A Worcester man has been indicted on a murder charge in the death of Joanna Brown, the 30-year-old Worcester woman whose disappearance last fall prompted a widespread search before she was found dead near Green Hill Towers.
A Worcester County grand jury last week returned a murder indictment against Donovan Foster, 29, of Worcester, according to an announcement Wednesday from Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
The indictment marks a significant development in a case that drew intense public attention after Brown vanished on Oct. 31, 2025.
Brown was last seen leaving her job at the Bean Counter on Grove Street around 9 a.m. after telling coworkers she needed to leave for a personal matter, according to Worcester police. When she failed to return and could not be reached, family members reported her missing on Nov. 2.
The following day, Worcester police located the body of a woman in the area of Mount Vernon Street near Green Hill Towers. Authorities later identified the victim as Brown.
At the time, investigators were also examining a gray Mitsubishi Outlander connected to Brown’s disappearance. Television news reports showed police processing a vehicle matching the description of the SUV Brown had been driving before it was towed from the scene.
According to Wednesday’s announcement, an investigation conducted by the Worcester Police Detective Bureau and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office identified Foster as a suspect in Brown’s death.
Foster was initially arraigned in Worcester District Court on Nov. 14, 2025, on firearm-related charges, including carrying a loaded firearm without a license. He was ordered held following a dangerousness hearing, according to the district attorney’s office.
The new indictment moves the case to Worcester Superior Court, where Foster is expected to be arraigned on the murder charge July 17.
Authorities have released few details about the circumstances surrounding Brown’s death, and prosecutors have not publicly disclosed a possible motive.
Brown’s disappearance and death reverberated throughout Worcester, particularly among friends, family members and coworkers at the Bean Counter, where she worked before she vanished.
The case remains pending in Worcester Superior Court.
