Karen Read murder trial: Witness Jennifer McCabe recalls accused Boston cop boyfriend killer yelling, 'Did I hit him?'

Karen Read has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of John O’Keefe
PUBLISHED MAY 18, 2024
Karen Read is accused of fatally striking her boyfriend, John O'Keefe, with her SUV in January 2022 (LinkedIn, Boston PD)
Karen Read is accused of fatally striking her boyfriend, John O'Keefe, with her SUV in January 2022 (LinkedIn, Boston PD)

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: As the Karen Read murder trial unfolds, witnesses took the stand Friday, May 17, shedding light on the chilling events surrounding the Massachusetts woman accused of fatally striking her Boston cop boyfriend John O'Keefe with an SUV and leaving him to die in a snowstorm.

Read, 44, from Mansfield, continues to plead not guilty to charges of second-degree murder and other related offenses.

Prosecutors press on SUV assault in John O'Keefe murder trial

Prosecutors claim that she struck her boyfriend, O'Keefe, 46, with her black SUV outside a Canton residence on January 29, 2022, following a night of heavy drinking.

However, her defense team intends to argue that another individual is responsible for O'Keefe's tragic demise, claiming she is being framed in a conspiracy involving various branches of Massachusetts law enforcement.

KR (Facebook)
Karen Read has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of John O’Keefe (Facebook)

Jennifer McCabe's testimony reveals Karen Read's incriminating statements during the tragedy

Further revelations emerged during Jennifer McCabe's testimony, including details about Read's alleged emotional state the morning after O'Keefe's disappearance and her frantic search for him.

McCabe recounted the suspect's distraught account of the previous night's altercation, during which she had left O'Keefe at a bar.

Among the gripping testimonies was that of Jennifer McCabe, who recounted hearing Read's alarming exclamations during the tumultuous events.

McCabe detailed how Read, in a state of distress, repeatedly questioned, "Did I hit him? Could I have hit him?" and later, when speaking to a paramedic, asserted, "I hit him," reported WCVB.

Insights into John O’Keefe's death

O’Keefe, a 16-year police veteran, was found unconscious in a snowbank with skull fractures, swollen eyes, and hypothermia outside a house in Canton, 14 miles south of Boston, on the morning of January 29.

Reports indicate that Read had purportedly left him there for an afterparty around 12:45 am.

He was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed that he died from hypothermia and head trauma.

Despite mounting arguments from the prosecution, Read's defense has steadfastly maintained her innocence, challenging key aspects of the case and highlighting alleged inconsistencies in the investigation.

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