Death Of Chris McFadden, 41, Lawyer, School Board Member, Ruled A Suicide

JOLIET, IL - The June 29 death of 41-year-old Joliet attorney Christopher McFadden, a Frankfort School Board member and former Lincoln-Way High School board member, has been ruled a suicide, the Will County Coroner's Office reported on Monday. McFadden had been a brilliant scholar, a prominent elected official, an accomplished Chicago lawyer and long-time college baseball umpire and college basketball official.

The Chicago Tribune had previously reported there were no visible signs of trauma and that foul play was not suspected. McFadden's obituary notice stated that he had died peacefully at his home in Frankfort.

According to public information released to Joliet Patch by the Will County Coroner's Office on Monday, the official cause of McFadden's death was determined to be "Tramadol and Hydrocodone Intoxication." The manner of death was ruled a suicide.

A medical field website refers to tramadol and hydrocodone as "two types of potent pain relievers" often used to treat moderate to severe pain from injuries, chronic conditions and from surgery. "These drugs have a powerful effect on your brain," the website states.

McFadden grew up around Shorewood and graduated from high school at Joliet West. He later graduated from Harvard University where he was editor of the Harvard Crimson newspaper.

In recent years, he showed a strong desire to work in municipal government, applying for Joliet's city manager opening a few years ago. At the July 5 meeting, elected officials on the Joliet City Council expressed condolences to McFadden's family.

"We had someone who was one of the finalists for our city manager's job passed away, Chris McFadden," council member Larry Hug remarked that night. "He was a hometown kid who lived in Frankfort, went to Harvard and graduated cum laude, went to Northwestern School of Law and graduated cum laude. Quite an impressive but all-too-short life of 41. He passed away last week."

From 2005 through 2016, McFadden served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in San Diego and Chicago. In recent years, McFadden served on the Frankfort 157C School Board and served as its board president from 2013-2015. In April 2015, he was elected to the school board at Lincoln-Way School District 210, only to abruptly resign nine months later, giving no reason for his sudden departure. McFadden was one of the Lincoln-Way board members who made the controversial decision to close Lincoln-Way North High School.

At the time of his death, McFadden had rejoined the school board at Frankfort 157C.

According to his obituary, McFadden was working in Joliet as an associate at the law firm of Mahoney, Silverman and Cross.

File Image via Patch