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Infamous

The Bizarre Boston Case of Karen Read

3/26/202640 min

Karen Read was acquitted of murdering her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe — but the case is far from over. This week, Natalie and Vanessa talk with journalist and podcaster Rebecca Lavoie about the snowstorm death that turned into a referendum on police power, small-town loyalty, and who gets believed when facts are murky. As civil suits ramp up on both sides, they examine the controversial case. For more from Rebecca, check out her podcasts Crime Writers On…True Crime Review and Something’s Off

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Clips

Not a grand conspiracy
Injuries that don’t add up
Why conservative women rallied
The ‘dumb’ spark inside
Garage confrontation theory
Media strategy laid bare
The call that changed everything
Phones gone, stories harder
Did she say ‘I hit him’?

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Speaker 10:00

    Last night, you spent two hours deciding what to wear to the party. This morning, it'll take you two minutes to list it on Depop and make your money back. Just grab your phone, snap a few photos, and we'll take care of the rest. The sheer dress and platform heels you'll never wear again, there's a birthday girl searching for them right now. Your one-and-done look is about to pay for your next night out, or at least the ride home. Your style can make you cash. Start selling on Depop, where taste recognizes taste.

  2. Rebecca Lavoie· Guest0:29

    Campsite Media.

  3. Natalie Robehmed· Host0:33

    [gentle music] Hi, everyone. This week, we're going to talk about a huge story in the true crime space, the Karen Read case, and whether she killed her boyfriend, police officer John O'Keefe. Karen Read, this very Massachusetts, upwardly mobile professional woman, was found not guilty in 2025 in a criminal trial, as you may know if you follow true crime. But her civil trial is ramping up now. The family of John O'Keefe has sued her, and even though it hasn't had anything like the coverage that her criminal case had, civil trials have a much lower burden of proof, 51%. So what'll happen there is anyone's guess. Plus, Karen herself has brought civil charges, which is very rare. Usually, defendants are the ones who get sued in civil cases, like the way Ron Goldman's dad sued OJ for damages in civil court after OJ was found

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