Days after a lawyer was killed on his houseboat, a woman has been arraigned on a murder charge.
A woman accused of murder in the death of a Boston attorney was held without bail Friday after prosecutors revealed new details of their case.
Nora Nelson, 24, of Boston, is charged with the murder of 65-year-old Joseph Donohue, police confirmed in an email Thursday. Donohue was found dead on a houseboat docked at the Charlestown Marina on Sunday.
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Nelson was in custody prior to the charge, having been arrested at the scene on unrelated warrants. Prosecutors said Friday she opened the door of Donohue's houseboat when officers arrived for a well-being check. When asked about Donohue, she was "evasive" and "unresponsive," telling the officers Donohue was at a strip club and lying about her name, prosecutors said.
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Officers conducted a sweep of the home and found what was later determined to be Donohue's body in a bedroom. The body was found in a white and blue covering, wrapped with duct tape and fixed with weights. A dead dog was also found in the water nearby.
Police said Wednesday that Donohue's death had officially been ruled a homicide, caused by multiple stab wounds. Detectives first descended on Charlestown Marina on Sunday night to investigate the death after the man's body was found on the boat just off Shipway Place.
Nelson entered a not guilty plea and was held without bail. Her attorney said she denies the allegations against her and they look forward to defending the case in the appropriate forum.
Nelson's next court date was scheduled for March 6.
Donohue is an attorney in Boston. His family released the following statement on Wednesday:
“Our family is heartbroken by this unimaginable loss. Joe was a wonderful family member, a cherished friend, and a trusted colleague. Always generous and kind, he dedicated his life and career to helping others. He is loved and will be deeply missed. We’re grateful for the love and support we’ve received, and we kindly ask for privacy during this difficult time.”
His longtime dogwalker said he was a "complete gentleman" and that she's been having trouble sleeping since she found out about his death.
"He was a doll. He was a complete gentleman, and my heart goes out to all his family," she told NBC10 Boston.
Nelson was previously arrested in October 2023 on suspicion of assault and battery on a family or household member and assault and battery on a police officer, according to court records.
Officers were called to a Back Bay apartment building, where a man said Nelson, his ex, had been refusing to leave the home for weeks, then kicked and tried to bite the officers as they investigated what was happening, according to a criminal complaint filed in court.
In May, Nelson's bail was forfeited after she didn't appear in court for a hearing, according to court records.
People who live in Charlestown's tight-knit houseboat community year-round said they were a bit shaken up as police questioned them on the docks on Sunday.
