Prosecutors have linked Karen Read's vehicle to the 2022 death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe with newly presented DNA evidence. The evidence includes DNA from a broken tail light discovered at the scene that matched O'Keefe's, as reported by CBS Boston. These revelations come ahead of Read's trial, which is scheduled to commence on March 12, 2024.
Alongside the forensic findings, additional details of the strained relationship between Read and O'Keefe have been laid bare, including volatile voice messages and witness accounts of public disputes. One such voice message was left on O'Keefe's phone. As obtained by NBC Boston, "She heard the defendant yell, 'John, who the f*** was that,'" the district attorney's office wrote. Upon being told it was his friend's sister, "the defendant then said, 'I don't give a f***,' then yelled to [the woman] 'f*** you.'"
Back in January 2022, O'Keefe was found dead after being struck by a vehicle in what prosecutors allege was a hit-and-run orchestrated by Read. Despite these accusations, Read has maintained that she is being framed in a cover-up. The crime scene evidence tying her SUV to the death, including human hair still under analysis, has been a critical focus for the prosecution.
According to documents filed with the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office and reported by NBC Boston, a hair found on the rear passenger side of the SUV has been identified as belonging to O'Keefe. Going intently digging into the personal history between Read and O'Keefe, prosecutors outline numerous incidents interpreted as signs of a relationship in crisis.
Court documents suggest that not only was the couple's relationship on edge but they were also involved in public altercations. One confrontation during a trip to Aruba a month before the officer's death involved O'Keefe being accused of infidelity, which escalated into a heated 20-minute argument witnessed by several people. In another incident, Read allegedly shouted profanities in a hotel lobby after O'Keefe received a hug from a friend's sister.
The forthcoming trial follows after both prosecutors and defense requested a delay, partly due to the long processing time of DNA evidence. However, the trial date remains unchanged.
