Karen Read Trial: Plow Driver’s Testimony Challenges Murder Case in John O’Keefe Death

In a gripping development in the Karen Read murder trial, a plow driver named Brian "Lucky" Loughran took the stand, offering testimony that could shake the foundation of the prosecution's case. Loughran, a Department of Public Works employee, revealed that during the critical hours between 2:40 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the night John O'Keefe was found dead in the snow outside 34 Fairview Road, he saw no body despite having clear visibility from his plow truck. This raises a serious question: if Read allegedly struck her boyfriend and left him to die in a blizzard, why didn’t Loughran spot anything?

What Loughran did notice, however, was a Ford Edge SUV parked unusually outside the home of Brian Albert—a detail that stood out to him as someone familiar with the family’s habits. "They’ve never parked a vehicle in front of their house," he testified, noting he had to maneuver around it. This seemingly minor observation could hint at a different sequence of events on that fateful night in January 2022.

Adding fuel to the defense’s fire, Dighton Police Sgt. Nicholas Barros dropped a bombshell earlier in the trial. He claimed that when he first saw Read’s Lexus SUV at her parents’ house, the taillight damage was far less severe than in later photos taken at the Canton Police Department. Could this suggest tampering or mishandling of evidence? The defense seems to think so, strongly implying that the taillight fragments found at the scene might have been planted.

Read, facing charges of second-degree murder in the death of O’Keefe, a Boston police officer and devoted uncle, denies hitting him with her vehicle. The defense argues there was no collision at all, pointing to other possible causes for his head trauma and hypothermia. With expert testimony and forensic evidence—like plastic fragments matching the taillight material found on O’Keefe’s clothing—still in play, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A conviction could mean life in prison for Read, but each day in court seems to uncover more cracks in the case against her.

As the retrial stretches into its 27th day after a deadlocked jury last year, every witness adds a new layer of intrigue. Will the truth about what happened that snowy night ever fully emerge? For now, the courtroom remains a battleground of conflicting narratives and unanswered questions.