Son of Retired N.Y. Judge Beat Mom to Death Before Jumping Off High-Rise to His Death

Mar. 15, 2025

Police sources tell PEOPLE the 26-year-old son of a retired Manhattan Supreme Court judge killed his mother Tuesday morning before leaping to his death from the 16th floor of a New York City apartment building.According to multiple NYPD sources, investigators believe Doug Solomon used a bedside lamp to beat his 65-year-old mother Diane Gallagher to death.Afterwards, the sources claim Solomon, who didn’t have clothes on, climbed through a 16th-story window and jumped to his death, landing in the courtyard of the Upper East Side building where his parents own an apartment.Sources say that Solomon was staying with his parents at the time of the murder-suicide.Doug is the son of Charles Solomon, a New York Supreme Court judge who retired from the bench in 2017.Doug Solomon and Diane Gallagher.FacebookThe judge could not be reached for comment Wednesday.Sources say he was not at home at the time of the tragic deaths.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.Responding officers found Diane in a bedroom with severe head trauma, the sources say.Doug Solomon had no prior criminal history, and sources tell PEOPLE he had no known psychiatric issues.The sources say a motive for the murder is not yet known.According to theNew York Post, Judge Solomon oversaw the 2001 nightclub shooting trial of hip hop mogulSean “Diddy” Combs.

Police sources tell PEOPLE the 26-year-old son of a retired Manhattan Supreme Court judge killed his mother Tuesday morning before leaping to his death from the 16th floor of a New York City apartment building.

According to multiple NYPD sources, investigators believe Doug Solomon used a bedside lamp to beat his 65-year-old mother Diane Gallagher to death.

Afterwards, the sources claim Solomon, who didn’t have clothes on, climbed through a 16th-story window and jumped to his death, landing in the courtyard of the Upper East Side building where his parents own an apartment.

Sources say that Solomon was staying with his parents at the time of the murder-suicide.

Doug is the son of Charles Solomon, a New York Supreme Court judge who retired from the bench in 2017.

Doug Solomon and Diane Gallagher.Facebook

The judge could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Sources say he was not at home at the time of the tragic deaths.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Responding officers found Diane in a bedroom with severe head trauma, the sources say.

Doug Solomon had no prior criminal history, and sources tell PEOPLE he had no known psychiatric issues.

The sources say a motive for the murder is not yet known.

According to theNew York Post, Judge Solomon oversaw the 2001 nightclub shooting trial of hip hop mogulSean “Diddy” Combs.

source: people.com