Day 20 Recap: Skull Fractures & Lexus Shards: How Prosecutors Are Proving She Hit John
In today’s Hidden Killers, we’re breaking down what may be one of the most scientifically significant days yet in the trial of Karen Read. Day 20 delivered not just one, but two critical expert witnesses—each bringing their own piece of the puzzle that could influence how the jury understands the final hours of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe’s life.
First, we heard from neurosurgeon Dr. Aizik Wolf, who laid out a blunt and clinical explanation of how O’Keefe died—and why the injuries don’t line up with a violent beating. According to Wolf, the fracture at the base of O’Keefe’s skull and the deep brain contusions point to one thing: a backward fall onto a hard surface. Not a bat. Not a hammer. A fall. He testified that the so-called “raccoon eyes” bruising around O’Keefe’s eyes—which develops 1 to 3 hours after injury—suggest a delayed death, and possibly a delayed discovery. His testimony didn’t just challenge assumptions—it dismantled them. And when the defense questioned his credentials, his answer cut through the courtroom like a scalpel: “I’m not a forensic pathologist. I’m a brain surgeon.”

But the day didn’t stop there.

In the second half, we heard from forensic trace expert Christina Hanley, who took jurors into the microscopic world of crime scene fragments. Hanley testified that red and clear plastic found on O’Keefe’s clothing was consistent with the material used in Lexus SUV tail lights—the same type of vehicle driven by Karen Read. She emphasized that while the fragments couldn’t be definitively sourced, they were indistinguishable from Read’s broken tail light. She also reconstructed part of a shattered cocktail glass found near the scene and noted that some glass recovered from Read’s SUV did not match—while others were too damaged to analyze.

Today wasn’t about one big revelation. It was about accumulating evidence. A fall that may have caused death. Plastic that may have transferred in that moment. Glass that may have shattered at the scene. And expert witnesses who didn’t deal in absolutes, but in probabilities and patterns that could be enough to sway a jury.

This is Day 20. And we’re just getting to the forensic backbone of the case.

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#KarenReadTrial #JohnOKeefe #ForensicTestimony #DrAizikWolf #ChristinaHanley #TraceEvidence #LexusTailLight #TrueCrimeDaily #HiddenKillers #KarenReadDay20

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