Wife of Police Officer Who Faked Suicide Faces Conspiracy Charge

The widow of an Illinois police officer who reportedly disguised his suicide as a murder now faces charges that she helped her husband steal charitable funds, according to reports.

The allegations against Melodie Gliniewicz, 51, follow a slew of similar charges filed in January. The new charges are lesser in severity than the charges filed earlier this year and will not add to her jail time if she is convicted.

Gliniewicz is the widow of Fox Lake Police officer Joseph Gliniewicz, who allegedly faked his own murder in September to cover up the embezzlement scheme. Law enforcement officials allege that the couple took money from a youth charity connected to the police force to pay personal expenses.

Joe Gliniewicz’s death appears to have been an elaborate ruse in which the police officer pretended to have been killed by three suspects. An investigation later revealed that the gunshot wounds he suffered were self inflicted.

[Chicago Tribune]