A 24-year-old woman faced a courtroom full of tension during her arraignment on Friday morning, accused of fatally stabbing a 65-year-old Boston lawyer on his houseboat before disposing of his body at sea. The victim, Joseph Donohue, was found with multiple stab wounds on his vessel after a wellness check was requested by his son at a marine in Charlestown around 11 p.m. on Sunday.
The suspect, identified as Nora Nelson, was described as evasive and unresponsive when questioned by officers at the scene. Despite providing contradictory information and false names, Nelson was ultimately arrested on unrelated warrants and later charged with Donohue's murder following an autopsy that confirmed his cause of death as homicide by stabbing.
During the court hearing, Assistant District Attorney Rita Muse revealed that forensic evidence linked Nelson to the crime scene. The defendant, visibly emotional, was held without bail after a not guilty plea was entered on her behalf. Her defense attorney requested time to review discovery before potentially filing a bail request.
The investigation remains ongoing, and Boston police are urging anyone with information to contact homicide detectives. Donohue's connection to Nelson was not immediately clear, as public records only indicate his residence on the houseboat and his longstanding law license dating back to the 1980s.
Nelson is scheduled to appear in court again on March 6 as the legal proceedings continue in this tragic case of violence and loss.
