Marlene Rittmanic, Bradley Police Department sgt. killed, was ‘leader in community policing’
Credit: https://abc7chicago.com/post/bradley-police-shooting-department-marlene-rittmanic-clancy-gernon-funeral-home/11420855/
Clancy Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais assisting with her arrangements
The Bradley Police Department is warning people of fake fundraisers for fallen officer.
BRADLEY, Ill. (WLS) — The Bradley police sergeant killed in the line-of-duty last week is being remembered as “a leader in community policing.”
Illinois State Police released a statement Monday morning on behalf of the family of Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic and the Bradley Police Department, heralding her dedication to her work and thanking the community for their outpouring of support.
“Marlene believed in people and her ability to speak to the community with respect; meet them where they are in life; try to understand their true needs; and work together to find a solution that produced the least disruption in people’s lives,” the statement said. “To her – the job was about making her community safe for everyone, she believed – and stated, ‘just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.'”
Rittmanic, 49, was killed and her partner Officer Tyler Bailey, 27, was critically wounded in a motel shooting last week.
Rittmanic and her partner responded to a call Wednesday night of dogs barking in an unattended car in the parking lot at the Comfort Inn off of Route 50, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office has said. They went to the hotel room where the car’s owner was staying when police say the people inside the room began attacking the two officers, shooting them.
Two suspects were eventually taken into custody after going on the run. Darius D. Sullivan was arrested in North Manchester, Indiana Friday morning, authorities said. Later that day, Xandria Harris turned herself in to Bradley police.
Indiana police provide an update on the arrest of a suspect in the shooting that killed a Bradley police officer and wounded another.
Rittmanic was awarded Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2020, the ISP statement said.
She was also a published poet, amateur photographer and film producer for family events, Bradley Police Department recruiting and community events.
“The community of Kankakee County came to a complete stop to stand in the cold to witness our hero, wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt – Sergeant Marlene Rittmanic-Stua be transferred from Riverside to the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department and again from the Sheriff’s Department to Clancy Funeral Home,” the statement said. “We saw many familiar faces and complete strangers – We are more than grateful for you all and we know that you too are feeling the loss.”
WATCH | Community honors Bradley police sergeant killed in line of duty
Hundreds of people lined up in silence to honor Rittmanic during a procession to a Bourbonnais funeral home Thursday afternoon.
But the Bradley Police Department is also warning people of fake fundraisers claiming to be for Rittmanic.
The department said there are no fundraising pages from her family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in her honor may be made to the Marlene Rittmanic Memorial Fund at Federated Bank in Bradley. Memorials will be accepted at the services and the Clancy Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais, which is assisting with arrangements, which have not yet been announced.
They say no account will be created on GoFundMe and if you see one, they recommend reporting it as fraudulent.
However, there is one fundraiser page for Officer Bailey.
Rittmanic first became an officer in 2000 with the Iroquois County Sheriff’s Department. She had been with the Bradley Police Department for 14 years, and her niece said she was just five years away from retirement. She leaves behind her wife, Lynette Stua.
“Our world has been turned upside down, obliterated and hopelessly broken,” her family and colleagues said.
News
💔 “A CHILD, A BATHTUB, AND A STORY THAT NO LONGER HOLDS UP IN COURT…” 💔 At first, the explanation seemed simple enough for a jury to accept — a tragic accident, a toddler slipping beneath bathwater, a moment of carelessness that ended in heartbreak. But today, that version of events has been completely dismantled inside the courtroom. A senior Home Office forensic pathologist told the jury that Preston Davey did not drown, directly contradicting the account given by the defendant. Instead, she concluded that his death was caused by acute airway obstruction, with evidence pointing to smothering or forceful blockage occurring in his final moments. As she described injuries that included extensive bruising across the body, signs consistent with severe trauma, and findings she said were “unlike anything” she had encountered in nearly four decades of work, the atmosphere in court reportedly shifted. The idea of a bath-time accident was no longer standing on solid ground — it was collapsing in real time. Even more disturbing, jurors were shown video footage and medical findings suggesting earlier signs of danger in the child’s condition, raising questions about what may have been happening long before that final day. What was once presented as a moment of misfortune is now being re-examined as something far more serious — and far more intentional. And yet, as the evidence builds and the drowning claim falls apart completely, there is still one detail the prosecution has not fully explained to the public… something that was seen, but not yet fully understood in court…
At first, the explanation seemed simple enough for a jury to accept — a tragic accident, a toddler slipping beneath bathwater, a moment of carelessness that ended in heartbreak. The image is seared into the minds of those following one of Britain’s most disturbing trials: a tiny boy, placed for adoption with two men who […]
She was only fourteen years old. Her name was Czesława Kwoka — a young Polish girl whose life became one of the countless tragedies of the Holocaust. In the photographs taken shortly after her arrival at Auschwitz-Birkenau, fear is unmistakable in her eyes. A cut marks her lip. Her face carries visible signs of violence and exhaustion. Yet even amid the suffering, traces of childhood innocence remain—preserved forever in a single image. Czesława was deported to Auschwitz in 1942 alongside her mother. Their crime was not an action, but their identity: being Polish Catholics living under Nazi occupation during a regime built on racial persecution and dehumanization. Like countless families across occupied Europe, they were uprooted from their home, stripped of dignity and freedom, and transported into a system designed to erase individuality. Soon after arriving at the camp, Czesława’s mother was killed. Left alone in one of history’s most brutal environments, the young girl was subjected to the camp’s registration process. Prisoners were photographed, assigned identification numbers, and cataloged as property of the Nazi regime. These portraits were never intended to preserve humanity—they were meant to reduce people to records. But history transformed the meaning of the image. The photograph survived the war thanks in part to Wilhelm Brasse, a prisoner forced to take identification photographs under SS orders. In Czesława’s portrait, she stares directly into the camera with an expression many have found impossible to forget. For decades, viewers have looked into her eyes and seen more than fear. They have seen confusion, pain, and the silent question carried by so many innocent victims: Why? Why hatred? Why cruelty? Why should a child suffer this fate? Czesława did not survive long enough to tell her own story. She was murdered at Auschwitz in 1943. Yet her image endured. Today, her portrait stands not only as evidence of unimaginable suffering, but also as a reminder of the millions of children whose futures were stolen during the Holocaust. It forces history to remain human—not just statistics, dates, or numbers, but individual lives interrupted by violence and intolerance. Though her life was brief, Czesława Kwoka’s face continues to speak across generations. A quiet but enduring reminder of why memory matters.
An artist coloured in a photo of an Auschwitz victim and it’s heartbreaking Credit: https://www.bbc.com/bbcthree/article/7bc68edd-5fb6-4bab-8be3-77089227b8af The picture was shared by the Auschwitz Museum and it has resonated across the world Czesława Kwoka was 14 years old when she was deported to Auschwitz. The Polish teenager arrived at the concentration camp on 13 December 1942 where […]
THE NIGHT THAT NO ONE FORGOT… Mariah Murray’s last known movements are a puzzle investigators are desperate to solve. She was known for her energy and resilience, yet something turned an ordinary day into a chilling tragedy. Experts are piecing together digital timelines, footprints, and object placement inside the house. Every detail seems small, but together they hint at a darker story beneath the surface. Witness accounts conflict, leaving authorities unsure which narrative to trust. Some report seeing shadows in the home, others heard nothing at all. Even the fire that later consumed part of the property seems like it erased crucial answers. Many are asking: was this a planned act, or something terrifyingly spontaneous? The community remains on edge, hoping for clarity in a case that refuses to be solved. 📌 Full story
SHOCKING DISCOVERY: WOMAN’S BODY FOUND STUFFED IN FREEZER AT ABANDONED DALLAS HOME. A woman’s body was discovered inside a freezer at an abandoned home in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas.Authorities launched a homicide investigation after the grim discovery shocked the neighborhood.The victim has been identified as 27-year-old Mariah Murray. Dallas Police Department officers responded […]
The 18-year-old Kevin González lost his battle with stage 4 cąncɛr, surrounded by those who loved him most. His funeral in Durango brought together family, friends, and a grieving community. Sources say his courage and warmth left an unforgettable impression on everyone he met. And even in loss, his memory sparks reflection, love, and questions about life, hope, and farewells. 📌 Full story in the comments
Durango Mourns Kevin González, 18, After Courageous Battle with Illness Credit: Pranix USA Durango, Mexico — Family, friends, and members of the community gathered this week to say their final goodbye to Kevin González, an 18-year-old whose passing has touched many after his prolonged fight against advanced cancer. The funeral, held on Wednesday in Durango, became […]
A FUTURE STOLEN IN MINUTES… Erica Russell’s life was cut short after being given a substance she believed was harmless. Medical warnings were ignored, leaving her at the mercy of a lethal dose of fentanyl. Family and community mourn the bright future that was lost that night. Now everyone is asking: who is responsible, and how could this have happened? 📌 Full story
Tomball man charged with fentanyl murder, took woman to ER before her death The Source: https://www.fox26houston.com/news/tomball-eric-sembera-charged-fentanyl-murder-erica-russell The Brief Eric Sembera, 26, was charged with fentanyl murder by delivery for causing the death of Erica Russell after the 24-year-old was found dead in her apartment. According to court documents, Sembera told investigators he took Russell to […]
WHY THEY WENT SO DEEP… Five tourists and a rescue diver perished in what experts are now calling a preventable disaster. A veteran local diver claims there was an unauthorized reason the group pushed to 160 feet, far beyond safe limits. Authorities say environmental factors, strong currents, and the cave system’s complexity amplified the danger. But the most haunting question remains: what compelled them to break the rules? 📌 Full story in the comments
Veteran Diving Expert Questions Safety Decisions After Deadly Maldives Cave Diving Disaster The catastrophic cave diving tragedy in the Maldives that claimed the lives of five tourists and later a rescue diver is now facing renewed scrutiny after an experienced local diving expert publicly raised serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the fatal expedition. The disaster […]
End of content
No more pages to load
