John O'Keefe (Karen Read)
Boston police officer John O'Keefe, 46, was found dead in the snow outside a home in Canton, Massachusetts, on January 29, 2022. His girlfriend Karen Read was charged with second-degree murder; her first trial ended in a mistrial in July 2024, and on June 18, 2025, a second jury acquitted her of murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene, convicting her only of operating under the influence, for which she received a year of probation. No one else has been charged in his death.
- Status
- No Conviction
- Type
- Homicide
- Date
- January 29, 2022
- Location
- Canton, Massachusetts
- Age
- 46
- Gender
- Male
- Decade
- 2020s
- Open
- Partly resolved
- Charges or trial
- ClosedNo Conviction
The case was closed or tried without a conviction for the death or disappearance.
Case background and investigation
On January 29, 2022, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, 46, was found dead in the snow outside a house in Canton, Massachusetts. He had injuries to his head and arm.
His girlfriend Karen Read was charged with second-degree murder. Prosecutors alleged she struck O'Keefe with her SUV and left him to die in a snowstorm after a night of drinking.
Read's defense argued she was being framed by law enforcement and that O'Keefe was killed inside the house during an altercation, then moved outside. The theory gained massive public support.
Her first trial in 2024 ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked. At a second trial she was acquitted on June 18, 2025, of murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene, and convicted only of operating under the influence. The lead investigator, Michael Proctor, was fired in March 2025 over his conduct in the case.
Timeline
-
January 29, 2022John O'Keefe found dead.
-
July 1, 2024Karen Read's first trial ends in mistrial.
-
June 18, 2025Jury at second trial acquits Karen Read of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene; she is convicted only of operating under the influence and sentenced to one year of probation.
Sources
References used for this entry. ColdCaseIndex is an index of public information. To report an error, email info@coldcaseindex.com.
About this entry
This case is recorded as no conviction and is kept in the index for its historical and investigative significance. The case was closed or tried without a conviction for the death or disappearance.
To report an error on this page, email info@coldcaseindex.com.
Entry last updated September 29, 2026.
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