By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-17 18:46:32 | Updated at 2024-11-17 20:25:31
1 hour ago
A Chicago tax attorney has been accused of wreaking a secret 'campaign of abuse and terror' against his wife, as revealed in filings unearthed in the wake of her death.
The body of Caitlin Walch Tracey, 36, was found 'pulverized' and missing a foot in the stairwell of her partner Adam Beckerink's luxury South Loop condo on October 27, according to court documents seen by DailyMail.com.
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 her family hit back on November 6, accusing him of wreaking a 'campaign of abuse and terror' against their daughter during her final months, including allegedly throwing a glass pickle jar at her head and pouring vodka on her wounds.
According to the Traceys, their daughter had been in a relationship with Beckerink from October 2022 until September 2023, but the couple never lived together or had children.
At some point after September, they got back together, and married in a private ceremony on April 8, 2024 which did not involve any of Tracey’s relatives.
Caitlin Tracey (pictured) died after falling down 24 flights of stairs on October 27. Her body was at the center of a dispute between her family against her husband of six months
Amid the acrimonious wrangling for control of her body, her parents accused Beckerink of ‘manipulating’ their daughter, of ‘purposefully isolating her from her family’ and being responsible for her ‘tragic and highly suspicious death’.
To support their argument, the Michigan-based family presented a since-rescinded petition Tracey made to Cook County Court a year before she died in a desperate attempt to obtain a restraining order against her husband.
Pictured: Adam P Beckerink
In her October 4, 2023 filing, Tracey detailed three examples of horrific attacks by the tax attorney.
Tracey said that on July 11, 2023, at around 3pm, Beckerink stripped her naked and attacked her at her three-story home in New Buffalo on the banks of Lake Michigan, where her parents said she lived to be close to them and away from her partner.
‘(Beckerink) physically abused me by throwing a pickle jar, which struck me on my head, punching me, pushing me, pulling my hair, dragging me by my clothes, and stripping me out of my clothes,' Tracey wrote in the petition seen by DailyMail.com.
'(He) also poured Vodka on my body, which burned my wounds, and would motion as if he was going to hit me with the alcohol bottle’.
Tracey said she managed to escape on foot, before her husband later took her to hospital for treatment to an 'open head wound'.
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
In a second alleged incident on August 21, 2023, Tracey once again only narrowly escaped a brutal attack by her husband, this time at his plush apartment in Chicago's Grand Luxury Condos where she was later found dead.
At around 8am they had an argument, and Beckerink began launching a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse against his partner, according to her filing.
Tracey alleges he 'verbally abused' her by calling her a 'cheater', a 'wh***', a 'piece of s***, 'liar' and a 'b****' before escalating to a physical assault.
'(He) physically abused me by dragging me by my ankle, strangling me, suffocating me, slamming my head against a cabinet, slapping me, punching me, putting my head in a headlock, and dragging me away from the door to prevent me from leaving' Tracey wrote in her petition.
He then allegedly stole her 'keys, wallet, iPad and phone' to prevent her from leaving or seeking help. Tracey said she escaped again by 'fleeing on foot', this time to the nearest police station.
Cops went to Beckerink's apartment but he refused to open the door.
Tracey detailed an alleged third incident which unfolded in the room where she was staying at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Chicago’s Magnificent Mile neighborhood on September 20, 2023.
She said her husband stormed into her room around 5.30pm before hurling abuse at her and this time attempting ‘sexually abuse’ her.
Tracey did not give context about why she was at the hotel or go into detail about the sexual abuse, but said she filed a police report for domestic battery.
Her parents said it was around this time that Tracey temporarily ended her relationship with Beckerink and opened up to them about the alleged violence.
In their petition for control of her body, the Traceys said she told them Beckerink had been ‘emotionally, psychologically and physically abusive to her’ including ‘holding her hostage’ and ‘brutalizing’ her so badly she needed medical treatment.
She also said he had been trying to contact her ‘approximately 20 times a day’ either demanding to see her, or to verbally abuse her over the phone.
‘I believe if Beckerink knew I was here trying to get an Emergency Order of Protection, he would try and stop me, or I would be at risk of further abuse,’ Tracey wrote in her bid for the restraining order.
But Tracey’s parents said Beckerink found out and threatened to sue her for defamation and libel - so she withdrew her petition ‘based on fear’.
Though Tracey never secured the restraint, Berrien County Prosecutor’s Office charged him on January 13, 2024 with four counts of larceny, interference with electronic communications and domestic violence against Tracey.
On August 19, 2024 they added two counts of resisting and obstruction, interference with electronic communications and more counts of domestic violence against Tracey, according to her parents.
Tracey's body was at the center of a dispute between her family against her husband
But the charges came too late for Tracey. Her body was discovered by Beckerink’s condo building manager, after a traumatized resident reported finding a severed foot in the stairwell.
Cops attended the grisly scene at 7.20pm on October 27, and told the family that ‘based on the condition of the remains’ they determined that Tracey’s body ‘fell approximately 24 floors’.
Beckerink has been removed from his role as partner at law firm Duane Morris
Her devastated parents said they were told that ‘based on the height of the fall,’ their daughter’s body was ‘pulverized’ and ‘her foot was severed from her body’.
According to a police report, Beckerink was detained and questioned but later released. Tracey’s parents said officers told them at the time that he was the ‘primary suspect.’
'An unidentified adult female was found unresponsive at the bottom of the stairs at a residence at the above location,' Chicago Police told DailyMail.com this week.
'She was pronounced on scene. Detectives are conducting a death investigation, pending autopsy results.
'No one is in custody and there are no updates at this time as the investigation is ongoing.'
Cook County Medical Examiner's Office is conducting an autopsy on Tracey’s remains. Officials told DailyMail.com this week that the results are pending.
Tracey’s parents are still going through the agonizing process of piecing together their daughter’s suffering via Freedom of Information requests to secure any further documents she filed with police.
But they secured one major victory this week, when Judge Brian Berger ruled that her remains would be released to them rather than to Beckerink. The Tracey family's attorneys, Mitt Drew and Andrew Cunniff, released statements on their behalf celebrating the judge's decision.
'We are incredibly grateful for Judge Berger's expedited decision,' said Drew, of Butzel Long in Michigan.
'The ruling allows Caitlin's family not only to honor her life with the final services she deserves, but also to grieve appropriately, supporting them in their journey through this difficult time.'
'Today's ruling in Michigan is a critical step in the family's efforts to protect and preserve Caitlin's legacy,' added Cunniff, of Galarnyk and Associates in Chicago.
'The family will continue to fight for Caitlin until she is laid to rest with the respect and dignity she deserves.'
The Traceys said they would honor their daughter with a Catholic funeral mass and burial.
Caitlin Tracey (pictured) died after falling down 24 flights of stairs on October 27
Tracey's family said her husband filed a police report on October 26 to make a missing person report, and the next day her body was found 'directly below' his apartment (pictured)
Duane Morris, the Chicago law firm where Beckerink worked as a partner, told DailyMail.com he had been 'swiftly removed' in response to the abuse allegations.
'This is a shocking and tragic case, and we send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Caitlin Tracey,' the firm said.
'Our firm was not aware of the domestic violence and other allegations against Adam Beckerink asserted in various legal proceedings until recent media accounts of her death.
'Once we confirmed key facts, the Partners Board swiftly removed Adam as a partner of Duane Morris LLP. He is no longer associated with our firm.
'This is a tragedy for all involved. Our deepest condolences go to Caitlin Tracey's family. Counseling will be available for Chicago office employees this week.
'Out of respect for the legal process, it is not appropriate for the firm to speculate about the ongoing investigation, other than to say we hope justice will be served and we stand ready to assist if we can be helpful to investigators.'
DailyMail.com has contacted Beckerink's lawyers for comment.
