The SUV made famous by the Karen Reed case is up for auction.
According to a local auction house, Reed’s Lexus LX 570 will go up for auction in the coming months, and its location at the center of one of Massachusetts’ most notorious murder trials could push its final price well above market value.
Reed was accused of tailgating her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, in an SUV after leaving him outside a friends’ house in Canton during a blizzard and killing him.
The owner of JB Auto Care in Weymouth purchased the vehicle from the leasing company after authorities released the vehicle.
According to the repair shop, no one has driven the SUV since it was seized by the police almost four years ago. According to Christian Broussard, a service advisor and son of the shop owner, the SUV had only 12,000 miles on it but required extensive repair work.
Mechanics changed the oil, cleaned up rodent infestation, repaired the navigation system, and, most notably, replaced the taillight that became a major point of contention at the trial, Broussard told MassLive, because investigators claimed it was damaged when Reed hit O’Keefe.
“We had it, we fixed it,” Broussard told MassLive. “nice going.”
Yarmouth Port-based JJ Manning Auctioneers will be handling the sale. Company President Justin Manning said he estimates the auction will take place in late January.
“Everything is being worked on now,” Manning told MassLive on Thursday.
Reed was charged in February 2022 with second-degree murder, motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of a collision. His first trial in 2024 resulted in a hung jury, with the judge declaring a mistrial.
The second trial in 2025 ended in June, with Reed found not guilty of the more serious charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of a collision; He was found guilty of operating under the influence and sentenced to one year of probation.
Broussard said JB Auto Care plans to donate all proceeds from the auction to Reed.
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