Woman facing murder charge in death of off-duty Boston police officer held on $100K bail

DEDHAM, Mass. — A Mansfield woman facing a murder charge in the death of an off-duty Boston police officer who was found unresponsive in a snowbank in Canton back in January has been ordered held on $100,000 bail.

Karen Read, 42, faced a judge Friday in Norfolk Superior Court after a grand jury returned indictments charging her with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a collision in connection with the death of John O’Keefe, according to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office.

Detectives initially took Read into custody on Feb. 1 on a manslaughter warrant. She later pleaded not guilty to that charge and was released on $50,000 bail.

Read was arrested again around 5 p.m. Thursday at her Mansfield home after an indictment warrant issued by the court, the DA’s office said.

O’Keefe, a 16-year veteran of the force, was found on the morning of Jan. 29 outside of a home on Fairview Road. Heavy snow was falling and temperatures were in the teens.

Investigators say O’Keefe appeared to have been in the cold for some time.

O’Keefe is widely remembered for adopting and raising his niece and nephew after his sister died of cancer and her husband passed away shortly after.

A judge also ordered Read to wear a GPS monitor, stay away from the O’Keefe family, refrain from driving, and not to drink alcohol if she posts bail.

She is due back in court on Aug. 12.

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