Cause of death confirmed: Haverhill officer’s death linked to heart irregularity

Haverhill police say an officer who died last year did so from probable cardiac dysrhythmia, a finding that comes amid a wider leadership turmoil in the department.

Haverhill police have confirmed that an officer’s sudden death last year was related to a heart irregularity, closing the loop on an investigation that became a flashpoint for the department.

Officer Katelyn Tully, 32, died on Sept. 26, 2025, and the department’s statement says the probable cause was cardiac dysrhythmia of unknown medical causes. Tully, described by the department as a decorated Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, was buried with military honors.

Her death arrived at a moment when the Haverhill Police Department was already under strain.. Police say Tully’s passing affected the department and community she served. and Mayor Melinda Barrett said Tully’s legacy reflected “kind. compassionate. and dedicated” service.. Both leaders emphasized the grief surrounding Tully’s death, while the department also acknowledged that speculation had spread.

According to the police statement, two weeks after Tully’s death, the then-police chief, Robert Pistone, was placed on leave.. Days earlier. tensions in the department had intensified after another death: Francis Gigliotti. 43. died while restrained by Haverhill officers in July 2025.. Seven officers were placed on leave after Gigliotti’s death, and Tully’s death reportedly worsened an already fragile situation.

The police department said Tully’s official findings were intended to address rumors and inaccurate information circulating about the circumstances.. The department did not repeat claims circulating online. but the timing suggests that community concerns—along with scrutiny inside the department—were growing during the months that followed.. Police framed Wednesday’s release as clarification. asking residents and staff to allow Tully’s family. friends. and colleagues space to grieve and remember her “with dignity.”

The human stakes of a police-related death investigation are difficult to overstate.. When an officer dies suddenly. families and coworkers are left not just with loss. but with lingering questions—questions that often become amplified during periods of institutional conflict.. In the case of Tully. the added layer was that her death unfolded while the department faced public scrutiny after a prior in-custody death.. For residents, those overlapping events can blur timelines and intensify demands for transparency.

There is also a political and organizational dimension to what happened next.. In the weeks following Pistone’s placement on leave, he retired Oct.. 9 after the Haverhill Police Patrolman’s Association issued a vote of no confidence in him and Deputy Chief Stephen Doherty Jr.. The next day, Doherty—who had replaced Pistone—was also placed on paid leave.. Wayne Tracy replaced him as chief.

Barrett later launched an independent review of Haverhill’s police leadership.. The “targeted review” focuses on department operations. policies. and practices. an approach that signals the situation is not being treated as a single-event investigation.. Instead. officials appear to be examining whether internal procedures and leadership decisions contributed to how the department responded to a sequence of crises.

The anonymous letter posted online during that period further underscored the depth of internal conflict.. The accusations—shared through police associations—painted a picture of distrust between rank-and-file officers and top leadership. including allegations about support. communication. and intimidation behind closed doors.. Even without confirming how any individual claims will ultimately be evaluated. the presence of such accusations can reshape how both leadership and the public interpret subsequent decisions.

What Misryoum readers should watch now is how officials balance two obligations that sometimes pull in opposite directions: honoring the dead with sensitivity. and ensuring that public confidence is rebuilt through clear accountability.. A cause-of-death finding can reduce uncertainty for families. but it does not automatically resolve broader concerns about departmental culture. leadership oversight. or readiness during high-stress events.. As the targeted review continues. the question will be whether it results in measurable changes that residents can see—and whether the department’s internal cohesion improves as the community moves forward.