Donald Markham, a 51-year-old male police sergeant with the Chicago Police Department, tragically died on September 2, 2015. Initially, his death was ruled a suicide by the Cook County medical examiner's office, which stated that Markham had shot himself in his bed after a drunken argument with his wife, Dina Markham, who was also a Chicago police officer.
However, this ruling was later challenged by the FBI, which conducted a yearlong investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The FBI's forensic pathologist, Scott Denton, concluded that Markham's death was actually a homicide. Denton's report highlighted several inconsistencies with the suicide ruling, such as blood patterns indicating that Markham's arms were lifted after death and the placement of the gun in his hand. These findings suggested that Markham's body had been moved post-mortem. Despite these findings, the Cook County medical examiner's office stood by its original ruling, stating that the evidence supported a suicide.
The investigation took another twist when Dina Markham was found dead in May 2017, submerged in a bathtub in the couple's home. Her death was ruled an accidental drowning, but it occurred before the FBI could interview her as part of their investigation. The FBI's probe ultimately ended without any charges being filed, but the case remains under scrutiny, with ongoing investigations by the Cook County state's attorney's office and the Chicago Police Department's inspector general.
The case has raised questions about the handling of the initial investigation by the Chicago Police Department, with reports indicating that evidence was ignored and the investigation was mishandled. Two officers involved in the investigation were suspended for their roles in the botched handling of the case. The inspector general's report cited numerous failings, including the immediate conclusion that Markham had committed suicide without thoroughly investigating other possibilities.
In summary, the death of Donald Markham, a 51-year-old male police sergeant, remains a mystery with conflicting conclusions from the initial investigation and the FBI's subsequent probe. The case continues to be a subject of investigation and scrutiny, with questions about the accuracy of the initial ruling and the conduct of the police department's investigation.
