The lead investigator in the Karen Read murder case has been relieved of his duties and faces a police interview after his conduct was exposed during the trial.

Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor may no longer be on active duty, but he is still a member of the department and is paid. But that could change.

Proctor will have what is called a “duty status” hearing to clarify his employment status during the internal investigation. His car, gun and equipment have been taken away from him, which is standard practice.

Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in John O'Keefe's death, has been relieved of duty by the Massachusetts State Police. We're examining how this development may impact the Karen Read case and others.

The state police move comes as an internal investigation into Proctor's conduct is ongoing.

Interim Massachusetts State Police Colonel Jack Mawn took a strong stance against the officer's actions during his investigation into Read. Read is accused of hitting and killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with her car in January 2022.

During the investigation, Proctor sent vulgar and degrading text messages about Read to his family, friends and comrades.

“She's a crazy… bitch,” Proctor said as he read the texts on the witness stand.

We learn from the interim colonel of the Massachusetts State Police about the ongoing internal investigation into Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the Karen Read murder trial, and his conduct.

“Misconduct in any form will not be tolerated by the Massachusetts State Police,” Mawn said. “I condemn these comments in the strongest possible terms.”

The witness statements revealed that the detective also knew several of the witnesses.

The case ended in a mistrial and was a disgrace for the police officer.

Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor refused to answer questions from NBC10's Boston Investigators after Karen Read's murder trial ended without a jury verdict.

Proctor graduated from the academy in 2014 and went on to work as a detective in the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office, earning $146,053 last year – including nearly $37,000 in overtime.

State police confirmed Monday that he had been relieved of duty. NBC10 Boston investigators learned Tuesday that Proctor had been assigned to Troop H but would not work during his layoff.

The officer's fate in the department will be decided by an internal investigation and the state's POST Commission, which deals with allegations of police misconduct.

Sources told NBC10's Boston Investigators that Proctor is also involved in a federal investigation into the handling of the case.

Governor Maura Healey was asked whether Proctor should be fired.

“This is the right step to remove him,” she said. “There is a process, so we have to go through that process.”

Proctor's conduct is the latest in a long line of scandals that have undermined public trust in the Massachusetts State Police. Some officers have been accused of taking bribes for commercial driver's licenses, others have been convicted of stealing overtime pay for shifts they never worked, and more.

NBC10 Boston asked Mawn how the department can regain trust after so many scandals in recent years.

“We need to work very hard to get more public involvement so that we understand what we need to do and where we want to go to maintain trust, build trust and, in some cases, regain trust,” Mawn said.

“The Association is proud of the work our members do every day and the fact that our homicide clearance rate in Massachusetts is the envy of the country,” the State Police Association of Massachusetts said in a lengthy statement regarding Proctor, which can be read in full here. “At the same time, we must make clear that we do not condone the language in the text messages that were presented as evidence during the trial.”

NBC10 Boston reached out to Proctor's attorney for comment but did not receive a response.