A decades-old murder case has taken a significant turn with the arrest of James Holloman, who is accused of murdering Karen Taylor, a young mother, in Boston in 1988. DNA evidence has linked Holloman to the crime scene, marking a breakthrough in a case that had long remained unsolved.

Authorities initially found a check made out to Holloman near Taylor’s body, but it wasn’t until recently that they could definitively connect him to the murder. The key development occurred last year when Holloman’s DNA was collected after he spat on the sidewalk.

Investigators compared this DNA with samples recovered from the crime scene, including material found under Taylor’s fingernails, a bloody sweatshirt, and a cigarette discovered nearby. The results confirmed a match, leading to Holloman’s arrest on September 19.

Although Holloman has no prior criminal record, his attorney has raised doubts about the reliability of the DNA evidence, questioning its conclusiveness after so many years.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden praised the investigative efforts, stating that this case highlights the effective use of modern forensic science. He emphasized that it offers Karen Taylor’s family the chance for closure and accountability after years of uncertainty.

Karen Taylor, just 25 years old at the time of her death, was found on May 27, 1988, in her apartment in Roxbury. Her mother discovered the scene after calling the apartment and speaking to Taylor’s 3-year-old daughter, who said her mom was “sleeping and she couldn’t wake her up.” Concerned, Taylor’s mother went to the apartment, but after being unable to access the building, she crawled through a window only to find her daughter lying face down in a pool of blood.

An autopsy revealed that Taylor had been stabbed 15 times in the chest, head, and neck, a brutal attack that left her family and the community searching for answers for decades.