Lori Rice, a 47-year-old female police sergeant from Chicago, IL, was found dead on February 2, 2019. The initial reports indicated that she died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound while off-duty. Lori Rice, who was a 21-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, was discovered in a vehicle on the city's West Side, specifically in the 900 block of South Bell. The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m.
and was initially classified as a death investigation by the authorities.
The investigation into Lori Rice's death revealed that she had been experiencing significant personal and professional stress. She was in the midst of a divorce and had been in a volatile romantic relationship with another police sergeant, Robert Garza, for three years. On the night of her death, Rice and Garza had attended an event together and were returning home when the incident occurred. Garza, who was present at the scene, called 911 but was reportedly uncooperative with the investigation, refusing to take a breathalyzer test.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office confirmed that Lori Rice's death was a suicide. However, the investigation faced complications due to alleged interference by high-ranking police officials. A deputy chief and a commander were reported to have obstructed the probe, which was conducted by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA). This interference included dismissing a call-out supervisor who was supposed to administer a breathalyzer test to Garza, despite allegations of his intoxication.
Further scrutiny of the case uncovered evidence of a scheme to defraud the police department with phony time sheets, adding another layer of complexity to the investigation. Despite these findings, no arrests were made in connection with Lori Rice's death, and the case remained classified as a suicide. The incident highlighted ongoing issues within the Chicago Police Department, including the mental health struggles faced by officers and the need for better support systems.
