Killer Thriller: Accused: The Karen Read Story

Summary

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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

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Transcript

[Elisa Donovan]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Sheryl McCollum]

Guaranteed Human.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

On June 11, 1998, a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department went missing.

[Sheryl McCollum]

Hey, if they'll kill a cop and bury him, what are they gonna do to me?

[Elisa Donovan]

What really happened to the missing deputy? Valley of Shadows, a new series from Pushkin Industries about crime and corruption in California's high desert.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

Listen to Valley of shadows on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Elisa Donovan]

Step into 2026 feeling confident, refreshed and completely yourself with physician skin@arrowhead your go to destination for expert aesthetic treatments in the Glendale area. Right now you can elevate your look with their limited time Botox Special. Buy 30 units, get 10 units free. It's the perfect way to soften fine lines and enhance your natural features with subtle, beautiful results delivered by trusted injectors. Visit phys Physicianskin arrowhead.com podcast to book your appointment today. That's Physicianskinarrowhead.com podcast. Hey everyone. Elisa Donovan here, back with a new episode of Killer Thriller. Today we are diving into a true crime story that completely took over the headlines and honestly the entire Internet for years. In 2022, Karen Reed was charged with manslaughter and second degree murder, accused of killing her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, after a night of heavy drinking during a brutal snowstorm. Prosecutors claimed she hit him with her car and left him outside in the snow. The story absolutely dominated local news. It became a national obsession after a 2024 mistrial. The case was retried a year later and Karen Reed was acquitted of murder charges. But between accusations of a police cover up, massive public protests and true crime fandom, the verdict only fueled the. So today we are talking with Katie Cassidy who plays Karen Reed in Lifetime's new film Accused. The Karen Reed Story. Amy Robach and T.J. holmes present killer Thriller with your host Alisa Donovan. Okay, today we are talking about Karen Reed and I am here with my producers to lay it out for you.

[Producer/Interviewer]

So Lifetime's doing a movie about the Karen Reed stories starring Katie Cassidy who will be joining us. For somebody listening, including myself, can you set up who is Karen Reed? I. I know the name. What did, what is the story? What did she do? What did she not do?

[Elisa Donovan]

Okay, well first of all, to be clear, and this speaks to how so many people know about this case. 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 who is that? So that made me look it up and I went, oh my God, this woman. So she, what happened is this woman lived in Boston with her boyfriend. It was a blustery winter snowy night. They all went out drinking and then she was accused of hitting this man with her car and leaving him to die and freeze to death in the yard of a friend. Now there is so much evidence to the contrary and in fact there it's about like police cover up. All of these people believe that the Massachusetts Police Department was. Is a conspiracy against her. And then the more that you read and see it's really true. They gathered evidence in a solo cup. They, there were some evidence that wasn't actually put into the proper places until March. This happened in January. No one ever. They never went into the house and questioned any of the people that were in the house at the time they went there, which was about 12:30 at night. Now what's important to know is is the owner of that home is also a member of the police department. And 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. Essentially to the, the extent like, oh no, we're not going to be a part of it. He's a part of the team too. Like these very clear cover ups.

[Producer/Interviewer]

Was a boyfriend also a police officer?

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes, sorry, he was a police officer.

[Producer/Interviewer]

And is there any. Was he definitely hit with a car?

[Elisa Donovan]

No, this is the other part. The entire. The, the prosecution's case rests on the fact that he was hit by a car and that Karen said over and over, I killed him, I killed him, I killed him. That becomes a big part of the case.

[Producer/Interviewer]

Did she say that?

[Elisa Donovan]

But then it's revealed that she never said it. They have no footage of her saying this. But because everybody was so drunk and it freezing cold and there are all of these extenuating circumstances. There's a whole thing about where he has these. All the injuries he had were scratches on his arm that they likened to. They had an expert. The, the defense had experts come in saying those 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 do away like a month after this happened.

[Producer/Interviewer]

Be that this guy was drunk and like just passed out in the snow and froze to death.

[Elisa Donovan]

Karen says that she saw him walk into the house and then she left. And they are saying he never went into the house. However, the police department and the state troopers, they never investigated the house. They 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.

[Producer/Interviewer]

The after party at this house?

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes, the after party at this house.

[Producer/Interviewer]

And was his body found at this house?

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes, his body was found at the very front end of the front yard by the street.

[Producer/Interviewer]

Could he have tripped, hit his head, and then froze to death?

[Elisa Donovan]

I mean, he could have, yes.

[Producer/Interviewer]

So what happens? So then there's this Karen Reed trial. So she gets accused of this crime.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes. So they, they say that she. Which also doesn't make any sense because they. That she dropped him off, you know, hit him with her car in an angry fit and then drove off and went home and went to sleep and then woke up and was like, where is he? He never came home. It doesn't make any sense at all. No one would do that. And there's also no evidence that she. That he was hit by a car.

[Producer/Interviewer]

So then there's.

[Elisa Donovan]

They.

[Producer/Interviewer]

They accuse her, she goes to trial. And what happens?

[Elisa Donovan]

So she goes to trial. She. First of all, there's a trial in 2024 and it ends in a hung jury. It's a mistrial. So she goes back, they try her again in 2025, and she is found not guilty on all counts except for driving under the influence or one version of that of drunk driving.

[Producer/Interviewer]

Knowing what you know, do you also. And you've watched this lifetime version, do you feel like she is not guilty?

[Elisa Donovan]

You know, it's so interesting. I do think she's not guilty. Definitely. I do. I mean, I. In watching these. I've watched. Watched documentary footage as well and court footage. And when you see these witnesses for the prosecution on the stand, they're.

[Producer/Interviewer]

They're not believable, they're not credible.

[Elisa Donovan]

Got it. They are not credible. And they all keep repeating the same things. And then when you get down to the brass tax of it, it. It literally doesn't make any sense that, that she could have or would have done this. And they rely heavily on her voice. Males that she left for him, which were like saying, I hate you, where are you? She was like drunk and angry because she went back to his house and he never showed up. And where is he? And she thought he was sleeping with someone else. And you feel like the volatility of this woman, but that's also understandable. They had been arguing for the weeks prior. They've been having problems. And sure, they had a very imperfect, you know, relationship like most of us do, 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. It seems very clear that 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. However, they don't. No one talks about those things. They keep pressing that he was hit by a car, which the experts say this is. None of this fits with someone who was hit by a car. And then they also have pieces. Another part of it is that her tail light was broken. And then they find pieces of the taillight where he was lying on the front lawn. But they don't find Those until over 12 hours later at night after they have brought her car in to be investigated. And they have it at the, the facility where they check for evidence and things like that. And they have footage where the, the police that sent the footage, they reversed it. So it looks like you're looking at the one side of the car when you're actually looking at the driver's side. Like it's nefarious. It's really, really bad.

[Producer/Interviewer]

Extraordinarily convoluted. So I get why people are fascinated and also super confused because I'm trying to keep up here.

[Elisa Donovan]

Well, it's also, you know, I think a big part of this is, which I find fascinating and also pretty concerning that all of these people who have become her followers and supporters, they're getting their information from this Turtle Boy guy who has turned this into. And I, I mean, bless him, I hope his intentions are good. And he certainly, it seems like he has helped to at least shine a light on this. But you know, it's very self serving. He's, you know, now he's got a movie deal.

[Katie Cassidy]

Right.

[Producer/Interviewer]

Quite likable. Is that why also people seem to be so supportive or is it just so clear that something is amiss here and she's being wrongfully accused?

[Elisa Donovan]

I mean, I don't think anybody would disagree that something is amiss. I think what they disagree on is what exactly is it that is amiss? I think that's the problem. And you know, a big part of this is when people are that intoxicated and it's snowing and it's late hours, you know, and the investigation was botched so severely. But that Feels like that was intentional. Okay, let's get into this with Katie Cassidy, who plays Karen Reed in the new Lifetime movie Accused. The Karen Reid story.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

On June 11, 1998, a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department went missing.

[Elisa Donovan]

It's an all out manhunt for John Ajay. Every search and rescue team in LA county has been called in to help. Within days, tips started flooding into the sheriff's department.

[Sheryl McCollum]

They ruler around the drug scene. Was that a deputy was taken care of.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

Is this the story of a man who just got lost in the desert? Or of a cover up inside the nation's largest sheriff's department?

[Katie Cassidy]

A homicide captain saying, detective, do not find out if this guy's guilty or innocent. Who does that?

[Elisa Donovan]

Valley of Shadows, a new series from Pushkin Industries about crime and corruption in California's high desert.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

Do you have any advice for us while looking into this disappearance?

[Elisa Donovan]

I wouldn't do it alone. Listen to Valley of shadows on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sheryl McCollum]

I'm Sheryl McCollum, host of the podcast Zone 7. Zone 7 ain't a place, it's a way of life. Now this ain't just any old podcast, honey. We're gonna be talking to family members of victims and detectives, prosecutors, and some nationally recognized experts that I have called on over the years to help me work these difficult cases. I've worked hundreds of cold cases you've heard of and thousands you haven't. We started this podcast to teach the importance of teamwork in solving these crazy crimes. Come join us in learning from detectives, prosecutors, authors, canine handlers, forensic experts, and most importantly, victims, family members. Come be a part of my Zone 7 while building yours. Listen to Zone 7 with Cheryl McCollum on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Elisa Donovan]

All right, Katie, it's so great to meet you. Thank you so much for speaking with me today. Of course.

[Katie Cassidy]

Thank you for having me.

[Elisa Donovan]

I just finished watching the movie and I mean, I don't even know where to begin. So I'll just start by saying you're like channeling her in a crazy way where you actually, your facial expressions and all, it's like you completely transformed into this person. So I just want to commend you for that.

[Katie Cassidy]

Thank you for saying that. Thank you. I definitely. It's interesting because it happened so. This movie happened so quickly. I had like 72 hours or something.

[Elisa Donovan]

Oh, my God, you're kidding. To prepare.

[Katie Cassidy]

Yeah. And so I, I basically just did A huge deep dive. And just like flooded myself with as much information on the Internet as I possibly could. Research and watched interviews, read things like I just, I completely immersed myself into in it. And I was also, actually, at the time I was sick and I was flying back from Miami to la and when I got the call from my agent, my manager, and I was like, can I let you guys know I'm like, not really feeling I've been sick. And they were like, yeah, you can let us know by the time you land.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah.

[Katie Cassidy]

Because you need to start filming Monday. And it was a Friday.

[Elisa Donovan]

Oh.

[Katie Cassidy]

And I was like, okay, I let me like, give me the flight at least. So to decide. And yeah, I mean, I. I was very intrigued by the story itself, by America's obsession with story. Yeah.

[Elisa Donovan]

So you had heard about it before you knew. Were you familiar with the case? Were you following it like everyone.

[Katie Cassidy]

No, I actually didn't know about it at all. Everybody else did. So I don't know if I live under a rock or what's going on, but, you know, I was just, I was just very intrigued by it. And then I paid a lot of attention to her mannerisms and her facial expression and her dialect and lack there like her accent and lack thereof. Sometimes she has an accent. I've. When I was listening and sometimes she didn't. And so it all sort of. It's like it all happened the way it was supposed to happen. The universe wanted it to happen. And being sick, you know, it actually lended to the character, I think, because she going through that was pretty, you know, run down.

[Elisa Donovan]

Run down, exhausted. Yes, sure. So even though she was eventually found not guilty obviously of murder, she's currently facing a wrongful death suit. And her attorney, Alan Jackson, who is obviously famous for defending Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, and was going to defend Nick Reiner for the horrific murder of his parents, but he has bowed out of that. Do you know how he's going to also represent her in the civil case? This is always a question when you're playing someone real. Right. And it's so present. I mean, Lifetime's known for making these ripped from the headlines movies, but this is literally happening as you're doing it.

[Katie Cassidy]

Yeah.

[Elisa Donovan]

And so.

[Katie Cassidy]

And it's still not over.

[Elisa Donovan]

And it's still not over. I mean, it's crazy. So how much did you feel like a responsibility to do her a service? Obviously when you're playing someone, you have to kind of invest yourself in that person regardless. But did you feel like any kind of real Personal feelings about this, like, of how you wanted her to be seen, did you want justice for her? Like, did any of that play into how you played her?

[Katie Cassidy]

I guess, to be honest with you, playing Karen, I had to think like Karen and believe what Karen believes. And I was asked this question, like, what. What is your opinion? And the truth is, is I. I don't. We wrapped in November and I had no. I didn't really have that much time to prepare, and I really just threw myself into this character and it was so intense. And we finished in November, and after I come off of the film, especially something like that, it takes me time to decompress and I'm almost still processing because it wasn't that long ago. So I haven't really even been able to form an opinion myself. I just know thinking like Karen portraying her, being sort of becoming her, I had to think and believe what she did. And that's going to influence my personal opinion, at least for a while.

[Elisa Donovan]

Right. There are so many elements of this, I think, that made people just so obsessed with it. It sort of has everything. I mean, first of all, they're all drinking, everyone is drunk. There is a blizzard in a massive snowstorm, a complicated relationship. Like, all of these things are so just chock full of intensity that I, you know, did you have at any points when you were going through it, were you thinking, this is bananas? Did this really happen? Like, this is crazy.

[Katie Cassidy]

I mean, it is. It is crazy. But again, like, I couldn't really form my own opinion on it. I just had to throw myself. Into what? Into it.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Katie Cassidy]

You know, I couldn't really question if it happened. Did it not? I mean. Well, she did at one point. Yeah. I just had to just go for it. Right.

[Elisa Donovan]

I mean, there are so many. I. I also watched the documentary part, at least the. The one that has come out, as I'm sure there are a million more that will come out. But where they really show you all of the evidence and how just kind of failed the whole investigation was. And even as a person like myself, who clearly is not involved in law enforcement, to any de. I was watching it going, how was this allowed to happen? You know, how did it carry? Getting blood samples in a solo cup? And the fact that they just never investigated the people who were in the house that night, I just think that's so unbelievable.

[Katie Cassidy]

Yeah. I mean, I think the film shines a light for me, or like, you know, just on the complexity of our legal system.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes.

[Katie Cassidy]

And I mean, it is wild the way it all went down and it is sort of like unbelievable, the Dixie cups.

[Elisa Donovan]

I mean I saw a woman wearing Dixie cup earring, you know, like solo cup earrings, talking to someone in the press. Like people have, they just like jumped on this bandwagon to, to, to support her. Did you ever come to your own conclusions about what you think really happened?

[Katie Cassidy]

It's really hard to, to form an opinion of my own when for over a month and a half I, well, I guess it was a month or just over a month. I had to believe what Karen believed. So that's gonna influence. And no matter what I think, my, if I were to be able to have an opinion, it's just not a. Correct.

[Elisa Donovan]

Right. It's chaotic.

[Katie Cassidy]

Yeah, exactly. So I don't. And personally like again like decompressing and, and then processing is, it takes, it takes time. It's going to influence no matter what. Yep. So I don't think it's fair to say one way or another.

[Elisa Donovan]

Right.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

On June 11, 1998, a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department went missing.

[Elisa Donovan]

It's an all out manhunt for John Ajay. Every search and rescue team in LA county has been called in to help. Within days, tips started flooding into the sheriff's department.

[Sheryl McCollum]

The ruler around the drug scene was that a deputy was taken care of.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

Is this the story of a man who just got lost in the desert or of a cover up inside the nation's largest sheriff's department?

[Katie Cassidy]

A homicide captain saying, detective, do not find out if this guy's guilty or innocent. Who does that?

[Elisa Donovan]

Valley of Shadows, a new series from Pushkin Industries about crime and corruption in California's high desert.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

Do you have any advice for us while looking into this disappearance?

[Elisa Donovan]

I wouldn't do it alone. Listen to Valley of shadows on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sheryl McCollum]

I'm Sheryl McCollum, host of the podcast Zone 7. Zone 7 ain't a place, it's a way of life. Now this ain't just any old podcast, honey. We're gonna be talking to family members of victims, detectives, prosecutors, and some nationally recognized experts that I have called on over the years to help me work these difficult cases. I've worked hundreds of cold cases you've heard of and thousands you haven't. We started this podcast to teach the importance of teamwork in solving these crazy crimes. Come join us in learning from detectives, prosecutors, authors, canine handlers, forensic experts, and most importantly, victims. Family members. Come be a part of my Zone 7 while building yours. Listen to Zone 7 with Cheryl McCollum on the iHeartRadio app app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Elisa Donovan]

So let's talk about how we all actors are always interested in playing, you know, people that have interesting stories and something, you know, high stakes. And this person certainly has all of those things. I mean, she. I think about this from a female standpoint in terms of how we just want to. The press, if this were a man, would be so different than it has been because she's a woman. The things that they called her from a cold blooded killer to escape, go at a whack job and then saying she's also a babe. I. First of all, how do you kind of. Or do you try to incorporate all of those things into the character? And then also how do you. I would have a hard time, I think, not really feeling like I wanted justice for this woman in playing her because I just feel like she's been, you know, mischaracterized and everybody has sort of feels free to. To say so many things about her that again, I just don't think that that would happen if it was a man.

[Katie Cassidy]

Yeah, I agree with you. I don't think. I definitely think it would be a different situation. But again, like playing her, I couldn't let anything exterior influence, if that makes sense. Like I'm playing this character. So I felt how probably she felt when. I mean, I definitely felt how she felt when those words were being said in the courtroom. And I felt for her because I was portraying her.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah.

[Katie Cassidy]

My, my version, my interpretation of her.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah.

[Katie Cassidy]

Based off research.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah. I, I do find there. I really appreciated both in the. Obviously in the reality of what happened in the trial, but in the film also, there was something really important about making those witnesses actually say the words that they had the audacity to text. The horrible things they said about her. This is a man running the entire investigation. I mean, it's absolutely outrageous and authentic.

[Katie Cassidy]

Yeah.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yep.

[Katie Cassidy]

I appreciate. I, I appreciated that too. I, I saw the movie for the first time. I want to see. I think it was yesterday or two days ago, but yeah, it was. I appreciated how authentic is and it's great. Yeah. And I think Linda, Lisa Hader did a fantastic job. Our director. I certainly couldn't have done this without her. And she. I just, again, I had to just flood myself with information and then just blindly trust.

[Elisa Donovan]

Right. Do you think that, you know, I'm sure you're aware there was a huge social media part of this that, that really got the Word out to millions of people about this case and everybody's the groundswell that happened. And I wonder if you either have you already or I wonder if when this airs. Because we're talking before it premieres, but when this episode will go up, the movie will already have premiered. So I'm curious if you're going to hear from any of these people. I'm sure you will.

[Katie Cassidy]

Yeah. I mean, I try not to get. Again, Just as a creative type, I don't get caught up in the social media as much as you think. As everybody else, maybe. I think it could be very toxic. I don't allow myself to go scrolling trolling.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah.

[Katie Cassidy]

I'm like. It robs me from being present.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes.

[Katie Cassidy]

Creativity and learning. And I love learning. Learning is something that I love. And instead of like looking at what somebody's doing on a Tuesday, I just don't care. Not that I don't care about those people. I just. When I. If I know them and when I see them, when we catch up, we'll catch up hopefully in person and I'll find out what they've been doing on a Tuesday.

[Elisa Donovan]

I mean. Right. This is what is so crazy to me because I feel similarly to you in that regard. It seems to speak to the. There is like a real underbelly and a serious corruption in the Massachusetts Police Department. I feel like that's what a lot of the people are because I don't know how else you could get so on board with something like these people feel like it's personal to them. This turtle boy, have you. Are you aware of this person? He's in the movie. He is a blogger who basically turned himself into a character in the case. I mean, this guy just. He had live streams, did these rabbit hole, quote unquote investigations. I mean, did you look at any of that coverage or have you since seen any of it?

[Katie Cassidy]

No, I. I mean, I. From what was. I really tried to focus on Karen and becoming Karen. And what I found that was interesting in doing that, you know, this whole thing happened because a man was robbed of his life. John o'. Keefe. And from what I've learned, he was a really good man. He took over his sister's kids and became their parent because his sister passed away. And he seems like a very good man, but there's not a lot on. There's not that much on him. And that's what this is about. And this person lost his life. And let's. I'm hoping people will take away from this movie. Like, I hope it's almost like a tribute to him and his life. And I think Luke did a great job. I mean, that's what I'm hoping people will sort of realize, like, that's what this is all about.

[Elisa Donovan]

I think that they do not the.

[Katie Cassidy]

Turtle boys or what.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yes. I think that that really comes across in. In the film that. Because so he is somewhat lost in a lot of this story. And you're like, this is actually about this man. And I think they. The film really shows that while their relationship was complicated, as most are to some degree or another.

[Katie Cassidy]

Right.

[Elisa Donovan]

You still see that these people had a true bond and that they certainly loved one another, as imperfect as that was. And I do think that I really was glad to see that and that she, Karen, is saying, I'm the only person who actually is looking for justice for this man. That's what we're doing here.

[Katie Cassidy]

Right, Exactly.

[Elisa Donovan]

Do you think that so. Because over the course of the movie, it feels like there are moments when she's unsure of her innocence and then. Sure. And a lot of that has to do with the alcohol impairment. And do you think that Karen ever had any true doubts about whether or not she did this?

[Katie Cassidy]

I think there was a moment she. It's almost like it's. It's gaslighting almost. It's like, I'm sure.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah, yeah.

[Katie Cassidy]

You're like, wait, questioning my own. Your own reality. I think she was, but then I think she thought about it and was.

[Elisa Donovan]

Like, wait a minute, I didn't.

[Katie Cassidy]

Yeah, no, right. I would not like. So it's like they were. It's like she was gaslit in a way. That's just like a whole other thing.

[Elisa Donovan]

Right. I think, again, that speaks to. As women, we generally speaking, are always much more able to say, oh, oh, hold on. Was it my fault? Did I. I really need to think about this and look at that. Like, we're a little bit more willing to investigate ourselves and sort of be self reflective and, you know, again, I don't know if a man would have done that. Do you think if Karen Reed watches this, what do you hope that she sees in your performance?

[Katie Cassidy]

Authenticity as much as possible. And I hope, you know, honoring the story, honoring, you know, her and the way in the amount of time that I had to prepare and hopefully flattered.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah. When you were filming it, did you feel like, oh, the world is invested in what we're doing right now? I know, I'm sure that you felt the responsibility to do justice to Karen and those things, but I'm Wondering if you felt that any, you know, the kind of broader feeling of people are obsessed with this, like, that they are.

[Katie Cassidy]

It's something I learned when I was doing research, and I was fascinated by how obsessed America was, but I. That's not. That was like a thought that went in and out and then. Because I had to, again, stay focused on becoming her in a way.

[Elisa Donovan]

Yeah. Well, you did an amazing job, as I said. And I, you know, we. We've never met before in person. And so when I saw it, I was like, there were moments I said before to one of the producers, just your expressions in the courtroom in those scenes especially, I was like, this person is. She is channeling her. And I was so glad that I had known before. It just is like, you did a really beautiful job, and it's such a compelling story.

[Katie Cassidy]

I appreciate that. Thank you.

[Elisa Donovan]

You're welcome. It's true.

[Katie Cassidy]

I'm like, I put a lot of hard work into it.

[Elisa Donovan]

It's clear.

[Katie Cassidy]

So I thank you for acknowledging that. I appreciate that.

[Elisa Donovan]

It's clear. And so the movie premieres on January 10th, but starts streaming on January. January 11th. And you all should watch it. Accused the Karen Reed story on Lifetime. Thank you so much, Katie. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I hope the film does really well.

[Katie Cassidy]

Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Have a good day, too.

[Elisa Donovan]

Okay, I want to hear what cases you all are interested in hearing about. What are you watching that you want us to talk about? What actors or producers or directors do you want to hear from? From? Hit us up at our dms@killerthriller pod on Instagram and TikTok and let us know. Make sure to follow the pod on socials and subscribe to Amy and TJ Presents wherever you listen to podcasts. That will wrap us up for today. Until next time.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

On June 11, 1998, a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department went missing.

[Sheryl McCollum]

Hey, if they'll kill a cop and bury him, what are they gonna do to me?

[Elisa Donovan]

What really happened to the missing deputy? Valley of Shadows, a new series from Pushkin Industries about crime and corruption in California's high desert.

[Narrator of Valley of Shadows]

Listen to Valley of shadows on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Cassidy]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Sheryl McCollum]

Guaranteed Human.