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More than four decades after the brutal 1980 cold case murder of Katharina Reitz Brow, authorities in Massachusetts have identified the true killer. Joseph Leo Boudreau, a now-deceased man with a history of violent crime was responsible for the murder.

The breakthrough comes after Kenneth Waters, a man wrongly convicted in 1983, spent 20 years in prison before being exonerated by DNA evidence.

A Brutal Crime in Ayer

On May 21, 1980, 48-year-old Katharina Brow was found stabbed 30 times and beaten inside her Ayer, Massachusetts trailer home.

The attack occurred between 7:10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., while her husband was away at work. Investigators noted signs of a struggle, a missing purse, and the theft of a large sum of cash she kept hidden in a linen closet. One of the murder weapons—a knife—was found discarded in a wastebasket.

“In 1980, the brutal murder of Katharina Reitz Brow shook the Town of Ayer to its core,” said Police Chief Brian Gill.

A Wrongful Conviction and Exoneration

In 1983, Kenneth Waters was convicted of Brow’s murder, largely due to a bloodstain that matched his blood type. But by 2001, advanced DNA testing proved Waters’ innocence, leading to his exoneration after two decades behind bars.

Despite the overturned conviction, the case remained unsolved for years—until forensic investigative genetic genealogy was applied in 2022. Investigators reexamined the DNA evidence, ultimately identifying Boudreau, who died in 2004, as the true killer. Boudreau had previously been convicted of armed robbery in 1975.

“No matter how much time passes, our priority remains the same, to seek answers,” said District Attorney Marian Ryan. “Today, we are able to name her killer and provide long-overdue clarity to her family.”

Authorities confirmed that there was no connection between Boudreau and Waters.

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1980 Cold Case Murder Closed with DNA

The latest developments demonstrate the transformative impact of genetic genealogy and modern forensics on cold cases.

“The investigative breakthrough came when forensic investigative genetic genealogy DNA testing was applied,” Chief Gill noted. “I am thankful we may be able to finally bring some closure to the Brow family.”

While Boudreau cannot be prosecuted posthumously, his identification closes a painful chapter in the Brow family’s life—and clears the name of an innocent man.

For more, see coverage from WGME.