2 more state troopers who were part of the Karen Read case are under investigation, police say

BOSTON — Two more state agents who testified in the Karen Read murder trial An internal investigation is now underway into the death of her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, the Massachusetts State Police said Wednesday.

Detective Lt. Brian Tully and Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik are being investigated along with the lead investigator in the case, State Trooper Michael Proctor. It was also determined that there was insufficient evidence against a fourth state trooper, Lt. John Fanning, to prove allegations that he violated state police regulations by failing to fulfill the responsibilities of a supervisor.

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police declined to comment further “out of fairness to the integrity of the ongoing investigation.”

Most of the the focus was on Proctorwho was relieved of his duties after the trial, revealed that he had sent vulgar text messages to colleagues and family, calling Read a “crazy person” and telling his sister he wished Read would “kill himself.” He said it was a figure of speech and that his emotions had gotten the better of him.

The defense also argued that he should have recused himself from the investigation because he… Personal relationships with several people involved in the case. Read’s attorneys also questioned the sloppiness of the police work: the crime scene was left unsecured for hours; the home, owned by Boston Police Detective Brian Albert, was not searched; blood-stained snow was scooped up with red plastic drinking cups; and a leaf blower was used to clear the snow.

Proctor was on pay until earlier this month, when a state police hearing panel changed that suspension to unpaid, effective immediately. Meanwhile, an internal investigation could lead to charges against him, and there is a federal investigation into the state police’s handling of the case. The U.S. attorney’s office said it has neither confirmed nor denied the investigations.

Read is accused of hitting John O’Keefe with her SUV in January 2022 and leaving him for dead in a snowstorm. Her two-month trial period ended when jurors declared there was a hopeless deadlock and a judge declared a mistrial on the fifth day of deliberations.

The judge announced Monday that she will hear oral arguments on Aug. 9 on a defense motion to dismiss two of the three charges against her. A new trial is scheduled for Jan. 27.