DNA match leads to arrest in 1988 cold case killing of Boston woman Karen Taylor

A Massachusetts man has been arrested in connection to the 1988 cold case killing of a young mom.

James Holloman, 65, a Dorchester resident, about 6 miles south of Boston, was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Friday morning, the Office of Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s press release said.  

Authorities said Holloman is facing a first-degree murder charge after being indicted and arrested by the Boston Police fugitive unit on Thursday in connection to the 1988 stabbing death of 25-year-old Karen Taylor, a resident of Boston's Roxbury neighborhood.

DNA from fingernail scrapings from Taylor’s right hand revealed evidence of an “unknown male,” the release said.  

Thirty-five years later, in 2023, authorities said Boston Police detectives obtained a sample of Holloman’s DNA, which ended up being a match to the sample found underneath Taylor’s fingernails, the release said.  

Investigators got a sample of Holloman’s DNA from his spit on the ground outside his house last year, Boston 25 News reported.

"This is an example of superb investigative work by detectives and prosecutors using modern criminology science,” Hayden said in a statement. “But most of all it's an opportunity for Karen Taylor's loved ones to see someone answer for her death after so many years of unanswered questions.”  

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Karen Taylor was killed in her bedroom; left 3-year-old daughter behind  

On May 27, 1988, Taylor's mother called her when her 3-year-old granddaughter answered the phone, authorities said.

Investigators said Taylor’s daughter told her grandmother that her mother was "sleeping, and she could not wake her up.” 

Taylor’s mom went to her Roxbury apartment to find out what was going on. After getting in Taylor’s first floor apartment through the window, her mother found her lying face-down in a pool of blood, authorities said.  

Investigators said Taylor had numerous stab wounds to her chest, head, and neck area. She had been stabbed 15 times.  

Murder suspect in custody; held without bail  

Holloman was arraigned on Friday and ordered to be held without bail, the release said.  

Boston 25 News reported Holloman pleaded not guilty.  

The outlet also reported that prosecutors said Holloman’s DNA was found on the sleeve of Taylor’s sweatshirt and on a cigarette in her bedroom.

Taylor was found in a gray sweatshirt and brassiere, also covered in blood, two cigarettes, and a paycheck made out to Holloman, the outlet reported.

Prosecutors also revealed that Holloman recently gave a statement to police that he did see Taylor the day before her death. Decades ago, he told investigators that he had not seen Taylor the weeks before, Boston 25 News reported.  

Authorities said Holloman is due back in court on Oct. 29. 

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.