Killer Thriller: Accused – The Karen Reed Story
Podcast: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Host: Elisa Donovan (Killer Thriller series)
Guest: Katie Cassidy (star of Lifetime’s “Accused: The Karen Reed Story”)
Original Air Date: January 12, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode tackles the notorious Karen Reed case—an explosive legal saga that gripped Boston and the country, swirling with allegations of police cover-up, media obsession, and a divided public. Host Elisa Donovan breaks down the twists of the case with her producers, then welcomes guest Katie Cassidy (who plays Reed in Lifetime’s dramatization) to discuss portraying Karen and the ethical and emotional complexity it entailed.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Who is Karen Reed? The Case That Shocked the Nation
- Karen Reed was charged in 2022 with manslaughter and second-degree murder for allegedly hitting her boyfriend (Boston police officer John O’Keefe) with her car and leaving him to die in the snow after a night of drinking.
- The story became an internet obsession, spawning massive protests, “Free Karen Reed” campaigns, and widespread debates about justice, police corruption, and media narratives.
- Elisa Donovan got drawn into the case after seeing “Free Karen Reed” signs on LA freeways, underscoring its viral reach.
“I remember first being aware of it by someone standing on an overpass on the freeway in LA with a big sign that said free Karen Reed. And I was like, who’s Karen Reed? … And I went, oh my God, this woman.” (Elisa Donovan, 02:47)
2. Investigative and Legal Irregularities
- Accusations swirled about a police cover-up and a mishandled investigation:
- Evidence was collected in a “solo cup” (Dixie cup), chain of custody issues arose, and there were huge delays in processing evidence.
- No one in the house was properly interviewed, despite the homeowner being a fellow officer.
- Texts showed investigators’ intent to protect insiders:
"They have text messages from a state trooper who becomes the head of the investigation where he says, ‘oh yeah, no, those guys aren't going to suffer at all...’” (Elisa Donovan, 03:55)
- The prosecution’s case relied on Karen allegedly repeating, “I killed him,” but there were no recordings or evidence of her saying this.
“It’s revealed that she never said it. They have no footage of her saying this.” (Elisa Donovan, 05:12)
- Injuries on the victim were later said to be more consistent with a dog attack (the house had a known-aggressive German shepherd).
“…the defense had experts come in saying those [scratches] are from a dog, that there is no evidence of him being hit by a car. And then they find out the owners of the house had a huge German shepherd who was known as quote, not good with strangers. And then they gave the dog away like a month after this happened.” (Elisa Donovan, 05:20)
- The body was found in the front yard; conflicting stories exist about whether Karen saw him enter the house that night.
3. The Trials and the Verdicts
- 2024: First trial ends in a hung jury (mistrial).
- 2025: Retrial acquits Reed of murder; she is only found guilty of a drunk driving violation.
“She is found not guilty on all counts except for driving under the influence or one version of that of drunk driving.” (Elisa Donovan, 07:22)
- Ongoing: Reed still faces a wrongful death civil suit.
4. Media, Social Media, and True Crime Fandom
- Coverage was amplified by social media personalities (notably "Turtle Boy"), whose advocacy blurred lines between investigation and spectacle.
“All of these people who have become her followers and supporters, they’re getting their information from this Turtle Boy guy... he’s now got a movie deal.” (Elisa Donovan, 10:42)
- Katie Cassidy comments on the unconventional nature of the national obsession—and her own initial lack of familiarity with the story.
5. Portraying Karen Reed: Katie Cassidy’s Perspective
- Cassidy had just 72 hours to prepare after landing the role, relying on a deep-dive into online materials and news coverage.
“I basically just did a huge deep dive. And just like flooded myself with as much information on the Internet as I possibly could.” (Katie Cassidy, 15:05)
- On authenticity and the burden of playing a real, polarizing figure:
- Cassidy tried to “think like Karen and believe what Karen believes,” insisting she could not form her own opinion during the process.
“Playing Karen, I had to think like Karen and believe what Karen believes… that’s going to influence my personal opinion, at least for a while.” (Katie Cassidy, 18:23)
- She notes the emotionally taxing role led to a lengthy decompression period afterward.
- On gender and media portrayal:
“If this were a man, [the press] would be so different... The things that they called her, from a cold blooded killer to a scapegoat to a whack job and then saying she’s also a babe.” (Elisa Donovan, 25:16)
- Cassidy agrees that sexism impacted the perception of Reed and her story.
6. Chaos, Gaslighting, and Doubt
- Both Donovan and Cassidy reflect on how the legal confusion and pressure led even Karen to doubt herself (compounded by alcohol and relentless gaslighting).
“She was gaslit in a way. That's just like a whole other thing.” (Katie Cassidy, 32:45)
- The conversation emphasizes the complexity of the legal system, emotional manipulation, and the vulnerability of women within both.
7. Remembering John O’Keefe
- Cassidy intentionally shifted her focus onto O’Keefe, the victim, noting that his story is often overshadowed.
“This whole thing happened because a man was robbed of his life, John O’Keefe... From what I’ve learned, he was a really good man...” (Katie Cassidy, 30:21)
- The film is hoped to serve as a tribute to him as much as an examination of Reed’s journey.
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
-
On the spectacle of the case
“It literally doesn’t make any sense that she could have or would have done this. And they rely heavily on her voicemails... but you can understand that. So then they use her words in an emotional state to make it look like she was angry enough to kill him.”
(Elisa Donovan, 08:16) -
On botched investigation
“…the police... never interviewed anyone who was in the house, at the party house at this party. So they went. They all were at a bar and then they went back to this house.”
(Elisa Donovan, 05:59) -
On the ‘Blue Wall’
“They put up the quote, blue wall, right where the police are just saying this happened on our watch… Whether they, someone beat him up, it looks like he was beaten up and has scratches on his arm… No one talks about those things.”
(Elisa Donovan, 09:08) -
Playing a real person
“I had to think and believe what she did. And that's going to influence my personal opinion, at least for a while.”
(Katie Cassidy, 18:23) -
On the gendered media coverage
“I definitely think it would be a different situation. But again, like playing her, I couldn’t let anything exterior influence… I felt how probably she felt when those words were being said in the courtroom.”
(Katie Cassidy, 26:30) -
On public obsession and social media
“I try not to get...caught up in the social media as much as you think. As everybody else, maybe. I think it could be very toxic… It robs me from being present.”
(Katie Cassidy, 29:07)
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- 02:47 – Elisa introduces the Reed case; describes her first encounter with “Free Karen Reed” signs.
- 03:55 – Lays out police mishandling and hints of cover-up.
- 07:22 – Recaps the two Reed trials and their outcomes.
- 10:42 – The “Turtle Boy” phenomenon and its impact on public discourse.
- 14:25–18:23 – Katie Cassidy on diving into the role, learning about the case, and her acting process.
- 25:16 – Discussion of sexism and media bias in coverage of Karen Reed.
- 30:21 – Cassidy on the importance of remembering the victim, John O’Keefe.
- 32:25 – Exploration of gaslighting, doubt, and Karen’s emotional turmoil during the ordeal.
Conclusion: Insights and Lasting Impact
The episode unpacks a case that is messy, deeply emotional, and emblematic of broader systemic problems—from gendered media coverage and police accountability to the unreliability of public narratives spun on social media. Katie Cassidy’s performance and perspective illuminate the psychological toll such stories inflict on everyone involved, both in real life and in dramatization.
The episode closes with reflections on how these cases shape our understanding of justice, as well as a call to remember victims who often get lost in the noise.
Recommendation:
Watch “Accused: The Karen Reed Story” on Lifetime, and reflect on how real-life legal drama and its retellings can both clarify and cloud public understanding of justice.