Karen Read Murder Trial Drama Isn't Over Yet Despite Read Being Found Not Guilty

Karen Read's innocence means that the killer is still out there - but will investigators pursue it?

There are still many questions remaining regarding the future of Karen Read, despite the Massachusetts woman being found not guilty of murdering her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe.

The dramatic case that featured an original mistrial due to a hung jury followed by a subsequent not-guilty verdict this past week, three years after Officer O'Keefe was found dead on a snowbank outside another Boston police officer's home, has had true crime fanatics going absolutely wild and becoming full-on sleuths. 

Read's innocence, however, doesn't mean that she's out of the clear just yet.

READ WILL MOST LIKELY FACE A CIVIL CASE

Although prosecutors cannot file any more criminal charges against Read over O'Keefe's death, she is still being sued for civil liability. O'Keefe's family filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit in August 2024, alleging that Read "intended the reckless conduct that resulted" in John's death. That lawsuit was put on hold while the criminal case transpired. Although Read was found not guilty of manslaughter and second-degree murder this past week, she was found guilty of drunk driving, which could make her at least financially liable should the civil case proceed.

The O'Keefe's are seeking at least $50,000 in damages, according to court filings, and unless a settlement is reached, Read could find herself back in a Massachusetts courtroom for the civil trial.

If this does end up in a civil trial, you can expect another circus. Read has essentially become somewhat of a celebrity with a giant following of people who think she was framed by a corrupt Boston police force. Karen's trial only gained more national prominence and momentum thanks to an HBO Max docuseries that was released in March after Read's initial mistrial due to a hung jury.

WILL THE POLICE OFFICERS BE CHARGED?

The biggest question of all still remains: if Read didn't do it, then who did?

Throughout the trial, Read's defense attorneys argued that not only was Read framed, but that it was an inside job, and she was being used as a scapegoat. Will investigators turn their attention towards the recently retired Boston police officer, Brian Albert, whose house O'Keefe supposedly entered and was later found dead at? What about the other law enforcement officers who were there - including Brian Higgins, who admitted on the stand that he was sending flirtatious texts with Karen in the lead up to John's death?

"They charged the wrong person, and they went after an innocent woman for three and a half years, and they failed because they charged the wrong person. But somebody’s still out there," Read's attorney David Yanetta told WBZ outside the courthouse on Thursday. 

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I'll admit, I didn't know ANYTHING about Karen Read until the other day when her name was trending all over social media. But delving into the absolutely wild case, I literally can't get enough of it. I watched the entire docuseries and other specials in two nights!

It turns out that there is still a lot we still need answers to, and you can be sure that I'll be covering the latest developments for us here on OutKick!

DO YOU THINK KAREN READ KILLED JOHN O'KEEFE? TWEET ME: @TheGunzShow