NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Episode Date: June 19, 2025

Karen Read found not guilty of murder in retrial; Trump on potential Iran strike: ‘I may do it. I may not do it.’; Destructive tornado outbreak rips across Midwest; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the stunning verdict that Karen Reed acquitted of murder. The emotional moments inside the courtroom as the judge announces the verdict. Reed in tears, hugging her legal team outside the crowds cheering as a Massachusetts jury found her not guilty in the retrial where she was accused of killing her police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe. Prosecutors allege she struck him with her SUV, leaving him for dead. No one has fought harder for justice for John O'Keefe

than I have. More of Reid's reaction tonight. We're live, also breaking tonight. Will President Trump strike Iran, telling reporters today, I may do it, I may not do it. Israel taking out Iranian helicopters and missile launchers as Iran fires back with its own airstrikes. Tonight, the Ayatollah threat and the camera clash between

some of the president's biggest supporters over getting involved. Plus, tornadoes shredding through Illinois and millions under the severe weather risk through the night the sudden death of beloved celebrity chef and barrel how did she die tonight we speak with her close friend on how she spent her final hours the 100 million dollar heist diamonds jewels and gold the bust years in the making and what's being called the largest jewelry job in U.S. history this just in the making in what's being called the largest jewelry job in U.S. history.

This just in, the Lakers are being sold by the family that's owned them for decades. And the incredible find at a Missouri scrap yard. How did this purple heart stand out like the soldier who earned it? Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yalmas. Good evening. It is that stunning verdict that led to cheers inside and outside of a courthouse in Massachusetts. Karen Reed found not guilty of second degree murder after prosecutors retried her in the

2022 death of her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, John O'Keefe. You can hear it right there, cheers erupting as the news reached Reed supporters outside the courtroom. Reed's case and retrial becoming a national obsession. Reed thanking and gesturing directly to those supporters with that hand signal as she exited the courthouse today. The jury also acquitting Reed on two lesser charges, ultimately only convicting her on a drunk driving charge. The verdict coming after nearly two months of testimony, with prosecutors arguing she reversed her SUV into her boyfriend and left him for dead. The defense arguing Reed was framed with no direct evidence. We've got team coverage starting with

Emily Akeda outside of the court in Detah, Massachusetts. Karen Reed walking out of court with hand over heart and a major win in her murder trial redo. I just want to say two things. Number one is I could not be standing here without these amazing supporters who have supported me and my team financially and more importantly emotionally for almost four years.

And the second thing I want to say is no one has fought harder for justice for John O'Keefe than I have. She was accused of hitting her police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe with her car in a drunken argument and leaving him to die in the cold back in 2022. But her defense has insisted there was no collision and Reed was framed. And after three and a half days of deliberating, the jury of seven women and five men agreed to acquit her of the most serious charge. Her in the second degree what say is the defendant of our guilty or not

guilty. Also clearing her of manslaughter and fleeing the scene of a deadly accident prompting hugs and tears inside the courtroom. Cheers even heard from crowds gathered outside. Cheers even heard from crowds gathered outside. So say you Mr. Foreman. So say you all. The jury did convict Reid of a lesser charge, operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol,

after considering nearly 8 weeks of testimony and mountains of material, including crash demos, vehicle and phone data, and Reid's own words. I mean, I didn't think I hit him, hit him, but could I have clipped him read acknowledging she shouldn't have been driving the night O'Keefe died. Her defense tried to point the finger at law enforcement, but in a new interview with Dateline, the lead investigator fired for his misconduct on the case now speaking out. What do you want to say to anyone who believes the narrative, the defense's narrative, that

you are corrupt, that you framed Karen Reed? I laugh because it's such a ridiculous accusation. There's not one piece of evidence or fact to support that because it did not happen. I would never do something like that. Did you frame Karen Reed? Absolutely not. This is the second time a jury has deliberated Reed's fate since her first trial last year ended in a mistrial.

I'm declaring a mistrial in this case. The case since garnering intense public interest, both online and in person, with a sea of supporters in pink erupting in cheers at word of the jury's verdict today. It feels wonderful because we got a non-guilty verdict. It feels great, it's worth everything. Every minute of travel, every penny we paid to get here was worth it for the verdict.

But a much more somber tone from O'Keefe's loved ones. His mother had testified in the retrial. I hear Karen Reed yell, Peg is he dead? Is he dead? Peg Peg is it dead? Tonight, some of those at the center of the case who testified against Reed writing in a statement. Today we mourn with John's family and lament the cruel reality that this prosecution was infected by lies and conspiracy theories going on to say the result is a devastating miscarriage

of justice. Emily Akena joins us now live from outside the courthouse. Emily, Karen Reed was facing life in prison if convicted. What happens now? Well Tom, she was sentenced on the spot to one year of probation for driving under the influence, certainly a far cry from what prosecutors have been hoping for with this case. Reed could have faced life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge against her. Tom. All right, Emily, I kind of leading us off. Emily, thank you. Laura Jarrett joins me now.

Laura, the big question tonight, how did the defense beat this case? Tom, this really was a battle of the experts. She said she didn't hit him. They had the science to back it up. She did not take the stand in this case, even though they had her words. She didn't take the stand. She didn't even though they had her words. She didn't take the stand. She didn't get cross-examined. That could have been ugly. Perhaps the biggest though, Tom, that's different from last time around,

they got instructed on those lesser charges, driving under the influence. They didn't have that to do last time. That could have given them an off-ramp to give her some sort of culpability on something she already admitted, but then she didn't have to get convicted on the highest charge.

All right, Laura Jarrett, on that major verdict, Laura, we thank you for that. Now to the consequential decision for President Trump. Will he launch an airstrike on a nuclear facility inside of Iran? Gabe Gutierrez has late details from the White House. Tonight, with Israel destroying Iranian helicopters and missile launchers as it targets Iran's nuclear program, President Trump says he's not made a final decision on if the U.S. will strike Iran too. A senior administration official telling NBC News all options remain on the table. Well, I may do it, I may not do it.

I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do. Iran launching its own missiles against Israel, but most have been intercepted. The president with a blunt demand for Iran's supreme leader. Very simple, unconditional surrender. That means I've had it. OK, I've had it, I give up, I know more. Maybe you could call it the ultimate, the ultimate ultimatum, right? You run that wall all the time.

Today, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei defiant, posting the Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage. What do you say to the Supreme Leader of Iran who says that they will not correct them? Say good luck. Two U.S. officials familiar with the planning tell NBC News that if the U.S. strikes, Iran is prepared to strike American bases and assets in the Middle East. They're totally defenseless. They have no air defense whatsoever.

Totally captured. You know, we've totally captured the air. The president today saying the Iranian regime, battered by Israeli strikes, is now asking to come to the White House to negotiate after turning down an earlier offer. They had to sign a document. I think they wish they signed it now. It was a fair deal. And now it's a harder thing to sign, you know?

There's a lot of water over the dam. Have you closed the door on meeting with them? No. Iran's mission to the UN responding, no Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. Israel has damaged most of Iran's nuclear facilities, but not Fordow, buried

deep in a mountain, and that could be the key target if there's a U.S. airstrike. Only the U.S. has the B-2 bombers and 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs that could destroy it. We're the only ones that have the capability to do it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do it at all. Meanwhile, division is growing within the president's own party, some Republicans backing military intervention. Diplomacy didn't work for 60 days. If you don't understand that Iran with a nuclear weapon is the biggest danger in the world,

you're missing a line. But conservative commentator Tucker Carlson clashing with Republican Senator Ted Cruz over the issue. How many people live in Iran, by the way? I don't know the population. At all the way? I don't know the population. At all? No, I don't know the population. You don't know the population of the country you seek to topple?

The president was asked about that dispute today, saying he's not looking for a long-term war. No, my supporters are for me. My supporters are America first, they make America great again. My supporters don't want to see Iran have a nuclear weapon. Very simple. If they think that it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, then they should oppose me.

But nobody thinks it's OK. Gabe joins us live from the White House. Gabe, we know there are American citizens still stuck in Israel in the middle of all this. And the US ambassador to Israel just sent them an urgent notice. What did they say? Yeah. Yes, Tom. The Ambassador, Mike Huckabee, says the State Department is arranging flights and cruise

ships to evacuate American citizens from Israel. Also, the President just wrapped up another meeting in the Situation Room here at the White House as he considers his next move. Tom? OK, Gabriel, thank you. Now, the destructive tornado outbreak wreaking havoc across the Midwest with new video showing buildings destroyed and debris swirling.

Maggie Vespa has this story. Jaw dropping new video shows an apparent tornado tearing across Illinois. Outside Springfield, wind howling, debris flying. Watch as that white building gets completely shredded. Nearby, another video showing a potential second funnel cloud stretching down from an ominous sky tonight this baseball complex torn to pieces before a big weekend tournament to employees forced to take cover. It's deeply emotional.

So thankful they had the wherewithal to get in a safe location. In all, forecasters tracking roughly a dozen reported twisters in four hours across Missouri, Illinois and Michigan. Tonight, more than 60 million Americans remain under severe weather risk from the southern plains to the northeast. At one point, more than 200,000 without power in Indiana, floodwaters covering an interstate in New York. This after torrential winds and intense downpours wreaked havoc across the country yesterday. Multiple reported tornadoes carving across Oklahoma.

The whole house actually shook. Now mother nature's wrath ratcheting up again with tonight tens of millions potentially in harm's way. Maggie Vespa, NBC News. And in California tonight, authorities say they've solved the largest jewelry heist mystery in U.S. history. Gold, diamonds, rubies and more taken. NBC's Jesse Kersh explains how it all went down. Is there pry marks anywhere? Is it just a cut lock?

Inside this semi-truck at a California rest rest stop investigators say something was missing 24 bags filled with jewelry worth roughly 100 million dollars. Now nearly 3 years later federal authorities say they've identified 7 men in connection with the crime in July 2022 some of the defendants allegedly followed this truck roughly 300 miles from a Bay Area jewelry show toward Los Angeles striking at this rest stop the trucks driver who prosecutors have not accused of wrongdoing hurt here on a deputy's body cam. All 7 defendants allegedly fled with stolen gold diamonds

rubies emeralds and luxury watches what finally made this fall in line. I don't think it was one break. Jesse that that really made this fall in line. It's a consistent sort of boring detective work that was done over countless hours over countless years. Authorities say one defendant is already behind bars for a different

crime. Two more were arrested. As for the others, we're not currently a liberty to say where those four people are. I will say that, you know, at least one of them we believe to be outside of the United States. Investigators believe some pieces were recovered, but many are still missing after a dazzling heist like we've never seen.

Jesse Kirsch, NBC News. Now to the sad news on the death of acclaimed chef Anne Burrell of the Food Network. Anne Thompson reports now on how she spent her final hours and how she died. A report of cardiac arrest sent emergency crews to Anne Burrell's Brooklyn home. These little leaves will add their tiny goodness. The sudden death of the celebrity chef Tuesday coming just hours after the 55-year-old embarked on a new adventure, doing improv on Second City's Brooklyn stage Monday night. Olive Hoy was there.

It's bittersweet to think about it right now because she was in such high spirit. It was very funny. A Food Network star for two decades, Burel created a recipe for success. Yeah, baby! Woo! Humor and snark. This is like eating gravel. Yeah, baby. Humor and snark this is like eating gravel personality and

talent and what they saw. Topped off by her signature look. Burrell special Italian cooking learned in Italy then perfected in some of New York's top restaurants. Iron Chef America first brought Pharrell into people's homes. She competed on and hosted a variety of shows. Most famously, the worst cooks in America. I saw a lot of salt going on this.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. The child from upstate New York climbing all the way to the top of the TV food pyramid. And as she often posted, a lucky girl. Anne Thompson, NBC News. We are back in a moment with wild video of the fight between passengers during boarding. What happened on this flight? Plus the deadly Listeria outbreak that's already in 13 states. The popular pasta recall because of it. That's next. We're back now with a deadly

Listeria outbreak across the country. The FDA says 16 people were hospitalized and three are now dead after eating chicken fettuccine Alfredo products sold at Kroger and Walmart. The food producer Fresh Realm is recalling these products you see here on the screen, and all of them had best buy dates on or before June 27th. Officials say the Listeria outbreak is impacting these 13 states so far. Also tonight, wild video of an unruly passenger

on a Southwest Airlines flight while it was boarding at New York's LaGuardia Airport. You can see this woman yanking another passenger's hair before flight crew and other passengers intervene. You can see the woman then tied up here after she was restrained. It's unclear why it happened but Southwest says that passenger was removed from the flight and denied boarding. And a massive headline out of the NBA tonight, the Buss family is nearing an agreement to sell their majority stake in the LA Lakers to Mark Walter, owner of the LA Dodgers, a source telling NBC LA the valuation of that deal, get this, is about $10 billion.

When we come back, the lost Purple Heart discovered the treasure in the scrap yard and the mission to find the family it belonged to. There's good news tonight. Stay with us. Finally, there's good news tonight. A Purple Heart founded a Missouri scrap yard and the group of workers who somehow spotted it and launched a mission to find its owner. Mike Busch from our affiliate in St. Louis has this story. At Scrap Mart Metals in Jonesburg, Missouri,

they turn metal into memory. But one memory just wouldn't melt. The purple stood out the most, it stood out like a sore thumb. What Patrick pulled from that conveyor belt was a World War II purple heart, completely intact, which defied all logic. We get coins through this thing and they're unrecognizable.

I mean, quarters are bent in half and this thing's completely whole, the ribbon's still on. There was a name etched on the back, just enough for Lucas and his staff to launch a mission. They turned detective, building family trees on ancestry.com until they found Katie Kreitemeyer. This is class of 1944. The Purple Heart belonged to Charles Joseph Hall who was a cousin and grew up in the same house as Katie's grandmother. He had

brown eyes. Katie's dad was named for Charles Joseph. He enlisted right out of high school and wanted to be a paratrooper, but they moved him to infantry and then went to Europe and was killed six months later. The family knew about the medal, but couldn't find it until now. And the dedication of those in the industry who handle them. To honor the journey, Scrap Mark didn't just hand it over. They flew the family to San Diego to return a nation's gratitude. We wouldn't have this if it hadn't been for

the kindness of complete strangers. Scrap Mart medals. We thank you for that good news and to our NBC station KSDK. That's nightly news for this Wednesday. I'm Tom Yamas. Tonight and always we're here for you. Thanks so much for watching. Good night.