A retired canine officer with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office died in August, the department announced Friday.
Lula Belle Francis joined the department in August 2018, and was paired with Sgt. Anna Wilk.
“Her powerful nose made an immediate impact. Just one day after completing training, Lula Belle found an endangered missing person from Markham within seven minutes of her arriving on scene,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
We are saddened to announce that retired Cook County Sheriff’s Police K9 Lula Belle Francis passed away last month. Partnered with Sgt. Anna Wilk, Lula Belle joined the Sheriff’s Office in August 2018. Her powerful nose made an immediate impact. Just one day after completing… pic.twitter.com/eZMkoPPNEW
— Cook County Sheriff’s Office (@CookSheriffIL) September 6, 2025
Lula Belle Francis went on to solve 11 murder cases. She was instrumental in discovering that missing 5-year-old Andrew “AJ” Freund did not leave his home alive. AJ was found dead and buried in April 2019 in McHenry County. He suffered abuse and torture and was killed in at the hands of his parents at their Crystal Lake home. His mother was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Lula Belle Francis retired in February 2024 at the age of 10.
“May her memory live on in everyone who knew her and everyone she found,” the statement said. “We miss our very good girl.”