Draft:Karen Read
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Karen A. Read | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Need valid birth date: year, month, day Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.[1] |
| Education | |
| Occupations |
|
| Employer | Fidelity Investments (former)[3] |
| Known for | Defendant in the John O'Keefe case |
Early life and education
[edit]Karen A. Read was born in 1980 in Blacksburg, Virginia, before her family relocated to Massachusetts.[1] She attended Coyle & Cassidy High School in Taunton, Massachusetts.[4] Read earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in finance from Bentley University.[2]
Career
[edit]After graduation, Read worked in Boston’s financial sector, including several years as an equity and wealth-management analyst at Fidelity Investments.[3] Beginning in 2014, she served as an adjunct lecturer in finance at Bentley University, where she taught undergraduate investment courses.[5]
Relationship with John O'Keefe
[edit]Read began dating Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe in 2020.[1] Friends and family later described the relationship as “on-again, off-again,” citing disagreements and jealousy.[6]
Criminal investigation
[edit]Death of John O'Keefe
[edit]On January 29, 2022, O'Keefe was found unresponsive outside a home in Canton, Massachusetts, following a night out during a snowstorm.[7] An autopsy listed the cause of death as blunt-force trauma combined with hypothermia.[8]
Arrest and charges (2022)
[edit]Read was arrested on February 1, 2022, and charged with:
- **Second-degree murder**
- **Motor-vehicle manslaughter (OUI)**
- **Leaving the scene of personal injury and death**[9]
She pleaded not guilty at arraignment and was released on $50,000 cash bail with GPS monitoring.[10]
First trial (2024)
[edit]A nine-week trial in 2024 ended in a mistrial after the jury reported a deadlock.[11] Key testimony included accident-reconstruction experts, cell-site analysts, and digital-forensics specialists. Defense counsel argued that O'Keefe was killed inside the home by other individuals; prosecutors maintained he was struck by Read’s Lexus SUV.
Second Trial (2025)
[edit]A retrial began **April 2025** in Norfolk County Superior Court.[12]
Media coverage
[edit]The case has received extensive local and national media attention, including segments on **Court TV**, **Dateline NBC**, and multiple podcasts.[13] Supporters and critics of Read have staged demonstrations outside the courthouse, prompting public-safety advisories from Canton police.[14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Reporter, First (February 12, 2023). "Profile of Karen Read". The Boston Globe.
- ^ a b c "Bentley grad charged in O'Keefe case". Boston Business Journal. February 4, 2022.
- ^ a b "Fidelity confirms employment history of defendant". Reuters. February 5, 2022.
- ^ "Alumna charged in high-profile trial". Taunton Daily Gazette. February 6, 2022.
- ^ "Adjunct Faculty Directory". Bentley University. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
- ^ "Inside the relationship at center of murder trial". NBC Boston. September 15, 2023.
- ^ "Timeline of the death of BPD officer John O'Keefe". WBZ-TV. February 2, 2022.
- ^ (Norfolk County Superior Court 2022-02-14), Text.
- ^ (Norfolk County District Court 2022-02-01), Text.
- ^ "Read pleads not guilty". Boston Globe. February 2, 2022.
- ^ "Jury deadlocked in O'Keefe case; judge declares mistrial". Associated Press. July 12, 2024.
- ^ "Retrial date set for Karen Read". WCVB. October 3, 2024.
- ^ "National spotlight on O'Keefe murder case". USA Today. May 18, 2023.
- ^ "Pro-Read rallies continue outside court". Boston Herald. June 22, 2024.
External links
[edit]- [Court docket for Commonwealth v. Karen Read]
- [WCVB coverage archive on the O'Keefe case]