Gurnee police: Woman died from single gunshot
Gurnee police say the woman found dead in her house Sunday was killed by a single gunshot to her neck.
Deputy Police Chief Willie Meyer identified the victim as Beata J. Brocksom, 48, of the 3700 block of Pacific Avenue. An autopsy revealed Brocksom's cause of death Monday.
Police said they have a suspect in custody, but no charges have been filed.
David M. Brocksom, 43, the woman's estranged husband, was taken into custody about 7:45 p.m. Sunday, as he drove into the police department headquarters parking lot, presumably to turn himself in, Meyer said. An officer aware of the vehicle David Brocksom was driving stopped him in the parking lot before he could walk into the station.
"Right in front of the main entrance," Meyer said.
Meyer said a bond hearing for David Brocksom, is scheduled for Tuesday morning in Lake County circuit court. Brocksom has been held in the Gurnee police lockup since Sunday night.
Police found Beata Brocksom while responding to a report of an injury at her Pacific Avenue home. Meyer said the initial investigation shows the death is domestic-related.
Gurnee investigators had been searching for David Brocksom to question him in connection with his estranged wife's death before he arrived at police headquarters on O'Plaine Road. He last resided in the Kenosha area.
He had been embroiled in a long-running divorce case with Beata Brocksom, Lake County court records show. Beata Brocksom filed orders of protection on David Brocksom twice in 2013, records show.
Court records show David Brocksom has no criminal record in Lake County or in Wisconsin.
Neighbor Luis Nieves said Brocksom and his wife were living in the Pacific Avenue home when he moved into the area 10 years ago. Nieves described David Brocksom as quiet. He said he was aware of the marital problems.
Beata Brocksom, Nieves said, asked him to write her a letter to help in an apparent custody dispute over the couple's two children.
"She requested that I write a recommendation letter for the judge, just to attest that she was a good neighbor, that she kept up with the yard," he said. "She was really upset. She was crying when she asked for the letter."
Neighbors said the neighborhood was turned upside-down Sunday morning, with police dogs everywhere and heavily armed officers searching the area.
"We had SWAT teams walking across my yard," Nieves said.
• Daily Herald staff writer Lee Filas contributed to this report.