Another witness reported that Karen admitted, “I hit him,” after a Boston police boyfriend was discovered dead in the snow.
One of Reid’s friends—who later became a prominent accuser—was heard after Katie McLaughlin, a firefighter and EMT from Canton, Massachusetts, arrived at the scene. Her initial reaction was to tell the individual, “Calm down, you’re hysterical.”
McLaughlin recounted that she was summoned to assist a man found in the snow on January 29, 2022.
During the hearing on May 5, 2025, in Dedham, Massachusetts, McLaughlin, who is 29, approached Reid and Jennifer McCabe.
The 45-year-old Reid repeatedly exclaimed, “I hit him, I hit him.”
“There was a woman next to us who urged me to remain calm,” McLaughlin said, remembering McCabe’s words: “‘Stop talking, calm down, you’re hysterical,’ as she kept repeating, ‘I attacked him.’”
McLaughlin shared that he asked the officers around, “What are you?” as Reid continued to assert, “I hit him.” He felt it wasn’t his role to get involved deeply, refraining from probing further as he informed other officers at the scene.
Last week, similar testimonies were presented from McCabe, O’Keefe’s friend, who had gone to search for him the morning he was last seen. McCabe found O’Keefe’s body in the snow and reacted with evident distress.
McCabe recalled thinking that Reid seemed “crazy” at the time and attempted to keep from saying anything more.
Details on Karen Reed’s murder trial
Prosecutors alleged that after a night of heavy drinking, Reid drove O’Keefe to a friend’s house and abandoned him, leading to his death during a snowstorm.
However, Reid’s defense claims she is innocent, suggesting a significant cover-up by law enforcement. They argued that he died after Reid dropped him off at Albert’s party and after encounters with other officers.
The defense also asserts that Albert’s sister-in-law, McCabe, played a crucial role in attempting to frame Reid.
During cross-examination by Reid’s attorney, McLaughlin faced questions about her connection to Caitlin Albert, the daughter of Brian Albert, and whether this relationship could have influenced her testimony regarding the events surrounding O’Keefe’s death.
The initial trial brought against Reid last year ended prematurely, as the judge declared a mistrial. Both McCabe and McLaughlin provided similar testimonies during that trial.
