In a dramatic turn of events, a highly anticipated witness, Jennifer McCabe, took the stand on Friday in the ongoing Karen Read murder trial. McCabe, who is the sister-in-law of the homeowner where the victim's body was discovered, provided crucial testimony after a week of testimonies from fellow partygoers, including members of the Albert family.

Matthew McCabe, Jennifer's husband, had previously testified that he was in the company of Read, the accused, and the victim, John O'Keefe, at the Waterfall Bar and Grille the night before O'Keefe's death. The group had planned to continue the celebration at Brian Albert's home on Fairview Road, but Read and O'Keefe never arrived. Matthew McCabe also mentioned seeing a dark SUV at the Albert residence.

Read is currently facing second-degree murder charges in the death of O'Keefe, her boyfriend, who was found lifeless in the snow outside retired Brian Albert's home in Canton. While prosecutors allege that Read hit O'Keefe with her SUV, Read claims that she has been framed as part of a wide-ranging cover-up orchestrated by the Albert family and the state's lead investigator, who happens to be a family friend.

Jennifer McCabe's testimony holds significant weight as it is expected to shed light on an FBI analysis of her phone, which could serve as a pivotal piece of evidence for the defense. McCabe, who returned to the stand on Friday morning, shared details about the morning of January 29, 2022, when news of O'Keefe's disappearance reached them.

According to McCabe, he woke up to the sound of his wife, Jennifer, screaming on the phone. Believing there was an intruder, he quickly realized that Jennifer was speaking to Karen Read, who couldn't locate O'Keefe. Jennifer continued the conversation while frantically relaying Read's distress to McCabe.

With no knowledge of O'Keefe's whereabouts, Jennifer began making phone calls to others who had been at the Waterfall Bar & Grill the previous night. Meanwhile, Matthew McCabe recalled seeing Read's vehicle parked outside 34 Fairview Road that morning, contradicting Read's claim that she did not remember going there. Additionally, he claimed to have heard Read mention that she had "broken her taillight" on her vehicle.

As the day unfolded, the couple's efforts to locate O'Keefe intensified. They called and texted him, receiving no response. Matthew McCabe's wife eventually left to search for O'Keefe, along with Read, while he stayed home with their four children.

Approximately an hour later, Jennifer McCabe called her husband to inform him that they had found O'Keefe at 34 Fairview Road. McCabe rushed to meet them, discovering an ambulance at the scene and Kerry Roberts, who mentioned she was dropping Read off and intended to retrieve O'Keefe's parents.

During cross-examination, defense attorney David Yannetti brought up a previous encounter between Matthew McCabe, his wife, O'Keefe, and Read at the Hillside Pub in Canton on January 22, 2022. The couples spent about an hour together, accompanied by Brian and Nicole Albert and several others.

As the trial progresses, these gripping testimonies continue to shed light on the events leading up to O'Keefe's tragic death. The jury will need to carefully consider the evidence and make a verdict, as Read maintains her plea of not guilty and remains free on bond.