The cause of death of a Chicago woman who was found at the bottom of a stairwell dead has been revealed.
Caitlin Tracey, 36, died of "multiple injuries, fall from height," Fox News 32 reported. The Cook County coroner listed the manner of death as "undetermined." The medical examiner had previously described the body as "pulverized."
Tracey was found in the stairwell in October 2024. Tracey's husband, Adam Beckerink, 46, was arrested in March of this year on a Michigan warrant unrelated to the investigation into Tracey's death. That warrant was related to domestic violence allegations in Berrien County, the station reported.
Beckerink was a prominent tax attorney in Chicago and a partner at the Duane Morris law firm. As the domestic violence allegations came out, Beckerink was removed from the firm.
"This is a shocking and tragic case, and we send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Caitlin Tracey. 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," a statement from the law firm to the ABA Journal stated.
Tracey's body was found after apparently falling 20 floors in the high rise of the South Loop building where the couple had a condo. After her death. Beckerink and Tracey's parents fought in court over control of her remains, with Tracey's parents winning, Fox News 32 reported.
The station reported that Beckerink's Michigan charges included including domestic violence and resisting arrest allegations.
Beckerink's attorney, Todd Pugh, previously told the Chicago Tribune that there was "no link" between his client and Tracey's death.
"Caitlin was the love of Adam's life; they've been married since April; her family has not had any contact with her in the several months since she married Adam," Pugh told the Tribune, referring to the dispute over her remains. "He wanted to include them in honoring her memory and wanted to do this at the funeral home that her family selected, but based on the filing that we just received, that wasn't sufficient."
