The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has determined that Haverhill Police Officer Katelyn Tully died from a "probable cardiac dysrhythmia of uncertain etiology," according to a department release on Wednesday. Tully, 32, died unexpectedly in September, leaving colleagues and family grieving a loss that still feels raw. The finding offers a medical conclusion but does not fully explain what triggered the fatal heart rhythm problem.
In a post on Haverhill Police - Official, Chief Wayne J. Tracy said the medical examiner listed the cause as "probable cardiac dysrhythmia of uncertain etiology." The department urged the public to keep Tully's family and fellow officers in their thoughts and warned residents against speculation about how she died.
Tully died on Sept. 26, 2025, after months of internal scrutiny tied to the July death of Francis Gigliotti, who died while being restrained by officers. She was one of seven officers placed on administrative leave following the Gigliotti encounter. That death was later ruled a homicide by the state medical examiner and is under review by the Essex County District Attorney, as reported by Boston.com.
Where The Department Stands
City officials responded this winter by moving to equip Haverhill officers with body-worn cameras and hiring an outside investigator amid union unrest and community protests. The new policy and outside review were pitched as steps toward greater transparency while the city continues to examine the July incident and broader department operations, according to a report that Haverhill agreed to equip police with body cameras.
What The Medical Finding Means
A "probable cardiac dysrhythmia" refers to a fatal disruption in the heart's electrical rhythm but, on its own, does not pinpoint an exact cause. When an autopsy does not show a clear structural problem with the heart, forensic pathologists sometimes recommend further genetic testing, often called a "molecular autopsy," to look for inherited arrhythmia syndromes. Even then, such testing explains only a minority of sudden cardiac deaths, according to a review in PubMed Central.
The department's statement also acknowledged that rumors and inaccurate claims have circulated about the circumstances of Tully's death. Officials asked residents to keep her loved ones and colleagues in mind and to show restraint as the community absorbs the medical examiner's conclusion. The release marks the department's first public update on the autopsy since Tully's death in September.
For now, the medical examiner's finding closes one chapter for Tully's family and the department but does not change the separate criminal review into Gigliotti's death, which remains with the Essex County District Attorney's office, as previously reported. Local leaders say the outside review and body camera rollout are intended to help restore public confidence while investigators continue their work.
