A Massachusetts woman has been charged with murder in connection with the apparent stabbing death of a man who lives on a houseboat.
Nora Nelson, 24, appeared in court on February 7 for an arraignment on allegations of murdering Joseph Donahue, a 65-year-old lawyer who lived alone on his houseboat in Charlestown, a Boston district. Police discovered Donahue’s body on February 2 while conducting a wellness check.
In court, prosecutors described the gruesome image, claiming that Donahue was “wrapped in a white and blue covering, secured with duct tape, and affixed with weights.”
Investigators reported WCVB, a local ABC affiliate, that Donahue had been stabbed ‘dozens’ of times, with the blade of the alleged murder weapon breaking off in his skull.
WCVB reported that Donahue lived alone on the houseboat with his two dogs. However, when police arrived at the houseboat on February 2 to check on him, Nelson answered the door.
According to WCVB, when officers arrived at the scene, she appeared to be “evasive and unresponsive.” She also reportedly told authorities that Donahue was in a strip club. Nelson was detained at the scene on unrelated warrants.
Officers discovered Donahue’s body, wrapped in a tarp and tied with duct tape, hand weights attached. Investigators informed WCVB that he had been stabbed several times in the head and chest. Divers also apparently discovered a portion of the alleged murder weapon.
Police reported a dog’s body was also discovered in the water outside the boat.
According to the publication, when Nelson was placed into custody and kept without bail, she stated, “Nobody ever told me that something happened at my residence. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this happening at my house.”
The nature of Nelson’s relationship with the alleged victim was not immediately known.
