Key Witness Testifies in Karen Read Murder Trial Over O’Keefe Death

Dedham, Massachusetts — Testimony continued Tuesday in the murder trial of Karen Read, who faces charges in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O’Keefe. Key witness Jennifer McCabe provided emotional testimony about the chaotic moments leading up to O’Keefe’s death.

Digital forensic specialist Ian Whiffin testified first about data from O’Keefe’s phone, revealing that it stopped recording activity shortly after Read placed several calls to him that went unanswered. He noted that the phone’s battery temperature began to drop rapidly around 12:37 a.m., suggesting that it had been exposed to cold weather.

Following Whiffin, McCabe took the stand, recounting events from the early morning of January 29, 2022. She described how Read was shouting questions like “Could I have hit him?” in a distressed state when the three women were heading to the Fairview Road residence to look for O’Keefe.

“The snow was coming at your window,” McCabe explained, verifying the harsh weather conditions as they drove. She recalled Read becoming increasingly anxious and erratic, repeatedly asking if she had struck O’Keefe.

Upon arriving at O’Keefe’s home, McCabe described taking off her shoes, as was customary at the house. She noted that Read bypassed this step, which struck her as strange. McCabe later peeked in on O’Keefe’s niece, who was apparently unaware of the unfolding tragedy.

Afterward, McCabe and the others returned to the driveway, where Read pointed out her SUV’s damaged taillight. Frustrated, Roberts, a friend of Read, expressed concern about the taillight, suggesting that Read was too intoxicated to drive safely. The tone of the night changed as they left O’Keefe’s house and made their way to Fairview Road, where McCabe eventually experienced the harrowing sight of O’Keefe’s body.

As McCabe neared the flagpole near Fairview Road, it struck her that Read had straddled O’Keefe’s body and was trying to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while Roberts performed chest compressions. “I was frozen, I was shocked,” she said tearfully upon discovering O’Keefe’s lifeless form.

Judge Beverly Cannone suspended the proceedings for the day before 4 p.m., with plans for McCabe to return to the stand the following day for further questioning.