20/20 PREVIEW: Karen Read discovers John O’Keefe on side of road | PART 1

>> David: KAREN READ, HEARSE IS THE HOT CRIME NAME OF THE SUMMER, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE FOLLOWING HER STORY. >> David: DID SHE KILL HER BOYFRIEND, A BOSTON POLICE OFFICER, OR WAS SHE FRAMED? YOU'LL SEE HER FULL INTERVIEW RIGHT HERE. AN ALL-NEW "20/20" STARTS RIGHT NOW. >> KAREN, ARE YOU READY FOR TODAY? >> KAREN, HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY? >> DO YOU FEEL YOU'LL GET A FAIR TRIAL? >> KAREN READ INDICTED FOR SECOND-DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF OFFICER JOHN O'KEEFE. >> FREE KAREN READ! >> PROTESTS FOR KAREN RIGHT THERE. >> BUT IT STARTED WITH A REAL STORM. >> I WAS WORRIED HE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN HIT BY A PLOW. THAT WAS MY FIRST THOUGHT. IT'S THE ONLY EXPLANATION I COULD THINK OF FOR WHY JOHN JUST DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR. >> NOW THE WOMAN AT THE CENTER OF IT SPEAKING OUT FULLY FOR THE FIRST TIME. >> AND I SAID, HE'S RIGHT [ BLEEP ] THERE! HIS EYES WERE SHUT, AND HE HAD SPOTS OF BLOOD IN DIFFERENT AREAS ON HIS FACE. >> I REMEMBER POUNDING ON MY DRESSER. JUST, LICK LITERALLY SCREAM ING "NOT JOHN" OVER AND OVER. >> IS IT POSSIBLE YOU HIT HIM WITH THE BACK OF YOUR CAR AND JUST DIDN'T REALIZE IT? >> I SAID, THIS GUY DIDN'T DIE BY A BAR. HE WAS MURDERED, NO QUESTION. >> THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO JOHN O'KEEFE, AND THEY AREN'T TALKING. >> THE WHOLE STORY HINGES ON HOW HE DIED HERE. DID YOU KILL JOHN O'KEEFE? >> A SNOW EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED, AND BOSTON RESIDENTS NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS ONE. >> THIS IS LIKELY TO BE AN INTENSE, DANGEROUS STORM, WITH HEAVY SNOW, HIGH WINDS, AND WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. >> TEMPERATURES WILL BE DROPPING DOWN INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND BELOW ZERO WITH THE WIND CHILLS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS, DANGEROUS, SOMETIMES LIFE- THREATENING CONDITIONS HERE IN BOSTON. THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS STAY INSIDE. >> YOU ASK ANY BOSTONIAN, AND THEY HAVE A STORY THEY CAN TELL YOU ABOUT A BLIZZARD. BUT THE BLIZZARD OF 2022 WAS A PRETTY EPIC ONE. BY THE TIME IT WAS OVER, IT WOULD MAKE THE RECORDBOOKS. BUT THE STORY OF WHAT UNFOLDED IN THE NEARBY SUBURB OF CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS, THAT JANUARY NIGHT WOULD ALSO BE ONE FOR THE AGES -- A MURDER THAT CONTINUES TO TEAR APART AN ENTIRE TOWN. >> HIS BODY WAS FOUND IN A SNOWBANK IN CANTON -- >> HIS BODY DISCOVERED IN A PILE OF SNOW -- >> INJURIES INCLUDING SKULL FRACTURES AND SIGNS OF HYPOTHERMIA -- >> THE QUESTION IS, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? [ PHONE RINGING ] >> IT BEGINS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH THE BLIZZARD RAGING, AND KAREN READ SAYS SHE WAKES UP TO FIND HER BOYFRIEND, JOHN O'KEEFE, NOT AT HOME. NOW, DESPITE THAT STORM THEY'D BEEN OUT TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS AT BARS. AND SHE SAYS SHE WENT HOME FIRST, HE STAYED OUT. SO SHE STARTS ANXIOUSLY CALLING THE FRIENDS THEY'D BEEN OUT WITH JUST A FEW HOURS EARLIER. >> I CALLED A FEW OF HIS BUDDIES, THEIR WIVES. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. >> ONE OF HER FIRST CALLS IS TO JENNIFER McCABE, PART OF THAT GROUP. WHEN THE BAR CLOSED, JENNIFER AND OTHERS HAD GONE TO HAVE DRINKS AT A NEARBY HOUSE ON FAIRVIEW ROAD. BUT KAREN SAYS SHE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE STAYING OUT, SO SHE SAYS SHE DROPPED OFF JOHN OUTSIDE THE HOUSE AND CONTINUED BACK TO HIS PLACE. >> I SAID, "JEN, JOHN DIDN'T COME HOME." >> NOW, KAREN READ APPEARS TO BE IN A FULL PANIC. >> SO I SAID, "WELL, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS." AND I SAID, "I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE BARS." LIKE MAYBE THEY LET PEOPLE BACK IN AFTER HOURS. >> HER NEXT CALL IS TO JOHN'S FRIEND KERRY ROBERTS, WHO LIVES NEARBY. NOW, SHE WASN'T AT THE AFTERPARTY OR WITH ANYBODY WHO WAS, BUT MAYBE SHE'S HEARD FROM HIM. SHE HASN'T. >> KERRY ROBERTS MAKES A CALL TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TRYING TO SEE IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO JOHN THAT NIGHT. >> HI, MY NAME IS KERRY, I'M CALLING BECAUSE MY FRIEND'S BOYFRIEND DID NOT COME HOME LAST NIGHT. THEY WERE AT WATERFALL. SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE HE IS. YOU DIDN'T PICK ANYBODY UP BY THE NAME OF JOHN O'KEEFE, DID YOU? >> HE HAS NOT BEEN ADMITTED TO A HOSPITAL, AND HE HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS. >> NOT A SINGLE PERSON SAYS THEY'VE SEEN JOHN SINCE HE LEFT THE BAR. >> YOU WERE GOING TO CANVASS THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? >> YEAH. JUST GONNA DRIVE AROUND IN THE TWO SQUARE MILES THAT WE SPENT THE PRECEDING NIGHT. NOW I -- I HAVE AN IMMENSE SENSE OF DREAD, A FRIGHT IN ME THAT I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE. >> SO YOU'RE DRIVING AROUND. DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE HIM LYING ON THE STREET DRUNK? >> YEAH. YEAH, OR -- >> OR PASSED OUT, OR WHAT? >> I WAS WORRIED HE MIGHT'VE GOTTEN HIT BY A PLOW. THAT WAS MY FIRST THOUGHT. IT'S THE ONLY EXPLANATION I COULD THINK OF FOR WHY JOHN JUST DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR. HE'S NOT WHERE I THOUGHT HE WAS. AND NOBODY HAS SEEN HIM. THE ONLY OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD ARE PLOWS. >> THIS IS 90.0 WBUR. IT IS 24 DEGREES IN BOSTON, AND THERE WILL BE NEAR-WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. >> I GO BACK BY THE BARS. I DRIVE AROUND. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING AROUND, I GO TO GET JEN. >> SHE GETS TO JENNIFER McCABE'S, KERRY ROBERTS SHOWS UP, AND THEY DECIDE TOGETHER, LET'S GO BACK TO JOHN'S. >> YOU CAN SEE THIS MOMENT CAPTURED ON ONE OF JOHN'S HOME SECURITY CAMERAS. >> THE THREE WOMEN HEAD INSIDE TO SEE IF JOHN HAS COME HOME. >> SO NOW IT'S 5:30, 6:00. STILL PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE. AND WE SPENT ABOUT TEN MINUTES AT JOHN'S. >> THE THREE WOMEN ARE NOW TAKING THIS HARROWING RIDE AROUND TOWN IN THE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR JOHN, SCREAMING HIS NAME. KAREN IS IN THE BACK SEAT. NOW SHE'S FRANTICALLY TEXTING MORE PEOPLE, BUT AGAIN, NO ONE SAYS THEY'VE HEARD FROM JOHN. NOW THE WOMEN DECIDE TO GO BACK TO FAIRVIEW ROAD WHERE KAREN SAYS SHE LAST SAW JOHN, DROPPING HIM OFF FOR THE AFTERPARTY. >> AS YOU COME DOWN FAIRVIEW, THERE'S -- THERE'S A BIT OF A DECLINE AND IT -- AND IT CURVES TO THE LEFT. AND MY EYES ARE PEELED. AND I SAID, "HE'S RIGHT [ BLEEP ] THERE." I JUMPED OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND I FELL INTO THE STREET. HIS EYES WERE SHUT, AND HE HAD SPOTS OF BLOOD IN DIFFERENT AREAS ON HIS FACE. AND HE WAS STILL, NOT STIFF, BUT -- BUT STILL. IT WAS COLD. I FELT COLD. BUT I DIDN'T FEEL DANGEROUSLY COLD. AND IT WAS JUST AN ODD FEELING TO KNOW THAT I'M OKAY, I'M NOT DYING, BUT HE'S HERE WITH ME, AND HE'S DYING. AND I CAN'T WARM HIM UP. >> WHERE ARE THE BLANKETS? I DON'T SEE BLANKETS, KERRY. >> 911, WHAT'S YOUR EMERGENCY? >> THERE'S A MAN IS PASSED OUT IN THE SNOW. >> HELLO? >> OFFICERS ARRIVE TO THREE FEMALES ON THE SCENE AND JOHN IS LAYING ON HIS BACK. HE'S GOT INJURIES TO HIS FACE. HE HAD TWO BLACK EYES. HE'S COLD TO THE TOUCH. HE'S NOT DRESSED IN APPROPRIATE CLOTHING FOR THE TEMPERATURE. HE'S WEARING A LONG-SLEEVED T-SHIRT, AND HE'S ACTUALLY MISSING ONE OF HIS SHOES. BY ALL ACCOUNTS, KAREN IS INCONSOLABLE. SHE'S YELLING, SHE'S SCREAMING, SHE'S CRYING. >> I HAD CALLED MY FATHER. HE DIDN'T ANSWER. AND I -- I TEXTED HIM, "JOHN IS DEAD." AND I DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE THAT JOHN WAS DEAD, BUT I'M -- I'M TRYING TO ELICIT A RESPONSE. AND I THOUGHT JOHN COULD BE DEAD. AND HE CALLED ME BACK. AND I WAS DISTRAUGHT. AND I SAID, "I DON'T WANT TO LIVE." I WASN'T -- I DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEATION OF HARMING MYSELF, I JUST -- I'VE NEVER DEALT WITH GRIEF OF THIS MAGNITUDE. AND I JUST FELT OUT OF -- OUT OF MY SKIN. SO MY FATHER CALLED THE POLICE. THEY PUT ME IN A PSYCHIATRIC HOLD. THEY TOOK MY PHONE, THEY TOOK MY CLOTHES, THEY WOULDN'T LET ME SPEAK TO ANYONE. AND THEN SOMETIME LATER, ABOUT MID-MORNING, I SAW JOHN'S PARENTS AND BROTHER PASS IN THE E.R. AND ALL GO INTO THE DOOR TWO DOORS DOWN. >> BUT DESPITE MEDICAL PERSONNEL WORKING ON JOHN, HIS INJURIES AND HIS EXPOSURE TO THE COLD ARE JUST TOO MUCH. HE'S PRONOUNCED DEAD. >> I REMEMBER POUNDING ON MY DRESSER AND JUST LITERALLY SCREAMING "NOT JOHN" OVER AND OVER. >> JOHN O'KEEFE'S TRAGIC DEATH STUNS NOT ONLY HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BUT AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE JOHN WAS ONE OF BOSTON'S FINEST, BOSTON PD. AND THE LAWN OF THE HOUSE WHERE HE WAS FOUND IS THE HOME OF ANOTHER BOSTON POLICE OFFICER. THIS INVESTIGATION IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE. >>> WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NIGHT OF FUN AND DRINKS AND HUNKERING DOWN WITH FRIENDS BEFORE A BLIZZARD TURNS INTO A TRAGEDY. OFFICER JOHN O'KEEFE IS MYSTERIOUSLY DEAD AFTER BEING FOUND OUTSIDE DURING THE BLIZZARD. >> JOHN O'KEEFE, A 16-YEAR VET RAMP THE DEPARTMENT, WAS KILLED THIS PAST WEEKEND DURING THE POWERFUL NOR'EASTER. >> IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW HE DIED. >> HIS BODY WAS DISCOVERED OUTSIDE THE CANTON HOME OF A FELLOW OFFICER. >> IT WAS ALWAYS JOHNNY'S DREAM TO BECOME A BOSTON POLICE OFFICER. >> WHILE OTHER PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY BELONGED IN THE WORLD, HE KNEW HE WANTED TO BE A COP. >> HIS GRANDFATHER'S A COP. IT WAS KIND OF IN HIS DNA. >> THERE WAS NEVER AN OUNCE OF FEAR WITH THAT JOB FROM HIM. WE GREW UP IN BRAINTREE, WHICH IS MIDDLE-CLASS, A BOSTON SUBURB. HEAVY IRISH. HEAVY ITALIAN. JOHNNY WAS BOTH. >> JOHN IS THE MIDDLE CHILD OF THREE. HIS SISTER KRISTEN IS JUST TWENTY-TWO MONTHS OLDER AND HIS BROTHER PAUL SEVERAL YEARS YOUNGER. >> THEY WERE KIND OF YOUR PROTOTYPICAL MIDDLE-CLASS BRAINTREE FAMILY. ALWAYS A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON AT THE HOUSE. HIS MOTHER IS AN UNBELIEVABLE COOK. MAINLY ITALIAN. HIS DAD IS A VERY SOLID, CONSISTENT, FUNNY GUY. THE O'KEEFE IS ONE BRANCH OF THIS VERY LARGE, FAMILY TREE. WHAT WERE THEY LIKE? >> INCREDIBLE FAMILY. ANY GIVEN SUNDAY THEY'D CALL MY PARENTS UP AND SAY, "WE'RE BRINGING OVER A BUCKET OF CHICKEN, AND WE'RE COMING OVER TO USE YOUR POOL." AND IT WAS GREAT. THEY WERE GREAT. >> JOHNNY, AND I GREW UP ON THE SAME STREET. WE WERE IN LITTLE LEAGUE TOGETHER, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND WENT TO PROMS AND HOMECOMING TOGETHER. AND HE WAS IN MY WEDDING PARTY. >> I MET JOHNNY IN COLLEGE. THE VERY FIRST DAY OF SCOOT WE MET, AND FAST FRIENDS EVER SINCE. >> THEY BOTH SHARED A LOVE FOR THEIR BOSTON SPORTS TEAMS -- THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AND, OF COURSE, THE RED SOX. >> OPENING DAY WAS A RELIGIOUS DAY FOR HIM. HE WENT EVERY YEAR. EVERY YEAR. THAT WAS JUST -- IT'S ONE OF HIS FAVORITE DAYS. >> I DATED JOHNNY EARLY 2000S, AND THEN STAYED FRIENDS FOR OVER 20 YEARS. WE WERE JUST IMPORTANT IN EACH OTHER'S LIVES ALWAYS. HE WAS JUST A NATURAL, CARING PROTECTOR KIND OF PERSON. >> AND WHEN JOHN BECOMES AN UNCLE, HE BECOMES THIS PROTECTOR TO HIS NIECES AND NEPHEW AS WELL. >> HE SLID RIGHT INTO THAT COOL UNCLE ROLE. UNCLE JOHNNY WAS ALWAYS THERE WHETHER IT WAS SPORTING EVENTS, OR FIRST COMMUNIONS OR JUST FAMILY GATHERINGS. THEY WERE A LARGE PART OF WHO HE WAS. >> BUT IN 2013, THE O'KEEFE FAMILY GETS DEVASTATING NEWS WHEN JOHN'S OLDER SISTER KRISTEN IS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER. >> KRISTEN WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A VERY AGGRESSIVE BRAIN TUMOR. >> JOHNNY WAS THERE DAY ONE. HE TOOK HER TO ALL OF HER TREATMENTS. HE WAS UNBELIEVABLE, MAKING SURE THAT THE KIDS WERE TAKEN CARE OF. >> JUST A LITTLE OVER FIVE MONTHS FROM THE TIME THAT IT WAS DIAGNOSED UNTIL KRISTEN PASSED. >> THAT WAS A HUGE LOSS. >> WHEN SHE PASSED HE LOST A PART OF HIMSELF. >> JOHNNY IMMEDIATELY DECIDED THAT HE WAS GOING TO MOVE IN WITH KRISTEN'S HUSBAND, STEVE, TO HELP HIM AND KIND OF DO A "MY TWO DADS" THING, HE CALLED IT. AND THEN, UNFORTUNATELY, AND ALMOST UNBELIEVABLY, STEVE PASSED AWAY ALMOST EXACTLY TWO MONTHS AFTER KRISTEN DID. >> JOHNNY'S NIECE WAS 6, AND JOHNNY'S 7 EWE WAS 3. IT WASN'T EVEN A QUESTION. JOHNNY WAS GOING TO STEP IN AND RAISE THOSE KIDS. >> HE WAS ABOUT TO BECOME A SINGLE PARENT OVERNIGHT. >> IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, JOHN LOSES HIS SISTER, HIS BROTHER-IN- LAW. HE TAKES IN THEIR KIDS. HOW WAS HE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL OF THIS? >> HE HAD A BIG SUPPORT SYSTEM BETWEEN FAMILY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN CANTON HELPED HIM OUT. >> AND EMOTIONALLY, HOW'D HE DO IT? >> I FEEL LIKE, I GUESS HE JUST KNEW HE HAD TO. >> HIS LIFE DIDN'T STOP AND HE WAS ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING. BUT THE KIDS CAME FIRST. >> BY 2020, JOHN IS A SINGLE DAD, A COP, RAISING TWO KIDS IN THE MIDDLE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. AND THAT'S WHEN HE RECONNECTS WITH SOMEONE FROM HIS PAST, KAREN READ, WHO HE BRIEFLY DATED MANY YEARS EARLIER. HOW DID YOU MEET JOHN O'KEEFE? >> I MEET JOHN IN 2004, FEBRUARY, AT HIS SISTER'S 30th BIRTHDAY PARTY. >> SO WHAT DREW YOU TO HIM? WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT HIM? >> I THOUGHT HE WAS HANDSOME AND HE WAS SWEET. AND -- I MEAN, I WAS 24, SO THAT'S -- THAT WAS ABOUT THE CRITERIA AT THE TIME. IT JUST CAME AND WENT. AND -- DIDN'T SPEAK TO HIM AGAIN. NOT INTENTIONALLY, JUST WASN'T SERIOUS. >> BUT NOW MORE THAN 15 YEARS LATER, KAREN IS LIVING IN THE BOSTON AREA WITH A CAREER AS A FINANCIAL ANALYST AND AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR TEACHING FINANCE. AND SHE SEES A MESSAGE FROM JOHN ON FACEBOOK. >> WHEN I SAW HIS PICTURE, IT WAS WITH SEVERAL YOUNG CHILDREN. AND THEN IT TRIGGERED MY MEMORY THAT HIS SISTER AND HIS SISTER'S HUSBAND HAD PASSED AWAY. AND HE TOLD ME, "YEAH, I HAVE THE KIDS NOW." I THOUGHT THAT WAS AMAZING. AND HE SAID, "THEY'RE 9 AND 12." THREE DAYS LATER, HE CAME OVER AND I COOKED. AND -- IT WAS LIKE -- VERY NATURAL. >> HOW SERIOUS DID THINGS GET THAT SECOND ROUND? >> PRETTY SERIOUS VERY FAST. THE SECOND WEEK HE SAID, "DO YOU WANT TO COME, YOU KNOW, MEET THE CREW?" MEET HIS NIECE AND NEPHEW. I WAS HAPPY TO GO. >> WAS THERE TALK OF MARRIAGE? >> NO. NO. >> DID YOU WANT THAT? >> I WOULD'VE CONSIDERED IT STRONGLY FOR JOHN, BUT IT'S NOT EVER BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE ASPIRED TO. >> WE ARE EXPECTING AS MUCH AS 18 TO 24 INCHES OF SNOW AND 40 TO 50-MILE-PER-HOUR WINDS. >> I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS, WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT WEEKEND IS GOING TO GET CANCELED. >> A SNOW EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND BE LIKE, "HEY, I'LL GO OUT TONIGHT BECAUSE TOMORROW EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN." >> CITY OFFICIALS SAY THIS WILL BE A BLOCKBUSTER EVENT. >> JOHN MAKES PLANS TO MEET A FRIEND ON THE MAIN DRAG IN CANTON, JUST ABOUT A MILE FROM HIS HOUSE. HIS NEPHEW IS AT A SLEEPOVER THAT NIGHT, AND HIS TEENAGE NIECE IS AT HOME. >> EARLY IN THE EVENING, JOHN O'KEEFE GOES OUT WITH A BUDDY DOWN TO C.F. MCCARTHY'S. AND KAREN DECIDES TO MEET HIM THERE. NOW JOHN DIDN'T DRIVE THERE. JOHN GOT A RIDE FROM HIS FRIEND, SO HE WAS TELLING KAREN THAT HE WAS GOING TO NEED A RIDE. >> I ENDED UP LEAVING MY HOUSE TO JOIN JOHN IN CANTON AT 8:30. >> SO YOU MET HIM FOR DRINKS? >> YEP. >> HOW DID THE NIGHT GO? >> IT WAS FINE. I WALKED IN. HE WAS WITH THREE OTHER FELLOWS. I GOT THERE A LITTLE AFTER 9:00. AND HE GAVE ME A HUG. THEY STAY AT C.F. MCCARTHY'S FOR A WHILE AND THEN DECIDE TO GO MEET SOME MORE FRIENDS OVER AT THE WATERFALL BAR AND GRILL, WHICH IS JUST ACROSS THE STREET AND DOWN. IT'S A TWO-MINUTE WALK. >> SO WHO WAS THERE WHEN YOU GOT THERE? >> IT WAS A TABLE OF PEOPLE RIGHT AWAY. >> AT THE TABLE ARE MEMBERS OF A COUPLE OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE DEEP TIES TO THE TOWN. THE ALBERTS AND McCABES. WE'VE GOT CHRIS ALBERT WHO USED TO LIVE DOWN THE STREET FROM JOHN. ALSO AT THE TABLE, BRIAN ALBERT, CHRIS' BROTHER, WHO, LIKE JOHN, IS A BOSTON POLICE OFFICER. HE'S ACTUALLY THE LEADER OF AN ELITE SQUAD TASKED WITH CATCHING DANGEROUS CRIMINALS. HE EVEN HELPED SOLVE THE INFAMOUS BOSTON STRANGLER CASE. >> WE SAID HI TO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE. WE STAYED THERE FOR ABOUT 90 MINUTES. >> THERE'S VIDEO SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING. IT LOOKS LIKE A TYPICAL NIGHT. PEOPLE ARE SNUGGLING UP AROUND A BAR, THEY'RE DRINKING, THEY'RE GOOFING AROUND A LITTLE BIT. >> KAREN SAID SHE HAD ONLY MET BRIAN ALBERT ONCE BEFORE. BUT SHE SAID SHE FELT LIKE JOHN REALLY WANTED TO MAKE GOOD IMPRESSIONS ON THE ALBERTS. >> BRIAN ALBERT, WHOSE HOME IS ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AWAY, INVITES EVERYONE OVER FOR AN AFTER PARTY. NOW, THERE'S ALREADY A PARTY WITH SOME YOUNG ADULTS TAKING PLACE AT HIS HOUSE BECAUSE IT'S BRIAN JR.'S BIRTHDAY, SO THERE'S A BUNCH OF FOLKS WHO WERE ALREADY THERE. THEY ALL GATHER UP AND HEAD OUT. >> ALSO HEADING OUT WITH THE GROUP IS BRIAN ALBERT'S WIFE NICOLE AND HER SISTER JENNIFER McCABE, WHO JOHN HAD KNOWN FOR YEARS. AND THERE WAS BRIAN HIGGINS AN ATF AGENT, WHO WAS ALSO FRIENDS WITH THE ALBERTS. >> SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT, SECURITY CAMERAS SHOW JOHN WALK OUT OF THE WATERFALL BAR AND INTO THE SNOWY NIGHT. JOHN HAS A COCKTAIL GLASS IN HIS HAND. SECONDS LATER, THE TWO GET INTO KAREN'S BLACK SUV AND THEY DRIVE AWAY. A MERE EIGHT HOURS LATER, JOHN O'KEEFE WILL BE DEAD.