Shivangi Sinha
When Boston Police Department Officer John O’Keefe was discovered dead outside a colleague’s home, suspicion quickly fell on his girlfriend, Karen Read. Witnesses, including many of John’s friends, had seen the couple arguing the night before. After a night of bar hopping, Karen had dropped John off at the house where his body was later found. His death was attributed to blunt force trauma, and police suspected that Karen, while intoxicated, accidentally hit him with her car as she backed away and fled the scene. In the ABC ’20/20′ episode titled ‘Karen Read: The Perfect Storm,’ Karen’s claim that fellow law enforcement officers are framing her is explored. The episode presents both sides of the case, leaving viewers to conclude who might be responsible.
Karen Read and John O’Keefe Reconnected After College
Karen Read grew up in Blacksburg, Virginia, before moving to Taunton, Massachusetts, with her parents. Known for her intelligence and ambition, she made her parents proud through her academic achievements and personal endeavors. She attended Coyle & Cassidy, a private Roman-Catholic school, and later pursued higher education at Bentley University, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It was after her time at Bentley that she met John O’Keefe.
Karen and John were young when they first dated, but life eventually led them in different directions. John pursued a career with the Boston Police Department, while Karen became an equity analyst at Fidelity Investments. During the pandemic, the two reconnected, and at that time, John was living in Canton, Massachusetts, caring for his niece and nephew after their parents passed away. Karen admired his dedication to his family, and by 2020, they had rekindled their relationship. The two kids lived with them in the Canton house, and their relationship started on a positive note.
The Police Claimed That Karen Killed John in a Drunken Stupor
By 2022, signs of trouble began to surface in Karen and John’s relationship. John’s niece and nephew later revealed that during a trip to Aruba in December 2021, the couple frequently argued, and there were allegations of mutual accusations of cheating. On the night of January 28, 2022, Karen and John planned to meet up with some of John’s friends from the Boston Police Department at a few bars. After midnight, the group continued the party at the home of fellow officer Brian Albert. Around 4 am, John’s niece reached out to some friends from the party, saying that Karen was worried because John hadn’t returned home yet.
Some of John’s friends accompanied Karen to search for him, and around 6 am, she discovered John’s body outside Brian Albert’s home. The police were called, and one emergency responder later testified that Karen appeared frazzled, repeatedly saying, “I killed him.” Other friends also claimed she said similar things to them. However, Karen has argued that upon seeing her broken taillight, she panicked and asked if she could have accidentally killed John, especially given how intoxicated she was that night.
Based on these testimonies and evidence, including the broken taillight and glass shards found near John’s body, Karen was indicted. In June 2022, she was indicted on the charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. She was arraigned, and she pled not guilty to these charges. Her bail was set at $100,000, which she managed to pay, and she waited for her trial.
Karen Claimed She Was Being Framed For Her Boyfriend’s Murder
In May 2023, during a pretrial hearing, Karen Read’s defense team argued that she was innocent of the crime. They claimed that John O’Keefe had been killed during an altercation at Brian Albert’s home and that his body was placed outside afterward. The defense also pointed out that the injuries on John’s body were consistent with dog bite marks, which they alleged could have been caused by Albert’s German Shepherd. They further argued that the charges against Karen were part of a cover-up involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Massachusetts State Police.
Karen’s trial began in April 2024, during which the defense and prosecution presented evidence, reports, and witnesses to support their claims. The trial showed various videos of Karen drinking heavily on the night of John O’Keefe’s death, and John’s nephew and niece testified about the instability in the couple’s relationship. In defense, text messages from Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor were introduced, in which he apparently spoke about Karen in a derogatory manner and mocked her longstanding battle with Crohn’s disease. He was also the lead investigator in the case. In March 2024, an internal investigation was launched against Proctor. By June 2024, the case was laid to rest.
On June 28, 2024, the jurors informed the judge they were deadlocked, resulting in a mistrial. Just hours later, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor was dismissed from service, and a few weeks later, he was suspended without pay. In August 2024, Karen’s defense team attempted to have two charges against her dismissed, but the motion was denied. That same month, John O’Keefe’s family filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Karen. Her new trial is scheduled for January 27, 2025, and until then, Karen and her defense team will continue preparing their case.
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