Karen Read’s retrial in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, kicks off Tuesday with opening statements, months after jurors deadlocked on the case and prosecutors had to start over. But experts expect a tough fight for the former financial analyst.

Read, 45, is charged with murder, manslaughter and fleeing the scene for allegedly striking O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022. He was found on fellow officer Brian Albert’s front lawn hours later with signs of hypothermia and traumatic injuries to his head.

Read has pleaded not guilty, denied killing O’Keefe and alleged she is being framed, attempting to sow reasonable doubt in prosecutors’ claims and asserting that someone else killed O’Keefe and had ties to and influence over the investigation.

Albert hosted an after-party that evening, inviting a group of friends and acquaintances to drop by after the local bars closed at midnight. Attendees testified that O’Keefe never came inside. 

Judge Beverly J. Cannone addresses potential jurors as jury selection continues for the murder retrial of Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court, April 14, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe via AP/Pool)

The defense also raised evidence-collection and chain-of-custody concerns surrounding Read’s vehicle, fragments of the taillight authorities said they recovered at the scene and other key items.

Close to the time of his death, she allegedly left him a voicemail saying, “I hate you.” The two had also argued the morning before his death, but they went out drinking that night. 

A key part of the retrial is expected to include expert testimony about injuries found on O’Keefe’s right arm, which the defense argues were caused by a dog and is potential evidence that he wasn’t killed by a vehicular strike but rather in a fight.

The defense will call Garrett Wing, a dog trainer, and the prosecution will have testimony from Dr. James Crosby.

The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks after taking more than two weeks to seat a jury.

Read could face a maximum of life in prison if convicted.