Police Sergent Marlene Rittmanic passed away on Wednesday after a line of duty incident.
Sergent Marlene Rittmanic was only 49 when a job assignment turned deathly for her while critically injuring her partner Officer Taylor Bailey.
A winner of the Law Enforcement Officer Of the Year 2020, who knew she would take her last breath in just a year.
In the court of law, her assailants got charged with first-degree murder.
A gruesome detail in the documents revealed that Rittmanic was defenseless when one of the suspects pursued her down the hallway, pinning her down while she appealed for her life.
We mourn with our fellow colleagues the deaths of 2 Illinois police officers. Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Riley and Bradley Police Sergeant Marlene Rittmanic were both shot and killed in the line of duty. Our thoughts are with their families, friends, and communities. pic.twitter.com/ngkGD94vrf
— Evanston, IL Police (@EvanstonPD) December 30, 2021
Obituary: Who Was Marlene Rittmanic And How Did She Die?
Marlene Rittmanic has passed away on Wednesday after getting murdered at the age of 49. The Bradley Guard sergeant got in the way of a shell while on duty.
A published poet, Rittmanic was a people believer. She had hoped that if you respect the community, they respect you back.
She met life at the base level, accessing their needs, and tried to find a solution by operating together.
Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, who was killed while responding to a call at a motel Wednesday night, had worked for years to reach the rank of sergeant and was five years from retirement.
“She made the world a better place. It’s devastating.” https://t.co/WAFi071v9O
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) December 30, 2021
Indeed, her job was not just to keep crime at an all-time low but also to make sure no one got wounded.
Assisting her funeral arrangements is Clancy Gernon Funeral Home located in Bourbonnais.
Is Marlene Rittmanic From The Bradley Police A Shooting Victim?
Police Marlene Rittmanic responded to a call on Wednesday night about dogs baking around an automobile. The unattended car was located at Comfort Inn off at Route 50, while its owners rested at a nearby motel.
As soon as the officer entered the room, they got ambushed. Her partner was hit on the head and passed out, and she lost her firearm.
She immediately got transported to the nearby health center but later succumbed to her injuries.
The murders, Darius D. Sullivan and Xandria Harris were reportedly on the run before Sullivan got caught in North Manchester.
Knowing her partner would eventually sell her out, Harris turned herself to the authorities.
DEATH PENALTY: The Kankakee County State’s Attorney is asking federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris, who are charged in a hotel shooting that killed Bradley Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic. https://t.co/f9L2xSUPgH
— FOX 32 News (@fox32news) January 4, 2022
The Illinois State Police stated on the behalf of the community and her family, saying she was a pillar of Justice.
Did Marlene Rittmanic Have A Wife And Family?
Marlene Rittmanic’s brood came together to say one final goodbye to their family member. Joining them was the entire community of Kankakee County. She did not have a wife, but she did have a husband and children.
She was a sister, an aunt, a daughter, and a hero.
Please pray for Sergeant Marlene Rittmanic and her family and friends. Please pray for her department and all of our law enforcement across Illinois and the nation.https://t.co/d5Vh8GCok1
— Darren Bailey for Governor (@DarrenBaileyIL) December 30, 2021
A memorial service in her honor is allowed in front of Federated Bank in Bradley.
The department warned well-wishers that the household has not set up a GoFundMe account, and if they came across one, it’s nothing but a fraud.