By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-03-12 18:40:38 | Updated at 2025-03-12 23:00:16
4 hours ago
The lawyer husband of a woman found dead in his apartment building stairwell with her foot severed has been referred to as a 'suspect' in the killing.
Adam Beckerink, 46, was named a suspect in the October 2024 death of estranged wife Caitlin Tracey, 36, in the Chicago building where he lived.
He was linked to the killing by a Cook County prosecutor at a hearing on Monday - even though no charges have been filed over Tracey's killing, ABC7 reported.
Beckerink instead appeared before court a day after he was arrested on an outstanding domestic violence warrant from prosecutors in Berrien County, Michigan.
The tax attorney, fired from his job after Tracey's death, was charged with domestically abusing Tracey at her home in New Buffalo, Michigan, last year.
He waived extradition to Berrien County to face those charges and was ordered held in custody until his next hearing.
Tracey's parents say their later daughter was horrifically abused by Beckerink for an extended period of time.
She's believed to have died from a 20 foot fall.
After Tracey's death, Beckerink tried to block his late wife's parents from taking control over her remains.
The Traceys later won custody over their daughter's body.
Adam Beckerink, husband of a woman who was mysteriously found dead in his stairwell, has been arrested on a warrant related to a separate assault case against her in Michigan
Caitlin Tracey, 36, was found dead in the stairwell of her tax attorney husband Beckerink's condo in Chicago on October 27 last year
During Monday's hearing, Beckerink's lawyer insisted his client 'is the absolute opposite of a fugitive from justice' as he pointed out that he was arrested at home.
After Tracey's death, Chicago Police Department cops rushed to the scene and detained Beckerink, 46, who had reported his wife missing the day before. They released him after 48 hours without filing any charges.
In the weeks that followed, Tracey's heartbroken parents, retired real estate developer Andrew Tracey, 69, and college professor Dr. Monica Tracey, 65, battled against Beckerink for custody of their daughter's remains.
Beckerink, a former partner of international law firm Duane Morris who had been married to Tracey for six months, argued that he had the rights to her body as the surviving spouse.
But on November 6, 2024 her family filed documents accusing him of wreaking a 'campaign of abuse and terror' against their daughter, including allegedly throwing a glass pickle jar at her head and pouring vodka on her wounds.
To support their argument, the Michigan-based family presented a since-rescinded petition Tracey made to Cook County Court a year before she died in a desperate attempt to obtain a restraining order against her husband.
Tracey fell down 24 flights of stairs in Beckerink's high rise (pictured) on the 1200 block of Prairie Street in South Loop, severing her foot during the descent
Tracey's body was at the center of a dispute between her family against her husband
Chicago police took him into custody after arriving at the scene but released him without charge
Pictured: Caitlin Tracey's father, retired real estate developer Andrew Tracey (second left), 69, holding hands with his wife and her mother, college professor Dr Monica Tracey, 65
In her October 4, 2023 filing, Tracey detailed three examples of horrific attacks by the tax attorney.
However, her parents said Beckerink found out and threatened to sue her for defamation and libel - so she withdrew her petition ‘based on fear’.
Beckerink's lawyer Todd Pugh said he denies the domestic violence claims. 'There was no physical violence that Adam had directed towards CT,' he told the Chicago Tribune.
'There is no corroboration to any of her claims. There was a layer of emotional volatility to the relationship, but CT enjoyed an incredibly close relationship with Adam's parents and Adam.'
Beckerink was ousted from his role with the Duane Morris law firm amid the scandal.
