Background: News footage of Adam Beckerink in court in June (WLS). Inset: Caitlin Tracey (Michalik Funeral Home).
A man facing the aftermath of his wife’s tragic death after a 24-story fall from their Illinois condominium has been sentenced for an unrelated domestic violence charge stemming from their previous life in Michigan.
Adam Beckerink, aged 47, appeared in court on Monday, where he received his sentence after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. The charge relates to an incident in January 2024 involving his late wife, Caitlin Tracey, 36. Tragically, just a few months after this incident, Tracey died following a fall from the couple’s Chicago condo.
As previously covered by Law&Crime, Beckerink’s legal troubles began when he was taken into custody in March by Cook County police on a domestic violence warrant issued in Michigan. This warrant was a result of Beckerink’s failure to attend a court hearing for the domestic violence charge, which he missed due to ongoing questioning in Chicago regarding his wife’s untimely death.
The January 13, 2024, altercation between Beckerink and Tracey was documented by police who noted “cuts on her lips and other red markings” on Tracey. She had alleged that Beckerink “assaulted her and stolen some of her items,” adding to the seriousness of the charges against him.
In June, Chicago-based ABC affiliate WLS reported that bodycam footage from an August 2024 domestic violence incident between Beckerink and Tracey could potentially be introduced as evidence in the trial. However, Beckerink’s decision to plead no contest to charges of domestic violence and contempt of court meant that no trial took place.
On Monday, Beckerink was sentenced to 93 days in jail and two years of probation for interfering with a 911 call. A separate charge of resisting arrest was dismissed. WLS reported that due to time already served, Beckerink could be released after completing 72 days of his sentence.
Beckerink has not been charged in the death of his late wife, whose “pulverized” body was found on Oct. 27, 2024, at the bottom of a stairwell in the Chicago high-rise where they had a condo. Tracey’s manner of death was stated to be undetermined. Cook County authorities still consider Beckerink to be a suspect in Tracey’s death.
