Former Massachusetts State Police detective Michael Proctor has filed a formal response in federal court to a civil lawsuit brought by Karen Read. It’s Proctor’s most detailed accounting of his actions in the John O’Keefe murder investigation since he was fired from the State Police in March 2025.
In the 25-page filing submitted on January 16, 2026, Proctor denies allegations that he spearheaded a “corrupt and biased” investigation, while admitting to several controversial procedural decisions that have long been the focus of public scrutiny. Proctor’s defense asserts that Read’s complaint is not factually correct and should not move forward.
One of the most contentious elements of the case involves the physical evidence found at the scene, specifically pieces of a cracked taillight from Read’s Lexus. Read’s lawsuit alleges that Proctor and other investigators manipulated or even planted this evidence to frame her.
In his response, Proctor admits that he observed the cracked taillight on Read’s vehicle and that pieces of red and clear plastic were recovered from the scene at 34 Fairview Road. However, he denies the allegation that this evidence was planted or that the timeline of its discovery was fabricated to suit a specific narrative.
While Read contends that the taillight was broken under suspicious circumstances after the vehicle was in police custody, Proctor maintains that the evidence collected was the result of the collision between Read and her O’Keefe, Read’s then-boyfriend.
Proctor’s filing addresses investigative gaps that occurred at the Albert residence. Proctor admitted that he did not search the house for blood evidence, fingerprints, or DNA evidence on the night O’Keefe was found. He also acknowledged that interviews conducted with the residents of the home were not tape-recorded. Despite these admissions, Proctor denies that these choices were part of a “shielding” effort or that they fell outside of what he characterizes as normal protocol for the circumstances.
Proctor admitted growing up and residing in Canton and acknowledged that his sister maintained a friendship with Julie Albert, one of the then-owners of 34 Fairview. He further admitted that he and Julie Albert possessed each other’s personal cell phone numbers. He denied being a “good friend” of the Albert family and dismissed the existence of any unwritten rule regarding police “protecting their own.”
As for the derogatory text messages that became a focal point of Read’s criminal trial, in which he used offensive language to describe Read, Proctor admitted sending the messages to friends and colleagues and stated that the communications “speak for themselves.”
The filing also refers to an allegation regarding a “thank you gift” from the Albert family. Read’s suit claimed Julie Albert promised Proctor a gift for steering the investigation away from her family. Proctor’s response confirms his sister mentioned that Julie Albert wanted to give him a gift, but he maintains that it was never actually offered or accepted.
A jury found Read not guilty of O’Keefe’s murder in June.
The O’Keefe family has filed a wrongful death civil suit against Read in Plymouth Superior Court.
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