Unsolved:
The Murder of Ina Mae Solomon
December 2, 1966
Written by Justin D. Lamb
Ina Mae Solomon
Shock was the reaction when the news spread across Marshall County on the night of Friday, December 2, 1966 when people learned of the murder of Ina Mae Solomon. The 49 year old wife of successful contractor and bank director Jim Solomon was found slain shortly after 8 o’clock in the living room of her home on Highway 95 just four miles south of Calvert City.
Mrs. Solomon was home alone and was shot twice, once in the back of the head and a second time in the chest, sometime during 7:10pm and 8:05pm. Mrs. Solomon was last seen by her neighbors at approximately 5:00pm.
“I was eating dinner at Stacey’s Restaurant in Paducah when I was first informed of the murder,” recalled Joe Tom Haltom who was sheriff at the time. Haltom and his deputies were aided by the Kentucky State Police in their investigation.
The body of Solomon was discovered by her daughter and son-in-law who had come to visit. “There was blood on the phone where she had tried to phone for help,” Haltom added. The house was ransacked, but there was no signs of forced entry.
“Ina Mae was my piano teacher when I was in eighth grade and high school.” said Bobbie Foust who recalled the night of the murder. “The night she was killed was my son’s 7th birthday and we were attending a basketball game at Reidland High School when someone came in to get her son,” said Foust. “It created a great deal of fear in the north end of Marshall County,” Foust recalled.
The Paducah Sun Democrat reported that approximately $250 of dimes and quarters, profits from a car wash owned by the Solomon family, were taken from the home, but Mrs. Solomon’s purse which had $74 in it was not disturbed. According to reports from the Tribune-Democrat, Solomon’s husband was away on a hunting trip in Pennsylvania and Mrs. Solomon had spoken to one of her husband’s business partners on the telephone shortly before the murder and had “sounded normal.” Officials believed the murder was carried out by someone who knew Mrs. Solomon was home alone.
Months after the slaying, officials worked to solve the case and several rewards were offered for information. Many reports and tips flooded the sheriff’s office, but most proved to be useless or just merely rumors. One consistent rumor was the thief might have been after a valuable coin collection the Solomon’s were rumored to have had. Two suspects were questioned, but later released.
With all leads taking a dead end, the case turned cold. “We were pretty certain we knew who did it, but we never could prove it,” said Haltom. “That was in the days before DNA testing, so it made it very hard to solve the case.”
Ina Solomon’s funeral took place on Sunday, December 4 at Calvert City Methodist Church, where she was an active member. Burial was in Wilson Cemetery.
Though the murder happened nearly 5 decades ago, many still recall the tragic case. “The Solomon house burned a few years after the murder and there is a mobile home on the site now,” said Foust. “I never pass without remembering that awful night.”
Nearly 50 years later, the case remains unsolved and is one of the biggest mysteries in Marshall County history.