Fox Lake, Illinois agrees to settlement for wife of disgraced police officer Joe Gliniewicz

The Village of Fox Lake has agreed to a pension settlement for the widow of Fox Lake police Lt. Joe Gliniewicz, who staged his own death in 2015.

Joe Gliniewicz shot himself and died by suicide — staging it to look like he had been gunned down in the line of duty.

He was found shot to death in a wooded area on Sept. 1, 2015, and authorities initially believed he had been killed by suspects he was chasing. The community rallied around Gliniewicz and his family, and he received a hero's honors at his memorial service.

But authorities later learned Lt. Gliniewicz's death was a carefully staged suicide, as investigators were closing in on him for embezzling from the village and the Police Explorers youth group.

In January 2016, Melodie was charged with embezzling between $10,000 and $100,000 from the Explorers program from 2008 to 2014.

Melodie Gliniewicz was sentenced to 18 to 24 months probation after pleading guilty in February 2022 to a felony charge of deceptive practices,  

Following extensive negotiations that go back to spring 2023, the Fox Lake Village Board and village attorney — in coordination with the Fox Lake Police Pension Board — agreed to settle Melodie Gliniewicz's fight over her husband's pension.

"This has been a difficult chapter for our Village," Fox Lake Mayor Donny Schmit said in the release. "While we cannot change the past, we can choose a path forward that brings closure and represents a prudent financial decision for the Village. This agreement does just that, and we are ready to focus on the continued growth and well-being of our community."

A news release from the Village of Fox Lake did not specify the monetary value of the settlement, but the Daily Herald reported it was nearly $1 million.