Boston

New details on Charlestown marina death as person of interest appears in court

While prosecutors sought a $100,000 bail for Nora Nelson, the judge ordered her held on $7,500 bail — charges haven't been filed in the Charlestown death

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The woman arrested at the scene of a death investigation — still active two days later — in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood Sunday is considered a person of interest in the case, prosecutors said in court, sharing some new information about what they know.

Nora Nelson, 24, appeared in a Boston court Tuesday, but not on charges in the death of a person at a houseboat at the Charlestown Marina. A Suffolk County District Attorney's Office prosecutor explained that, while the case is considered a suspicious death, charges can't be filed until an autopsy is completed, and that hasn't happened yet.

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Nelson was instead appearing to face outstanding warrants over incidents dating back to 2023, involving an alleged assault and battery on a person over 60. The prosecutor said that case involved a different person from the person whose death was reported Sunday.

While prosecutors sought a $100,000 bail for Nelson, citing her past history of not appearing in court in the 2023 case in Massachusetts and on recent charges in Texas for which she is wanted, the judge ordered her held on $7,500 bail.

A woman, 24-year-old Nora Nelson of Boston, was arrested at the scene on unrelated warrants, police said, without elaborating on what her ties might be to the death investigation. Follow NBC10 Boston: https://instagram.com/nbc10boston https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston https://facebook.com/NBC10Boston https://twitter.com/NBC10Boston https://bsky.app/profile/nbcboston.com

Nelson's court-appointed attorney had argued against such high bail, noting the designation as a person of interest is "not even an accusation" and that investigators "speculate that she might be involved."

The lawyer also noted that the University of Maryland graduate has no prior record and has worked as a Navy contractor at Fort Meade "creating technology for missiles," and more has been interning at Harvard. She said that Nelson didn't appear in court in the 2023 Massachusetts case because she thought it had been dealt with.

Nelson is due back in court in that case on March 3.

Police divers and other investigators were seen at the Charlestown Marina again Tuesday.

A diver on a Boston police boat at the Charlestown Marina on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
NBC10 Boston
A diver on a Boston police boat at the Charlestown Marina on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.

Authorities haven't publicly shared the name of the person who died.

Boston police have said that their officers initially responded to a boat on Shipway Place by Pier 8 at the Charlestown Marina at around 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

A woman has been arrested in connection with the investigation into a man's death in Boston.

More on Nora Nelson's 2023 case in 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.

Reaction among Charlestown houseboat community

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.

“They were shining lights on his houseboat, but other than that there wasn’t much else they could give us. There were about 15 cops, and they brought in the crime scene investigation truck about 12:30 and there’s been a police presence here all night,” said Chad Johansen, who lives on a boat at the Charlestown Marina.

Johansen described the man who owns the boat, whom he'd last seen last week, as a "nice, quiet gentleman" who had dogs and was friendly.

Tom Nichols, who lives nearby said, “It’s very quiet, people know everybody, it’s great. So I’m really surprised to hear that there was something going on down there.”

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