On January 29, 2022, the body of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe was found in a snowdrift in the driveway of a Boston police officer’s home in Canton.
His girlfriend, Karen Read, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of the 46-year-old Braintree man. Her case made national headlines in June 2025 when she was found not guilty after her first trial ended in a hung jury and cost several state police and local investigators their jobs.
While the criminal case has ended, many aspects of the case are still pending in civil court, including a lawsuit from O’Keefe’s family. The case attracted widespread attention due to alleged concealment of facts.
who is karen reed
Originally from Mansfield, Massachusetts, Reed grew up in Blacksburg and Taunton, Virginia. She attended the now-shuttered private school Coyle & Cassidy and earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in finance from Bentley University in Waltham.
She worked in the financial services industry and taught finance as an adjunct professor at Bentley University until her arrest.
Who is John O’Keefe?
O’Keefe grew up in Braintree and lives in Canton. After earning a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Massachusetts, he worked for the Boston Police Department for 16 years. He is a Braintree High School graduate and a former intern with the Braintree Police Department.
Paul O’Keefe, delivering a eulogy for his brother at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Braintree, said: “Going forward, I will do my best to continue his tradition of caring and supporting others… even though I know I will never be able to live up to his level.”
O’Keefe’s obituary called him “a devoted son, brother, uncle, godfather, cousin and friend.”
When O’Keefe’s sister and brother-in-law died, he became the guardian of his niece and nephew.
“John was a good man who was devoted to his family and will be greatly missed by his colleagues and anyone who had the privilege of meeting him,” Boston Police Chief Gregory Long said in a statement.
What Happened to John O’Keefe and Karen Read on January 29, 2022
Prosecutor Hank Brennan argued in opening statements in the second trial that Reed deliberately sided with O’Keefe after their relationship began to unravel, leaving him to die in the cold and snow on the front lawn of 34 Fairview Road. Brennan said DNA evidence, cell phone data and Reed’s own statements proved she was responsible for O’Keefe’s death.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson said the case and investigation were corrupted by “bias,” “incompetence” and “deceit,” and that Reed was framed to focus attention on Boston Police Officer Brian Albert and ATF Agent Brian Higgins. O’Keefe’s body was found on the lawn of Albert’s home in Canton. Jackson said the culprit behind the cover-up was lead investigator Michael Proctor, a now-fired state trooper.
What is Karen Read’s key trial date?
January 28, 2022: Read and O’Keefe went out drinking with friends at a Guangzhou bar
January 29, 2022: O’Keefe’s body found, police begin investigation
February 1, 2022: Read is arrested; she is released on bail the next day
June 2022: Read indicted by Norfolk County Superior Court grand jury
April 29, 2024: Opening statements of the first trial. Prosecutors called more than 65 witnesses to testify, while the defense had a much shorter list. Reed did not testify in his own defense
June 25, 2024: Closing arguments and jury deliberations begin
June 28, 2024: Jurors told Judge Beverly Canno Friday afternoon they were stuck and unable to agree on the jury foreperson’s instructions. She told them to continue to think things over
July 1, 2024: First trial ends in mistrial after more than two hours of deliberations
April 22, 2025: Opening statement of the second trial
June 18, 2025: A jury finds Read guilty of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death. She was found guilty of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. As a first-time offender, Reed was sentenced to one year of probation and classes.
This article originally appeared in The Patriot Ledger: What’s the real story of Karen Reed and John O’Keefe