Years In Prison

After more than four decades, police now believe they have identified the person responsible for the brutal stabbing death of a woman in her home back in 1980.

In a tragic case that remained unsolved for years, 48-year-old Katharina Reitz Brow was found murdered in her home in Ayre, Massachusetts. She had been stabbed 30 times in a violent and horrific attack.

Not long after the murder, police arrested Kenneth Waters. He was later convicted, largely based on the fact that blood found at the scene shared his blood type.

However, in 2001, Waters was cleared of all charges after new DNA testing proved that the blood found at the crime scene wasn’t his. He had already served nearly 18 years in prison by the time he was exonerated.

Tragically, Waters died just six months after his release. He was involved in an accident that took his life.

Once Waters was cleared, investigators were left back at square one, with no leads on who had actually killed Brow—until now, over 20 years later.

Katharina Ritz Brow was murdered in 1980 Middlesex District Attorney’s Office

In a public statement released on Thursday, June 14, the Middlesex District Attorney's Office revealed that new evidence had finally led them to the man they believe committed the murder. They officially named Joseph Leo Boudreau as the person responsible for Katharina Brow's death, identifying him through DNA analysis.

Boudreau was 37 years old at the time of the crime. Brow had been stabbed 30 times during the attack, with five of those wounds piercing her heart.

Years before the murder, in 1975, Boudreau had already been convicted of armed robbery in New Hampshire.

He later relocated to Maine in 1987, where he lived quietly until he passed away at the age of 61.

Speaking on this major breakthrough in a case that had long gone cold, District Attorney Ryan shared: "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 added in his statement. "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."

Investigators used DNA evidence to pin the crime on Joseph Leo Boudreau Getty Stock

Meanwhile, Ayer Police Chief Brian Gill reflected on the case’s impact, saying that Brow’s killing deeply affected the entire community. He described the crime as something that “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." he continued.

"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."