Arrest made in 1990 Kim Thomas killing in Charlotte, police say

New DNA evidence links longtime suspect Marion Gales to the murder of the 32-year-old women's rights activist.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Police in Charlotte, North Carolina have arrested Marion Gales, a 28-year-old handyman at the time, in connection with the 1990 killing of Kim Thomas Friedland, a 32-year-old women's rights activist. Thomas was found slashed to death in her Cotswold home, where she lived with her 10-month-old son and her doctor husband, who was also a suspect. Authorities say new DNA technology has provided direct criminal evidence linking Gales to the crime scene and the victim.

Why it matters

This arrest, over 35 years after the crime, highlights the persistence of law enforcement in pursuing cold cases and the power of advancing forensic technology to potentially solve even the oldest unsolved murders. The killing of Kim Thomas, a prominent local activist, also sheds light on the ongoing challenges women have faced in asserting their rights and the vulnerability they can face, even in their own homes.

The details

According to police, Marion Gales was a 28-year-old handyman who occasionally worked on the home where Kim Thomas lived with her infant son and her doctor husband, who was also initially a suspect in the murder. Authorities say new DNA evidence has now directly linked Gales to the crime scene and the victim, leading to his arrest decades later.

  • Kim Thomas was found slashed to death in her home in 1990.
  • Police arrested longtime suspect Marion Gales on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

The players

Kim Thomas Friedland

A 32-year-old women's rights activist who was found slashed to death in her home in 1990.

Marion Gales

A 28-year-old handyman who occasionally worked on the home where Thomas lived and has now been arrested for her murder based on new DNA evidence.

CMPD Deputy Police Chief Ryan Butler

The police official who announced the arrest and said the new DNA evidence directly links Gales to the crime.

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What they’re saying

“We have direct criminal evidence linking Mr. Gales to the location and the victim.”

— CMPD Deputy Police Chief Ryan Butler

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Marion Gales out on bail.

The takeaway

This arrest, over three decades after the crime, demonstrates the persistence of law enforcement in pursuing cold cases and the power of advancing forensic technology to potentially solve even the oldest unsolved murders. It also sheds light on the ongoing challenges women have faced in asserting their rights and the vulnerability they can face, even in their own homes.