Brian Higgins, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), had sent ‘flirtatious’ messages to Karen Read, lawyers said. The messages were exchanged in January 2022, weeks before the death of Read’s boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, on January 29, 2022.
Read, 44, of Mansfield, faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a deadly crash. She has pleaded not guilty, with her defense alleging O’Keefe was beaten at a party and framed.
Higgins, a friend of O’Keefe and Read, testified that he exchanged 56 pages of text messages with Read from January 12 to January 23, 2022, after she initiated contact. On January 15, 2022, after watching a Patriots game at O’Keefe’s home, Higgins said Read “planted a kiss” on him, which he described as “not like a friend.” In one text, Read called Higgins “hot,” prompting his reply, “Are you serious or messing with me?” to which she responded, “No, I’m serious.”
Another exchange showed Read saying, “You think you can handle me?” Higgins expressed interest, texting, “Feeling is mutual. Is that bad?” but sought clarity on her intentions, stating he wanted “the real deal.” Read’s messages also revealed relationship strains, noting that things with O’Keefe had “deteriorated” due to his responsibilities for his niece and nephew and an incident in Aruba where she believed O’Keefe kissed another woman. The final message, sent January 29, 2022, read, “John died.”
The defense, led by attorney Alan Jackson, suggested Higgins had motive to harm O’Keefe. Higgins denied this, stating he was “physically attracted” but sought to understand Read’s intentions. He testified he left the after-party early, between 12:30 a.m. and 1:00 a.m., and did not see O’Keefe. Higgins also confirmed destroying his cellphone at a military base in 2022, after a court order to preserve it, claiming it was due to a leaked number. The defense accused him of selectively curating texts using ATF resources.
