A Massachusetts Police Sergeant provided testimony on Thursday regarding his involvement in the inquiry that mistakenly led to the murder charge against Karen Reid. He mentioned that John O’Keefe might have sustained injuries to his face and head after being struck by a glass, although authorities assert that he was actually hit by Reid’s vehicle and succumbed to the cold on January 29, 2022.
During the trial, defense attorney Alan Jackson questioned State Police Sergeant Yuriy Bukhenik, who verified that he had informed the medical examination room about the potential of O’Keefe being injured by a cocktail glass.
Reid’s case has faced further complications as another expert witness weighed in, prompting fresh scrutiny in light of the defense’s arguments. It’s been a challenging period in court; the details surrounding her Google Timeline have become a point of contention.
Under questioning from Jackson, Bukhenik confirmed that he made a call to report O’Keefe possibly being injured that way. Jackson, however, pressed him on the specifics of his manner of securing the potential crime scene of the incident.
Evidence played at the trial included a voicemail from Reid to O’Keefe, where she expressed intense emotions, stating, “I hate you.” Jackson pushed on, asking about the morning of the incident and whether key witnesses might have provided misleading accounts. Only one of these witnesses, Jennifer McCabe, testified on that day. She claimed to have seen Reid’s car outside but stated she had no direct interaction with O’Keefe.
Interestingly, outside of the courtroom, Reid commented to the media that she had indeed seen O’Keefe inside the house, which diverged from her earlier statements. Investigators also found broken glass and a black straw at the scene, matching the conditions described around O’Keefe’s missing sneakers. Bukhenik believed this supported the theory that O’Keefe was struck by a vehicle.
Further revealing details emerged when questions arose about broken taillights on Reid’s vehicle. Jackson replayed a video showing the broken light after O’Keefe left the house. Bukenik recalled seeing O’Keefe in the hospital, where he had suffered significant facial injuries along with the loss of his arm.
Bukhenik, who immigrated from Ukraine and joined the Marines post-9/11, is set to return to the witness stand as the trial continues, with hearings scheduled for a reopening on Friday morning.
