Suspect in bloody 1988 murder of Roxbury mother faces judge for first time - Boston News, Weather, Sports

BOSTON (WHDH) - 36 years after young mother Karen Taylor was found dead in her Roxbury apartment, a suspect is in custody.

When Taylor's mother called her in the afternoon on May 27, 1988, she was surprised to hear her 3-year-old granddaughter answer the phone. The young girl told her grandmother that her mother "was sleeping and she could not wake her up", the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said in a statement.

"The mother went to Taylor's apartment at 37 Williams Street in Roxbury, but was unable to get into the building," the DA's office said. "She went around the back of the building and crawled through the window of her daughter's first floor bedroom, where she discovered her daughter lying face-down in a pool of blood."

Taylor, 25 years old at the time of her death, had been stabbed 15 times across her chest, head, and neck area, according to an autopsy.

Found near her body was a paycheck or stub made out to James Holloman, who authorities now say they are able to tie to the murder forensically.

Forensic testing of fingernail scrapings from Taylor's hand produced a full profile of an unknown male, and last year, Boston police matched that DNA profile with Holloman's own, which they obtained from collection of his spit on the ground near his house.

His DNA was also found on a cigarette and a sweatshirt found near her body, prosecutors said.

Holloman, now 65, who has no prior criminal record, had stated he hadn't seen her in the weeks prior to her death, but recently said he had actually seen her in the days before her death.

Holloman was indicted and arrested Thursday in connection with the murder and made an initial appearance in Suffolk Superior Court on Friday.

He will be held without bail until his arraignment, currently scheduled for October 29.