Chicago Man Charged with Murder After Wife Found ‘Pulverized’ Following 24-Story Fall in High-Rise Condo
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS — Nearly a year after a woman’s body was found at the bottom of a 24-story stairwell in a Chicago high-rise, her husband — already convicted of assaulting her — is now facing first-degree murder charges, police confirmed this week.
Adam Beckerink, 47, was charged Monday in Cook County for the October 2024 death of his wife, 36-year-old Caitlin Tracey, whose body was discovered in what investigators described as a “pulverized” state with a severed foot at the base of their condo building.
Beckerink, who had a documented history of domestic violence against Tracey, had long been considered a suspect but was never charged — until now.
From Domestic Abuse to Homicide Charge
Court records show Beckerink had just been sentenced in Michigan’s Berrien County last week after pleading no contest to misdemeanor domestic violence involving Tracey. He received 93 days in jail and two years of probation for that case — only for prosecutors to announce the new murder charge days later.
According to WLS-TV, Cook County prosecutors filed a criminal complaint and arrest warrant for first-degree murder, alleging Beckerink was directly responsible for Tracey’s fatal fall inside their Chicago high-rise condo.
Police now believe Tracey’s 2024 death was not an accident, despite initial uncertainty.
Family Speaks Out: ‘She Was Caught in a Cycle of Control’
Tracey’s mother, Dr. Monica Tracey, delivered a heartbreaking statement during Beckerink’s Michigan sentencing, calling him a “monster” and describing how her daughter’s life was slowly destroyed by domestic violence.
“No matter how much we tried to save her, she was caught in a cycle of control,” her mother said. “It isn’t just her death that haunts us. It’s the slow-moving destruction of her life.”
The family later released a statement expressing gratitude that a murder charge was finally filed:
“We dearly miss Caitlin as do her friends. Our family hopes that during the murder case against Adam Beckerink, 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.”
Ongoing Custody and Legal Proceedings
Beckerink remains in custody in Michigan, serving his sentence for domestic violence. Authorities confirmed he will be extradited to Cook County to face trial for murder in the coming weeks.
The Chicago Police Department has not released additional evidence, but court filings describe the 2024 scene as “violent and deliberate,” suggesting investigators have gathered enough forensic proof to proceed with prosecution.
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