HAVERHILL— The Haverhill Police Department has released autopsy findings in the death of 32-year-old Officer Katelyn Tully, saying the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be probable cardiac dysrhythmia of uncertain etiology. The department said it released the information to address “speculation and inaccurate information” surrounding her death.
Early reporting described Officer Tully’s death as an unattended death with no signs of foul play, but there was still public speculation about the circumstances.
Much of the public discourse focused on whether her death was tied to job-related stress after she was publicly reported to be among the seven Haverhill police officers placed on paid leave in connection with the July 11, 2025, in-custody death of Francis Gigliotti. Gigliotti, 43, died after officers allegedly restrained him during a response to reports of erratic behavior outside a Haverhill fish market. The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Gigliotti’s death a homicide, citing “police restraint and underlying medical conditions.” A few weeks after Gigliotti’s autopsy results were announced, Tully died unexpectedly on September 26, 2025.
The fallout from the Gigliotti case also fed into broader discussion about turmoil inside the Haverhill Police Department. About a month after Tully’s death, in October 2025, Mayor Melinda Barrett placed Acting Police Chief Stephen Doherty on paid administrative leave, citing “new information” that emerged during discussions with the city’s two police unions. Mayor Barrett said the move would allow an independent investigation into departmental operations to proceed openly.
Barrett’s decision to place Doherty on leave came just days after Chief Robert Pistone was placed on leave and retired. At the same time, the Haverhill Police Patrolmen’s Association issued a vote of no confidence in Doherty and Pistone, citing concerns about management and transparency.
The Lawrence Patrolmen’s Association also publicly criticized Pistone’s handling of Tully’s death, accusing him of failing to support grieving officers and prioritizing his own position. Those developments fueled public scrutiny over department morale, leadership culture and whether the Gigliotti investigation had exposed deeper internal problems.
In its April 22, 2026, statement, the Haverhill Police Department did not elaborate beyond the medical examiner’s conclusion regarding Tully’s death, but said it hoped the release would provide clarity as her family, friends and fellow officers continue to grieve.