Karen Read is currently facing a retrial for the murder of her boyfriend John O’Keefe, a Boston police officer. The crime scene photos from the tragic incident show O’Keefe’s lifeless body in the snow outside a home in Canton, Massachusetts. Prosecutors allege that Read intentionally hit O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV while driving intoxicated and then left him to die as a blizzard approached. However, Read’s defense team argues that she is the victim of a biased investigation and has been framed by the police.
The events leading up to O’Keefe’s death began on January 28, 2023, when he and Read went out drinking at two local bars, C.F. McCarthy’s and the Waterfall Bar & Grill, with friends, including fellow officer Brian Albert. Albert invited the couple to an afterparty at his home on Fairview Road in Canton, to which they agreed and drove to in Read’s vehicle.
Upon arriving at the home, Read claimed it appeared quiet and dark, unsure if the afterparty was still ongoing. O’Keefe went inside to check while Read waited in her car. After waiting for several minutes without O’Keefe returning, Read decided to leave. Witness Jennifer McCabe, the sister of Brian Albert’s wife, testified that she saw Read’s car briefly parked outside the home.
The following morning, Read woke up at O’Keefe’s home and realized he had not returned from the Alberts’ home. She called him multiple times with no response. McCabe received a frantic call from Read and suggested searching O’Keefe’s home before driving around to look for him. Eventually, they found O’Keefe lying in the snow in the front yard of the Alberts’ home.
O’Keefe was transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner determined that hypothermia was a contributing factor in his death, along with several abrasions, black eyes, lacerations, and a skull fracture.
During the trial, Read’s defense team alleged that the police planted evidence, including fragments of her car’s taillight, at the crime scene. Retired Lt. Paul Gallagher testified about collecting snow with “pink spots” in unsealed red Solo cups, which were then transferred to the station in a brown grocery bag.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson questioned the handling of the evidence, pointing out a white object near the rear right side of Read’s vehicle, the same side prosecutors claimed struck O’Keefe. Jackson argued that the mishandling of evidence could lead to cross-contamination, a claim that Gallagher disputed.
As the trial continues, the defense and prosecution are presenting their cases, each trying to prove their version of events leading up to O’Keefe’s tragic death. The outcome of the retrial will determine Karen Read’s fate in this high-profile case.
