Death of Fox Lake Police Officer Was a “Carefully Crafted Suicide”

On September 1st, Officer Charles Gliniewicz radioed to report that he was chasing three suspicious men in Fox Lake, Illinois. When backup arrived, they found his body 50 yards away from his vehicle. A massive manhunt ensued involving hundreds of law enforcement agents from nearby police departments, the FBI, DHS, and the ATF. The death of the slain officer was widely reported at the time, and was featured prominently in the “war on police” narrative that was being pushed by the media.

However, the investigation into his death has come to a conclusion. The commander of the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force announced at a news conference that Gliniewicz shot himself in a “carefully staged suicide” that was supposed to make him look like a hero. As for what motivated him to commit suicide, the investigation uncovered a financial crime that was starting to catch up with him.

For years he had been stealing money from the local Explorers Program, which he spent on his mortgage, travels, and on pornographic websites. After an audit for Fox Lake was triggered by the retirement of the police chief, he feared his money laundering operation would be uncovered. Several of his text messages have been released which indicate that he was trying to figure out an explanation for the missing money, and at one point he even threatened the manager of Fox Lake. Two other suspects are being investigated in relation to his crimes, but remain unnamed.