Death Of Batavia Police Officer Leads To GoFundMe For Wife, 2 Kids

BATAVIA, IL — Batavia police are mourning the death of Officer Joe Gudella, who died unexpectedly Monday, officials said.

His death was accidental, according to Batavia Mayor Jeffery Schielke. Police officials said he was found Monday while staying at a family home in central Wisconsin, but could not provide additional details.

Gudella worked with the police department for just over a year. He was appointed by Schielke in January 2022 after serving with the Cook County Sheriff's Office since 2015.

Officials described the officer as thoughtful and compassionate.

"His positivity and zeal for life were infectious," police said in a Facebook post Tuesday. "He had a servant's heart and a passion for making people feel welcomed and loved."

In the short time he worked in Batavia, officials said he made a "lasting impact on his peers and the community that he served with pride."

"He was a beloved member of the department. ... He had a lot of understanding, so I'm told of animals," Schielke said in a YouTube video Tuesday. "If there was a loose one, he'd try to get a hold of it and calm it down and make sure it got to the kennels, so he was always a very popular police officer."

To honor Gudella, the City of Batavia flag was lowered to half-mast Tuesday.

Gudella is succeeded by Valerie, his wife of eight years, and two children, a 4-year-old girl and 1-year-old boy.

A GoFundMe campaign was created to help Gudella's family "ease the uncertainty and difficult decisions in the immediate and extended future." In the 17 hours since its creation, its $10,000 goal was nearly quadrupled to $39,250 Wednesday afternoon.

"He was somebody that really did the Batavia Police Department proud and was somebody who was always willing to be there and help and do whatever was needed to be done," the mayor said. "Joe, we're going to miss you terribly."