Karen Read's VERY flirty text messages with ATF agent in the days before her Boston cop boyfriend was found dead as she claims she is being framed for murder

Flirty texts between Karen Read and an ATF agent friend in the weeks leading up to her boyfriend's death have been exposed in court.

Read, 44, is on trial in Norfolk Superior Court, south of Boston, claiming she was framed by police as part of a vast conspiracy to blame her for his death.

John O'Keefe, a 16-year Boston cop, was found dead around 6am on January 29, 2022, outside a house where she dropped him off for an afterparty around 12.45am. 

The financial analyst and former Bentley University professor faces second-degree murder and manslaughter charges for allegedly backing over him with her SUV in a snowstorm after an argument.

Her defense instead claims O'Keefe, 46, was beaten up by people at the party and thrown outside where he died on the lawn.

Karen Read, 44, is on trial in Norfolk Superior Court, south of Boston, claiming she was framed by police as part of a vast conspiracy to blame her for his death

John O'Keefe, a 16-year Boston cop, was found dead around 6am on January 29, 2022, outside a house where she dropped him off for an afterparty around 12.45am

Read in the weeks before exchanged numerous messages with Brian Higgins, a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

He testified that he exchanged flirtatious texts with Read later that month after she unexpectedly kissed him after he watched a football game with her and O'Keefe. 

Higgins read some of the messages in court on Friday, in which they both said they were attracted to each other, and Read said her relationship with O'Keefe had 'deteriorated'.

He explained to the court he was trying to 'suss out' Read's intentions.

'Was the defendant interested in me? Was she at the end of her relationship with John? Was she trying to weaponize me against John and put me in the middle?' he said.

Read in the weeks before exchanged numerous messages with Brian Higgins, a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

On cross-examination, Read's attorney suggested Higgins grew frustrated when Read 'ghosted' him about a week before O'Keefe's death and ignored him at a local bar the night O'Keefe died. 

Higgins, who said he didn't feel ignored, acknowledged he was sexually attracted to Read but denied being interested in a romantic relationship.

'I'm not going to go there,' he said.

'Of course you're not going to go there because that would put you in a very awkward position, wouldn't it?' attorney Alan Jackson said.

Karen Read's texts with Brian Higgins January 12 to 23, 2022

Higgins: How did you get my digits???

Read: The Melissa and Lito Show.

Higgins: Ha ha. I thought you creeped John's phone. Ha ha.

Read: No way. I was the last person in Greater Canton who didn't have your # I think even Kerri has it.

Higgins: What?????? I just don't give my personal number out to anyone. How would Kerry have my number?

 

Read: We were tossing around the idea of a short vacay w the Curran Show. Wanted to see if you were game... Was just going to rent a beach house in Ft Laud. Something quick & easy.

Higgins: Hmmm.

Read: I'm the queen of vacays too. Always a good time.

Higgins: I am going to Nashville next month 19-21 for a benefit. One of our guys got shot in the head. You guys should come.

 

Read: You're kind of a loner. Which I used to be.

Higgins: Not really. I have a ton of buddies but I only let a handful of friends in that I am tight with. So you think you got me figured out?

Read: You never really can figure anyone out completely. Your dad died when you were young?

Higgins: He died in March 2020. I am so not a loser. You won't figure me out lol.

Read: No one is a loser. I just didn't mean 'loner' to imply 'friendless.' I'm sorry, that's recent. It wasn't Covid, was it?

Higgins: Cancer.

Read: I know you date girls who don't lock the house behind them. And you are private. And observant. I'm sorry. What kind?

Higgins: Lung, brain, kidney, and pelvis. Don't be sorry, life is hard sometimes. I always figure it out. Who chats?

Read: Life is hard. But losing ppl is the hardest, so I'm sorry. We chat.

 

Higgins: That all you got 'we chat.' Sure you're from Brockton. Spit it out.

Read: You and I chatted about the girl who kept forgetting the door lock.

Higgins: Ohhhhh. She has been out of play for like three months now... I just got a Saturday invite.

Read: Did you say yes?

Higgins: Not yet... But did respond.

Read: What did you say? Mr. Elusive.

Higgins: No, I just don't want to intrude on your couple's night. Ha ha. I am shy.

Read: We prefer to hang out w non-couples... John said 'Brian is being wishy washy now.'

Higgins: Ha ha. Did you tell him you texted me?

Read: No.

Higgins: [thumbs up emoji].

 

Higgins read some of the messages in court on Friday, in which they both said they were attracted to each other, and Read said her relationship with O'Keefe had 'deteriorated'

Higgins: You cranky now?

Read: Haha no. Just stop being so anti-couples. Most couples don’t even like each other.

Higgins: Name a few.

Read: Name a few? I don’t know... all of them? They all want to hang out w single ppl.

Higgins: Hmmmm... Foul Ball.

Read: You stink.

Higgins: You suck. & your double! Trouble.

Read: You’re hot.

Higgins: Are you serious or messing with me?

Read: No I’m serious.

Higgins: Feeling is mutual. Is that bad? How long have you thought that???

Read: Are you okay driving? You don’t want to stay here?

Higgins: I wish. I think you’re messing with me.

Read: Why do you think that?

Higgins: Because this is so out of left field. Where did these feelings come from?

 

Read: I just think you’re like me.

Higgins: Meaning?

Read: Do you have your own kids?

Higgins: I have no kids. How am I like you? Ummmmmm. Hello.

Read: Aren’t we alike?

Higgins: I think so... Shoot straight with me.

Read: I told you. I just think we’re alike. Right??

Higgins: Yes, agree. Now what?

Read: I don’t know.

Higgins: Ummmm. Shouldn’t you know?

Read: Do you like me?

Higgins: Yes. From jump.

Read: When was ‘jump’?

Higgins: 1st time I saw you... When were you interested?

Read: I don’t know...you’re just my type.

Higgins: You think you can handle me? I thought you were happy? ?

Read: How do you know if I’m happy?

 

Higgins: I have always thought that about you.

Read: What?

Higgins: That you’re hot. Smart. Witty. But didn’t think you were interested.

Read: Witty?

Higgins: Yes, meaning quick with a response. Tell me why you got my number and reached out to me.

Read: Just thought we were the same/from the same neighborhood.

 

Higgins: I’m glad I stopped by. I should have come earlier. Do you really live in Mansfield?

Read: Yeah I was basically begging you [smile emoji].

Higgins: You don’t have to bed me... Beg.

Read: Huh?

Higgins: I will give you whatever you want. How are you texting right now? Uggghjj. Leaving me hanging.

Read: No.

 

Higgins: Balls in your court.

Read: What do you want?

Higgins: Loaded question. What do you want?

Read: I asked you!

Higgins: Nope, you initiated this.

 

Higgins: Are you breaking up or staying together?

Read: I don’t know. He hooked up w another girl on vacation. I am very close to his niece... It is a very [expletive] up situation.

Higgins: When was that & how did you find out they hooked up? I don’t want to complicate your situation.

Read: We went away for New Years. The four of us. I put the kids to bed and found him in the lobby of our hotel all over one of our friend [sic]. Whatever, it doesn’t matter.

Higgins: It does matter. Did they bang?

Read: Does that matter?

Higgins: Sorry, I was just asking. I was just trying to figure [expletive] out.

Read: It doesn’t really matter.

Higgins: OK, I won’t ask again.

Read: I don’t care :) It doesn’t matter.

Higgins: OK, hear you loud and clear Karen.

 

Defense attorney Alan Jackson questions witness Brian Higgins during the trial of Karen Read

Defense attorney Alan Jackson, left, hands a copy of text exchanges to witness Brian Higgins, which show messages between Higgins and Read

Read: We did kiss earlier, no?

Higgins: I think you initiated that...No?

Read: Yup. Do i owe you an apology?

Higgins: OMG, no. Why are you being sensitive?

 

Read: What do you want from me?

Higgins: What’s on the table?

Read: What do you want ideally?

Higgins: The real deal.

 

Read: I’m not abnormally sensitive...

Higgins: Awwww, I won’t be so hard on you.

Read: Omg you’re not. You called me trouble. That makes me sound bad.

Higgins: I was just playing with you.

Read: You weren’t but that’s okay.

Karen Read appeared to lose her cool during the twelfth day of her murder trial in Massachusetts, after her boyfriend, police officer John O'Keefe was found dead in 2022. Read has been accused of allegedly hitting O'Keefe with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow

As the court broke for lunch, she seemed to lose her cool for a moment, rolling her eyes and then appearing to snap something quickly to her legal team

Read's attorneys claim she has been framed as part of a vast conspiracy, saying O'Keefe had in fact died after being beaten up by people at the party and thrown outside. 

Read's demeanor throughout her trial has previously been notably chill. 

Previously, she was seen smiling and waving at lawyers, cameras and supporters. 

At one stage, she grinned at a camera and flashed a large wink, sparking backlash online among some of her detractors.

'Happiest murder defendant in history!' said one on Twitter. 'The chick thinks she is Miss America.'

The court earlier in the trial heard from Allison Mccabe, the daughter of Jennifer McCabe. 

Jennifer was with Read and another woman when they discovered O'Keefe's body. Read's team allege Jennifer played a key role in the ensuing alleged coverup. 

In court, Allison testified that she had picked up and driven home Colin Albert on the night of O'Keefe's death. 

Albert is one of the men Read's team claim was involved in a fight inside the home which they say resulted in O'Keefe's death. 

After the break, the court was shown a screenshot of texts between Allison and Albert relating to her picking him up. 

Albert texted Allison at 11.54pm on January 28, 2022 saying 'U can get me now. If easier.'

Throughout her trial, Read's demeanor has been notably chill, seen arriving with her handbag and a jacket with her defense team on Wednesday 

Allison replied a minute later, saying 'ok I am driving ppl home now.' To which Albert replied, 'word' and 'get me after.'

Then, at 12.10am Allison texted 'here' and Albert replied 'Ok.' Albert said he came outside about 30 seconds later.

If Albert had left and gone home, it could suggest he was not involved in the alleged fight at the house. 

Allison later broke down as she described 'harassment' her family has faced during the trial. 

She described 'constant phone calls, emails, awful messages' as well as 'people showing up at our house, people emailing my school.'

O'Keefe - a 46-year-old who was the sole-carer to his niece and nephew and who was a 16-year veteran Boston police officer - was found unconscious in a snowbank with skull fractures, swollen eyes and hypothermia. 

Temperatures in Boston had dipped as low as 23F and as much as 21 inches of snow fell in the area later that day. 

He was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton where he was pronounced dead several hours later.

The court had just heard from Allison Mccabe before the midday break 

Read's defense is that O'Keefe was in a fight at the party, and possibly attacked by a dog as marks on his arm looked like bites.

Her defense is led by Alan Jackson, the high-powered lawyer who secured disgraced actor Kevin Spacey's acquittal of sexual assault charges.

'Certainly the Massachusetts State Police is involved. There are people that were in that house that are involved,' her said during a pretrial hearing. 

'Brian Albert is involved. Jennifer McCabe is involved. The rest of the folks that were in that house, there's some level of involvement by every one of them. Every single one of them. 

'We're not going to rest until we get to the bottom of exactly who's behind this coverup. 

'Not only Karen Read deserves this. John O'Keefe deserves this, and has deserved this from moment one. And that's why they're not going to rest.' 

Earlier in the trial, the court were shown video of the accused killer on the night of O'Keefe's death. 

Chilling footage showing a glamorous accused killer Karen Read in a Boston bar on the night she allegedly killed her cop boyfriend has been shown in court

The footage shows her embracing O'Keefe at CF McCarthy's in Boston before ordering drinks at the bar. She was seen hugging and kissing the man she is accused of killing just hours later. 

On the night of his death, O'Keefe had been out celebrating the acceptance of his niece, who was in his care, into private school.

He's seen enjoying bottles of Bud Light with friends, and Read joins them at the bar a little later and sips a vodka tonic.    

The financial analyst and former Bentley University professor is accused of second-degree murder and manslaughter for allegedly backing over him with her SUV in a snowstorm after an argument later that night. 

Prosecutors have argued that Read and O'Keefe's relationship had been on the rocks amid allegations he was cheating and tensions over the two children in O'Keefe's care - his orphaned niece and nephew.  

But O'Keefe's friends at the first bar testified in court saying the couple seemed content. The group said while they went home at around 10pm, the couple continued on to the Waterfall Bar & Grille.

Video evidence is presented on a display screen in the court

At the second bar, the couple met up with friends Brian Albert, Brian Higgins and Jennifer McCabe, who would go on to attend the afterparty at the house where O'Keefe perished outside. 

A worker at the Waterfall Bar & Grille, Nicholas Kolokithas, said he didn't notice any tensions between O'Keefe and Read, and that they seemed affectionate to the point that his wife asked why he wasn't like that with her. 

Rebecca Trayers, the bartender at the last establishment they visited, testified that no one seemed overly drunk.

Katherine Camerano, a friend of the couple's who was also present at the January 28 celebrations, revealed the chilling text message Read sent her the next morning. 

Camerano testified that at 6:34am, Read texted her saying: 'He's dead.' 

She responded saying: 'What? Karen are you serious?' to which Read replied 'he was in the snow.'  

Read's defense is that O'Keefe was bashed at the party, and possibly attacked by a dog as marks on his arm looked like bites

Read's defense says she went home after dropping O'Keefe off and woke up about 4.30am in a panic as he hadn't come home.

She called Jennifer McCabe, a friend of O'Keefe whom they were drinking with at Waterfall Bar the previous night, and they went looking for him.

They returned top the house and found O'Keefe lying on the snow-covered lawn, bleeding from his nose and mouth with swollen eyes, and Read began CPR.

A key part of the prosecution's case is that they say Read essentially yelled 'I hit him!' over and over when they found his body, along with 'this is my fault. I did this.'

Prosecutors also alleged Read said 'could I have hit him? Did I hit him?' and 'what if he's dead? What if a plow hit him? I don't remember anything from last night, we drank so much I don't remember anything.'

But Read's defense was able to get both cops to acknowledge they never heard Read say she hit O'Keefe. The defense also used the testimony from the police and firefighters to raise doubts more broadly about the investigation.

Protesters must stay at least 200ft from the courthouse during the trial

Prosecutors allege the fragments were found near O'Keefe's body and are proof that Read backed her SUV into O'Keefe. She says it was broken as she left her home that morning in a panic to look for him. 

Defense attorneys were able to get Canton police officers Steven Saraf Stephen Mullaney to acknowledge they never saw pieces of broken taillight at the scene. 

When police and paramedics arrived, they found Read still trying to revive her boyfriend, her face covered in blood from giving him mouth-to-mouth.

All of the witnesses in their evidence described Read as distraught and screaming and that O'Keefe had no pulse and wasn't breathing.

The defense has spent months arguing in court that the case was marred by conflicts of interest and accused prosecutors of presenting false and deceptive evidence to the grand jury.