The latest in this ongoing case…
CHICAGO — A former Chicago lawyer accused of pushing his estranged wife to her death in a South Loop condo building faced a judge on Friday, learning that he will remain locked up.
Adam Beckerink, 47, is facing charges of first-degree murder and murder/strong probability in the death of his wife, 36-year-old Caitlyn Tracey.
Tracey’s body was discovered at the bottom of a stairwell in the couple’s condo building in October 2024.
Prosecutors say Beckerink pushed Caitlin over a 24th-floor railing, causing her to plunge more than 20 floors — and leaving her body crushed and her foot severed.
After a long and complex investigation, Beckerink was ID’d as a suspect in Caitlin’s death. An arrest warrant for Beckerink was issued last October, while he was serving time in Michigan for domestic violence-related offenses against Caitlin.
Police say the couple had a history of domestic violence incidents in both Chicago and New Buffalo, Michigan where Caitlin owned a home.
Officers went into the bedroom where they could hear the victim yelling and saw her lying face down on the bed with the defendant on top of her. Officers ordered the defendant to the ground, and he refused to comply,” said Anne McCord Rodgers, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney.
One month before her death, prosecutors say Tracey told a victim advocate that her husband threatened to harm her.
“During this conversation, the victim also said that the defendant had previously threatened to throw her over the stairs,” McCord Rodgers said.
Earlier this week, Chicago police detectives brought Beckerink back to Cook County, where he is currently detained and charged with first-degree murder.
Court documents indicate Caitlin obtained an order of protection against Beckerink in Nov. 2023 after several domestic violence reports to Chicago police. Prosecutors suggest that Beckerink waited a day after he claimed his wife went missing to call 911 and gave inconsistent reports to the CPD about the last time he’d seen her.
Defense attorney Todd Pugh claims significant gaps in the prosecution’s case and believes Caitlin Tracey’s death was self-inflicted.
“His statements that he made regarding Caitlin’s disappearance were consistent, except for the time that he was interviewed in the middle of the night while he was under the influence,” Pugh said.
There’s no evidence connecting his client to Tracy’s death, Pugh added, saying that the couple abused drugs and alcohol. A combination of drugs was found in the 36-year-old’s system when she died.
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