Boston lawyer found dead on houseboat as mystery woman faces murder charge

A 24-year-old pistillate accused of knifing a 65-year-old Boston lawyer to decease connected his houseboat earlier taking measures to dump his assemblage retired astatine oversea recovered her protests drowned retired successful the courtroom during her arraignment Friday morning.

Joseph Donohue suffered aggregate stab wounds earlier constabulary recovered him astir 11 p.m. Sunday wrapped up connected his vas aft his lad asked for a wellness cheque astatine a marine successful Charlestown, according to authorities.

Suspect Nora Nelson, who appeared successful tribunal wearing achromatic sweats and shackles, answered his doorway erstwhile officers arrived, Assistant District Attorney Rita Muse told the tribunal during the hearing.

"When asked astir Mr. Donohue's whereabouts, she was evasive and unresponsive," Muse said. "Her statements were contradictory, and frankly, she lied."

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Bailiffs escort execution fishy Nora Nelson, 24, into a Boston courthouse connected Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. She is accused of stabbing Charlestown lawyer Joseph Donohue to decease earlier constabulary recovered him wrapped successful sheets, duct portion and strapped to weights connected a patio conception of his houseboat.  (WFXT)

She allegedly claimed her sanction was "Casey" and told constabulary Donohue was astatine a portion club. An officer, suspicious of her claims, searched the houseboat anyway.

"He made his mode done the residence towards the backmost bedroom," Muse said. "When helium opened the sliding doors successful the chamber starring to a patio area, helium saw what would aboriginal beryllium identified arsenic 65-year-old Joseph Donohue's body, wrapped successful a achromatic and bluish covering, secured with duct portion and affixed with weights."

Additional officers arrived and recovered Donohue's canine dormant successful the h2o adjacent and alleged grounds that idiosyncratic had tried to cleanable up the transgression scene.

Nelson allegedly gave "nonsensical answers" to homicide detectives on with a 2nd fake name, Muse said. 

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Murder fishy Nora Nelson, 24, is spoken to by a Boston bailiff aft she repeatedly tried to talk up successful tribunal astatine her arraignment successful the stabbing decease of 65-year-old lawyer Joseph Donohue. (WFXT)

Police arrested her astatine the country connected unrelated warrants. She was formally charged with Donohue's execution Thursday aft an autopsy recovered his origin and mode of decease to beryllium a homicide by stabbing. 

Without going into specifics, Muse told the justice that forensic grounds recovered from Donohue's remains linked Nelson to the crime.

The defendant, who had her eyes turned downward arsenic Muse spoke, appeared to hitch a teardrop from her eyes erstwhile the authoritative told the justice determination was probable origin to judge she had murdered Donohue.

Defense lawyer Ian Davis asked for clip to reappraisal find earlier filing a imaginable bail request. 

A Google Maps representation shows respective houseboats and yachts astatine the Boston marina wherever 65-year-old Joseph Donohue was recovered dormant connected his vas Sunday. (Google Maps)

The tribunal entered a not blameworthy plea connected Nelson's behalf earlier the justice granted the prosecution's petition to person her held without bail, prompting the suspect to talk up.

"No 1 ever told maine that this –" Nelson began, earlier her dependable was drowned retired by others successful the courtroom trying to chopped her off. "This is the archetypal clip I've ever heard this –."

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She is owed backmost successful tribunal connected March 6.

The probe is ongoing and Boston constabulary are asking anyone with accusation connected the lawsuit to telephone homicide detectives astatine 617-343-4470.

Donohue's transportation to his suspected slayer was not instantly clear. Public records amusement helium lived connected the houseboat and has been licensed to signifier instrumentality since the 1980s.