Chicago PD introduced Nadia Decotis (Stella Maeve) during the first season when she quickly formed a close bond with Detective Erin Lindsay (Sophia Bush), but just one season later, the Nadia Chicago PD journey ended. When viewers first met Nadia, she was a sex worker (despite being underage) and struggled with narcotics dependency, so Lindsay immediately saw herself in the young woman. After Lindsay arrested Nadia, she helped the intelligence officer with another case. Lindsay eventually let her go but gave her a choice — Nadia could either continue using, or she could get help at a local clinic.
As the show continued, Nadia occasionally popped up in Lindsay’s life. At first, she didn’t heed Lindsay’s advice to get clean, but Nadia reached out once she was ready later on in season 1. She relapsed a couple of times until getting and staying sober in season 2. Lindsay hooked her friend up with a spare room in her apartment and a job as an administrative assistant for the Intelligence Unit. Nadia was even taking criminology college courses and intended to one day become a police officer. Things were looking up for Nadia, but a run-in with a murderer on Chicago PD ended her time on the NBC show.
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Nadia Was Abducted & Killed By Yates
A Serial Killer Murdered Nadia To Punish Lindsay
At the end of Chicago PD season 2, episode 20, serial killer Gregory Yates (Dallas Roberts) kidnapped Nadia in Chicago and drove to New York with her in his trunk. The Intelligence Unit had been investigating a string of murders that all led back to Yates, and the killer, in particular, wanted to punish Lindsay, so he intended to hurt the detective by targeting someone close to her — Nadia. The episode was part of a special crossover event between Chicago Fire and Law & Order: SVU, so the horrific story continued in Law & Order: SVU season 16, episode 20.
The hour picked up where Chicago PD left off with Yates and Nadia. She did everything in her power to convince him to let her go, but he was determined to kill her. Lindsay, Hank Voight, and the other officers tracked Yates to New York, where they met up with Olivia Benson and continued their investigation. Unfortunately, a tip led them to a beach where they found Nadia’s body. Yates had made good on his promise and raped, tortured, and murdered her, which devastated Lindsay, who was there when they discovered Nadia in Law & Order: SVU.
Nadia’s Death Helped Convict Yates
Stella Maeve Leaving Chicago PD Had Consequences For Her Killer
Even though the Intelligence Unit and Sergeant Benson were confident that Yates was guilty, the cops had no hard evidence against him in Law & Order season 16, episode 20. Despite this, Assistant District Attorney Rafael Barba ordered an arrest warrant for Yates, and a court case against the serial killer began. In a bizarre turn of events, Yates chose to represent himself. Even though he was evil, he was also intelligent, and he made the prosecution’s case quite difficult. Thankfully, Yates’ sick nature betrayed him when he cross-examined the medical examiner on Nadia’s case.
Yates became abnormally intrigued by what Nadia went through during her final moments, and it was clear he was reliving the torture in the courtroom and taking pleasure in it. The jury took notice of this, and it was the last nail in his coffin. Yates was ultimately convicted for the rape and murder of Nadia, meaning that she had helped stop a serial rapist and killer. If there were any silver lining to Nadia’s shocking death in Chicago PD, it would be that her fight sent Yates to prison. However, that wouldn’t be the end of Yates’ story.
The convicted rapist and murderer escaped from his New York prison and made his way back to Chicago in Chicago PD season 3. Yates set out to get revenge on Lindsay, and although he thought he was prepared for the stand-off, he let his emotions get the best of him. Yates tried to attack Lindsay, so she shot and killed him in self-defense. He had taunted her about Nadia’s death, so Lindsay was more than ready to pull the trigger and finally gain closure from the trauma she endured when she lost Nadia.
Nadia Became A Police Officer Posthumously
Lindsay Ensured Nadia’s Memory Wasn’t Forgotten
Following her death in Chicago PD season 2, Voight blackmailed George Baumgartner, the Bureau of Organized Crime’s Special Functions Division Commander, into signing off on getting a memorial stone for Nadia outside the precinct. Afterward, the Intelligence Unit gathered around the memorial, and Lindsay read a letter from the deputy chief regarding Nadia’s death. The chief had posthumously recruited Nadia as a police officer in the CPD.
Nadia’s dreams of following in Lindsay’s footsteps didn’t die with her. As Lindsay pointed out, her friend would have made an incredible cop, and it’s a shame that her life was cut short because of an awful man. Nadia turned her life around and would have helped so many people just like Lindsay, but the Chicago PD writers decided that her character would be better served as a vehicle for Lindsay’s next storyline in the show.
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Nadia’s Death Sent Lindsay Into A Spiral
The Way Nadia Left Chicago PD Significantly Drove Lindsay’s Arc
Although it was not her fault, Lindsay took full responsibility for Nadia’s death in Chicago PD. The guilt ate away at the detective, leading her down a dark path that ultimately ended with her resignation in the season 2 finale. Before quitting, Lindsay started drinking excessively and engaging in heavy narcotics use, which significantly impacted her professional performance. Lindsay became a past version of herself that she had let go of a long time ago, and obviously, her actions concerned Voight, Jay Halstead, and the other officers. However, Voight had been down that road before, so he was less willing to help Lindsay.
In season 3, Lindsay continued to spiral, especially after her mother had reentered her life and took advantage of her daughter’s depression and guilt. Things started to turn around for Lindsay after Halstead was kidnapped during the season 3 premiere. She helped the team save him, and Voight gave her a second chance. Lindsay agreed to cut ties with her mother, move in with Voight, and partake in weekly drug tests. As Chicago PD season 3 continued, Lindsay’s health improved, and she even avenged Nadia’s death.
Chicago P.D.
A spinoff of Chicago Fire, this police procedural drama follows the detectives and the uniformed patrol officers of the Chicago Police Department as they work to crack cases and put criminals behind bars.
- Release Date
- January 8, 2014
- Cast
- Jason Beghe , Sophia Bush , Jesse Lee Soffer , Marina Squerciati , Archie Kao , Elias Koteas , Amy Morton , Brian Geraghty , Lisseth Chavez , Tracy Spiridakos
- Genres
- police procedurals
- Seasons
- 10
- Writers
- Dick Wolf
- Network
- NBC
- Streaming Service(s)
- Peacock , Prime Video
- Showrunner
- Dick Wolf
