Caitlin Tracey case: Husband Adam Beckerink charged with murder to enter plea Thursday

Adam Beckerink to enter plea in court today

Adam Beckerink, the man accused of killing his wife at their South Loop condo, will appear in court on Thursday morning to face new charges and enter a plea.

CHICAGO - The husband of Caitlin Tracey, whose body was found at the bottom of a stairwell in a ​South Loop condo building in 2024, will appear in court to enter a plea on Thursday morning.

Last month, 47-year-old Adam Beckerink was formally charged with first-degree murder in Tracey's death. Now, attorneys for her family say he will face new charges, including concealment of a homicidal death and false reporting.

What we know:

Prosecutors said Beckerink caused the death of Tracey by "throwing her" over the 24th floor railing in the east stairwell of their condo building in the 1200 block of South Prairie Avenue on Oct. 25, 2024, according to court records. She was found with her body "pulverized" and her foot severed, according to attorneys representing her family.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office determined Tracey, 36, died because of multiple injuries from a fall from height.

Beckerink was arrested by Chicago police officers and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force on Jan. 12 after his release from the Berrien County Jail in Michigan, where he was serving time for a separate domestic violence case involving Tracey.

The backstory:

Tracey had obtained an order of protection against Beckerink in Cook County in November 2023 after multiple domestic battery reports to Chicago police. However, she later dropped it in December, allegedly after he threatened to sue her for defamation, according to court filings by her parents.

A legal battle followed her death, with her parents ultimately winning custody of her remains, which they brought back to Michigan. Beckerink, a former partner at corporate law firm Duane Morris, was fired after allegations of domestic abuse surfaced in the media.

Adam Beckerink appears in Cook County court on murder charges

The husband of Caitlin Tracey, whose body was found in the stairwell of a South Loop condo building, was charged with first-degree murder.

Just before the murder charge was announced in October 2025, Beckerink was sentenced in a Michigan domestic abuse case involving Tracey after pleading no contest. A judge in Berrien County sentenced him to 93 days in jail.

Court records show that in one incident at their shared Michigan home, Tracey was reported to have visible injuries and accused Beckerink of assault and theft.

What they're saying:

Last month, Tracey's parents looked on from the gallery during Beckerink's court appearance on Jan. 13. Afterward, the family's attorney shared the following statement:

"Caitlin's family is deeply thankful to the Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke and her team as well as the Chicago Police Department's Violent Crime Division," said John Galarnyk, Tracey family attorney. "The CPD has worked long and hard to investigate this case. Although the defendant's criminal convictions and sentence in Michigan brought some measure of justice for Caitlin, he must now be held accountable for his actions in the days and months that led to this moment — the state's charge that he murdered their beautiful daughter. We hope that justice will prevail and we can finally lay our dear Caitlin to rest."

After announcing the charges, Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke issued the following statement:

"Domestic violence has reached a crisis point in our communities, with domestic violence-related homicides spiking to levels that shock the conscience. With these charges, we are sending a strong message: violent crimes rooted in domestic abuse will be aggressively prosecuted as we work to bring justice to families and protect survivors. This office will treat domestic violence cases with the urgency, seriousness and resolve they demand."

The Chicago Police Department also commented on the case, after remaining tight-lipped throughout the investigation. 

"For more than a year, our Area 3 detectives fought to bring justice in this case for Caitlin Tracey and her loved ones," said CPD’s Chief of Detectives Antoinette Ursitti. "The determination of our detectives to secure charges in this case underscores our commitment to all victims and families who have experienced domestic violence. We will always work to hold the offenders accountable in partnership with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office." 

Beckerink's attorney did not comment on the case after the hearing and has yet to respond to FOX Chicago's request for a statement.

What's next:

Beckerink will appear in Cook County court at 10 a.m. Thursday. Tracey's parents will be in attendance, according to a family attorney.