Trending 25th June 2025 by Stellar Magazine

Here’s What’s Been Going On With The Karen Read Case

She was acquitted last week

The verdict is in: Karen Read has been declared not guilty by the state of Massachusetts. The charges she’s been acquitted of include murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene of the car crash.

She was however found guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol (OUI), and has been sentenced to one year of probation.

It’s a case that shook the East-Coast of the US. Karen Read (age 45) was put on trial for the death of her boyfriend police officer John O’Keefe. O’Keefe passed away in January 2022 following blunt force head trauma and hypothermia.

Read had been accused of hitting John with an SUV on a snowy night in Canton, Massachusetts.

The couple had an emotionally tumultuous relationship. Part of this appears to be surrounding the co-parenting of the children O’Keefe was guardian for.

 

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On the night of O’Keefe’s death, the couple exchanged a series of tense text messages: “Tell me if you’re interested in someone else.” Read wrote. O’Keefe responded “Things haven’t been great between us for a while. Ever consider that?. It’s clear that these texts may have contributed to accusations and thoughts of Read’s guilt.

It would be two years before the trial against Karen Read began. The defendant maintained her innocence throughout, and it paid off, as is evident from the proceedings of recent days.

The jury foreman from the trial recently did an interview in which he firmly stated his belief in Read’s innocence: “Karen Read is innocent, and she didn’t do this crime… no-one could prove that she did this crime.”

When questioned about his opinion on O’Keefe’s death, the juror said “That’s not my job…  Something did happen to Mr. O’Keefe and it’s foul play but… no-one said to solid evidence that there was a collision.”

We can’t discuss this case without mentioning the theories that emerged during the respective trials. The most prolific theory supported by the defence posits that Read was being framed by a law enforcement conspiracy.

The theory involves O’Keefe being taken to a basement by fellow police officers and beaten, along with being attacked by the German shepherd who resided at the scene of death. This theory is mainly validated by the wounds on O’Keefe’s arm, which many believe were from the dog.

However, like many theories, this is inconclusive.

Here’s a very brief timeline of the events:

  • January 29th, 2022: Read and O’Keefe went out drinking at two local bars in Canton. Read then drove O’Keefe to his friend’s afterparty. A series of text exchanges occur around 1:00a.m. At 6:03a.m O’Keefe is found unconscious on the lawn. At 7:59a.m he was declared dead.
  • February 1st, 2022: Karen Read was arrested and charged with manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of a car crash.
  • June 9, 2022: Read was charged with second-degree murder.
  • April 15th, 2024: The first trial began.
  • June 3, 2024: The jury announced division, and a mistrial was declared.
  • April 1st, 2025: The second trial began.
  • June 18th, 2025: Karen Read is acquitted of murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene.

Following the acquittal, Read gave a short statement saying: “No-one has fought harder for justice for John O’Keefe than I have.”

A group of witnesses from the trial said they, “lament the cruel reality that this prosecution was infected by lies and conspiracy theories spread by Karen Read, her defense team, and some in the media”.

Some journalists are now investigating whether there was fowl play involved in the death, and whether there is, indeed, a coverup taking place.

Words by Sarah Hanrahan