Reuters – by SUZANNAH GONZALES
The widow and a son of the northern Illinois policeman who officials said staged his suicide in September are under criminal investigation, according to media reports that cite unnamed sources.
Melodie and D.J. Gliniewicz are being investigated in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Explorer program that Fox Lake Police Lieutenant Charles Joseph Gliniewicz ran, the Fox TV affiliate in Chicago reported.
Gliniewicz, 52, was found dead on Sept. 1 after reporting that he was investigating three suspicious people. His death prompted a massive manhunt for murder suspects and made national headlines. Gliniewicz was initially described as a hero and was a decorated, 30-year veteran of the police department in Fox Lake, a quiet town about 60 miles (100 km) north of Chicago and near the Wisconsin border.
On Wednesday, however, authorities said that the officer committed “a carefully staged suicide” as officials began an audit that would have exposed his embezzling public funds.
Lake County Sheriff’s Detective Christopher Covelli said on Thursday he could not confirm or deny reports of Gliniewicz’s wife and son being under investigation because the probe was ongoing and could result in prosecution.
The investigation of Gliniewicz’s death “strongly indicates criminal activity on the part of at least two other individuals,” Lake County Major Crime Task Force Commander George Filenko said on Wednesday.
Representatives for the Gliniewicz family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
Officials on Wednesday released text and Facebook messages from Gliniewicz’s cell phone.
In one June 25 message to “Individual #2,” Gliniewicz said: “You are borrowing from that ‘other’ account, when you get back you’ll have to start dumping money into that account or you will be visiting me in JAIL!!”
Ballistics testing found two gunshots were fired at close range, Filenko said. Gliniewicz aimed the first shot strategically toward his bullet proof vest and the second underneath the vest.
There were no signs that Gliniewicz had fought for his life, and the officer, who was experienced in setting up mock crime scenes, left a staged trail of police equipment to mislead officials into believing there had been a homicide, Filenko said.
Gliniewicz also was previously accused of sexually harassing a fellow police officer, who worked with him on the Explorer program.
On Valentine’s Day 2000, Gliniewicz asked fellow police officer Denise Sharpe to come to a hotel where he was staying so he could give her a uniform for her son, according to a complaint filed in federal court in 2003.
When she arrived, he pressured her into sex and later told her he would protect her job in return for sexual favors, which she gave until resigning in August 2001, the complaint said.
The case was dismissed by the circuit court because Sharpe’s attorneys failed to follow discovery rules.
On Thursday, the 100 Club of Chicago, an organization that assists families of local fallen officers, said it will ask Gliniewicz’s widow to return the $15,000 donation it gave.
(Additional reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Milwaukee, Wis.; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Read more at Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/05/us-illinois-police-idUSKCN0SU2HP20151105#ZDEmfG6kIf5pMc6V.99
ah, the explorer program. lets hope embezzling was all they were doing.
“… the officer, who was experienced in setting up mock crime scenes, left a staged trail of police equipment to mislead officials into believing there had been a homicide, Filenko said.”
Again, aren’t they ALL ‘experienced’ in this department?
SOP, I’m sure.
This turned out to be a fiasco for the pigs, except for whatever they were able to steal during their search for the ‘perpetrators’.