Lawyer charged with murdering wife, 34, a year to the day after she was found ‘pulverized’ and missing her foot at bottom of apartment tower stairwell in crime that rocked Midwest
A lawyer jailed for beating up his wife before she died in mysterious circumstances has now been charged with her murder.
Caitlin Tracey, 36 plunged to her death from the 24th-floor condo in Chicago she shared with her husband Adam Beckerink, 47, on October 27 last year.
Her body was said to be ‘pulverized’ and missing a foot after the deadly fall to the bottom of a stairwell and police always considered Beckerink a suspect.
But they only charged him on Monday after the tax lawyer was jailed for 94 days plus two years’ probation on separate domestic violence accusations.
‘We dearly miss Caitlin as do her friends,’ Tracey’s family said in a statement.
‘Our family hopes that during the murder case against Adam Beckerink, that the truth about the last months of Caitlin’s life and the events leading to her tragic death are revealed, so our wonderful daughter can finally be laid to rest.’
Chicago cops rushed to the scene and detained Beckerink, who reported Tracey missing the day before. They released him after 48 hours without filing any charges.
Beckerink claimed he hadn’t seen his wife for months, but surveillance footage filmed them together at the apartment complex just three days before she died.
Attorney Adam Beckerink, 47, was sentenced to 93 days in jail and two years probation for beating up his wife before she died in mysterious circumstances
Caitlin Walch Tracey, 36, known to her friends as ‘CT’ , was found ‘pulverized’ and missing a foot in the stairwell of her husband Adam P Beckerink’s high-rise on October 27, 2024
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 told police in January 2024 that Beckerink ‘assaulted her and stole some of her items’ in Michigan, where the couple lived before moving to Chicago.
Officers noted that Tracey had ‘cuts on her lips and other red markings ‘from being kicked’ that evening.
Beckerink pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge last Monday.
A terrified Tracey was heard in harrowing 911 calls begging for help as she said Beckerink attacked her.
Court documents also detailed how Beckerink allegedly stole $45,000 worth of jewelry and designer accessories from his wife during her final days.
Before her death, Tracey called 911 several times alleging abuse by Beckerink in her home state of Michigan.
Prosecutors shared several videos during Beckerink’s pre-trial hearings, including one from August 2024, that shows him being arrested after Tracey called 911.
The Daily Mail previously revealed that Tracey’s parents accused Beckerink (pictured in his mugshot) of wreaking a secret ‘campaign and abuse of terror’ against her in her final months
Tracey’s body was said to be ‘pulverized’ and missing a foot after the deadly fall to the bottom of a stairwell
Beckerink’s screams that day rang out through the courtroom as video showed him being held to the ground by police officers.
The attorney wailed for help while a tearful Tracey sat rigidly on a bed close by.
Tracey made the 911 call that sparked the arrest – something a New Buffalo police officer told the court happened several times.
In the weeks that followed Tracey’s death, 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 court documents obtained by the Daily Mail revealed her family hit back on November 6, accusing him of wreaking a ‘campaign of abuse and terror’ against their daughter during her final months.
The alleged torture included throwing a glass pickle jar at her head and pouring vodka on her wounds.
Tracey told police in January 2024 that Beckerink ‘assaulted her and stole some of her items’ in Michigan, where the couple lived (pictured) before moving to Chicago
Prosecutors shared several videos during Beckerink’s pre-trial hearings, including one from August, 2024, that shows him being arrested after Tracey called 911
Tracey’s parents said she was 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.
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.’
Tracey’s parents are still going through the agonizing process of piecing together their daughter’s suffering via Freedom of Information requests to find any further documents she filed with police.
