Background of the Case

Karen Read faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. The prosecution alleges that on January 29, 2022, during a snowstorm in Canton, Massachusetts, Read drunkenly backed her SUV into O'Keefe, her boyfriend of two years, outside a home at 34 Fairview Road, leaving him to die in the snow. The home belonged to Brian Albert, a fellow Boston police officer, who hosted an after-party that night attended by Read, O'Keefe, Higgins, and others.

Read’s defense team, however, contends that she is being framed. They argue that O'Keefe was fatally beaten inside Albert’s home and his body was planted on the front lawn. The defense further claims that pieces of Read’s SUV taillight, found at the scene, were planted after her vehicle was tampered with in a police garage. This theory has sparked controversy, with allegations of misconduct by law enforcement, including disgraced former State Trooper Michael Proctor, who was fired for sending vulgar texts about Read during the investigation.

The Texts: Content and Context

The text messages between Karen Read and Brian Higgins, exchanged in January 2022, were introduced as evidence during the trial and read aloud by Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik. These messages, described as “flirty,” revealed a romantic connection between Read and Higgins in the weeks leading up to O'Keefe’s death. Below is a summary of the key exchanges:

• January 2022: Read initiated contact, texting Higgins, “you’re hot.” Higgins responded, “Are you serious or messing with me?” to which Read replied, “No I’m serious.”

• Invitation to Connect: Read invited Higgins to her home, texting, “Come over to my house.” Higgins, surprised, noted, “I assumed you were happy with your situation,” referring to her relationship with O'Keefe. Read responded, “I was. But things have deteriorated.”

• Allegations of Infidelity: Read confided that O'Keefe had “hooked up with another girl,” describing the situation as “very f---d up.”

• A Kiss: The texts confirmed that Read and Higgins shared a kiss weeks before O'Keefe’s death. Higgins later texted, “You legit planted one on me,” referencing the moment.

• Visit to Higgins’ Home: On January 19, 2022, Read visited Higgins’ residence in West Roxbury, further indicating their growing connection.

• Final Message: The last text read in court was Read informing Higgins, “John died,” marking the tragic end of the events.

These exchanges were characterized by Sgt. Bukhenik as evidence of Read being an “angry girlfriend trying to set up a hookup to hurt John.” The personal nature of the messages, combined with their timing, has made them a critical piece of evidence in the trial.

Table: Key Text Messages Between Karen Read and Brian Higgins

Presentation on the Witness Stand

The texts were primarily presented during the testimony of Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik, who oversaw the investigation into O'Keefe’s death and supervised Trooper Michael Proctor. Bukhenik spent over an hour reading two weeks’ worth of messages between Read and Higgins, a task necessitated by the prosecution’s decision not to call Higgins or Proctor as witnesses in the retrial. This strategic move was noted by legal analyst Katherine Loftus, who suggested that prosecutor Hank Brennan was “calling the defense’s bluff” by forcing them to summon Higgins or Albert if they wished to pursue their third-party defense theory (CBS Boston).

Bukhenik’s testimony was marked by intense cross-examination by defense attorney Alan Jackson, who suggested that Read attempted to end the flirtation and that Higgins was upset enough to have a motive to harm O'Keefe. The defense also played surveillance video from the Waterfall Bar & Grille, showing Higgins and Albert play-fighting, to support their narrative of alternative suspects.

Brian Higgins himself testified on May 24, 2024, during the first trial, reading some of the texts aloud and confirming the kiss with Read. His testimony was contentious, particularly when the defense grilled him about disposing of his cellphone. Higgins admitted to throwing his old phone and possibly a destroyed SIM card into a dumpster at a military base on Cape Cod in late 2022, after changing his phone number. He denied destroying the phone to hide information, stating he had used an FBI kiosk to extract text conversations for law enforcement (Boston.com).

Significance in the Trial

The text messages have played a dual role in the trial, serving as both a weapon for the prosecution and a tool for the defense. For the prosecution, the texts suggest that Read was dissatisfied with her relationship with O'Keefe and may have had a motive to harm him. The flirtatious nature of the messages, coupled with Read’s allegations of O'Keefe’s infidelity, paints a picture of a troubled relationship that could have escalated to violence.

The defense, however, has leveraged the texts to shift suspicion onto Higgins. As one of three men named by Read’s lawyers as potential alternate suspects—alongside Brian Albert and another individual—Higgins’ presence at the after-party and his romantic entanglement with Read make him a focal point of their third-party defense strategy. The defense has also raised questions about Higgins’ credibility, particularly regarding his cellphone disposal and a 22-second call with Albert at 2:22 a.m. on January 29, 2022, which Higgins claimed was a “butt dial.”

The texts have also contributed to the broader controversy surrounding the case. The defense’s allegations of a law enforcement cover-up, bolstered by Proctor’s misconduct and questions about evidence handling, have fueled public debate. Supporters of Read, who often gather outside the courthouse, argue that the texts and other evidence point to a conspiracy to frame her, while prosecutors maintain that the case is a straightforward vehicular homicide.

Juror and Public Reaction

The presentation of the texts had a noticeable impact on the jury. Reports indicate that jurors were highly attentive during Bukhenik’s reading, with many pausing their note-taking to focus on the testimony. At times, they appeared uncomfortable, likely due to the personal and intimate nature of the messages (CBS Boston). The texts’ emotional weight, combined with their implications for the case, has made them a memorable moment in the trial.

Public reaction has been equally intense, with the case drawing significant media coverage and online discussion. The texts have been debated on platforms like X, where users have speculated about their meaning and relevance. Some view them as evidence of Read’s guilt, while others see them as supporting the defense’s narrative of a cover-up involving Higgins and others.

Broader Implications

The Karen Read trial, with its focus on the texts between Read and Higgins, highlights several broader issues. First, it underscores the role of personal relationships in shaping legal narratives. The flirtatious messages, while seemingly private, have become central to the case, illustrating how personal interactions can influence perceptions of motive and culpability.

Second, the case raises questions about evidence handling and law enforcement conduct. The defense’s allegations about Higgins’ cellphone and Proctor’s texts have cast a shadow over the investigation, prompting discussions about transparency and accountability in high-profile cases.

Finally, the trial reflects the challenges of navigating complex cases in a polarized public sphere. The intense media scrutiny and public demonstrations outside the courthouse demonstrate the case’s cultural significance, with the texts serving as a lightning rod for competing interpretations of the truth.

Ongoing Developments

As of May 12, 2025, the Karen Read trial remains ongoing, with no clear indication of when it will conclude. The prosecution has nearly completed its case, but the defense is expected to call additional witnesses, potentially including Higgins or Albert, to bolster their third-party defense. The absence of Proctor and possibly Higgins as prosecution witnesses has been a strategic point of contention, with Read herself noting outside the courthouse that Proctor would not testify (WCVB).

The trial’s schedule has been affected by external factors, such as a juror shortage due to its length, which was initially expected to last six to eight weeks (CBS Boston). Jurors are set to hear further testimony, and the texts between Read and Higgins will likely remain a key point of discussion as the case progresses.

Conclusion

The flirtatious text messages between Karen Read and Brian Higgins have emerged as a pivotal element in Read’s murder trial, offering a window into her personal life and fueling competing narratives about O'Keefe’s death. For the prosecution, they suggest a motive rooted in relationship turmoil; for the defense, they point to Higgins as a potential suspect in a broader cover-up. As the trial continues, these texts will remain a critical piece of evidence, shaping the jury’s understanding of a case that has gripped Massachusetts and beyond. The interplay of personal relationships, legal strategy, and public perception ensures that the Karen Read trial will leave a lasting impact, with the texts serving as a stark reminder of the human complexities at its core.