Drew Peterson
Drew Walter Peterson (born January 6, 1954), is a former Bolingbrook, Illinois police sergeant who has received nationwide attention in the United States for becoming a suspect in a police investigation following the death of his third wife and subsequent disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy.[1][2] Peterson has repeatedly denied involvement in both cases.
Disappearance of Stacy Peterson
Stacy Peterson (born January 20 1984) went missing on Sunday, October 28, 2007. She was officially reported missing in the early hours of Monday, October 29, 2007, after her sister, Cassandra Cales, failed to hear from her when expected. Drew Peterson claims that Stacy called him at 9 p.m. on Sunday to tell him that she had left him for another man and that she had left her car at Bolingbrook's Clow International Airport.
The last recorded words from Stacy Peterson were left on a voicemail on her father's answering machine on October 17 at 12:37 P.M., 11 days before she disappeared. The message said, "Hey dad! It's me, Stacy, I just wanted to call you and tell you I love you."[3][4]
Prior marriages
Kathleen Savio
It was reported that between 2002 and 2004, police were called out to the Peterson house 18 times on domestic disturbance calls, including calls for returning children late after visitation, during Drew Peterson's third marriage, to Kathleen Savio (June 13, 1963 - March 1, 2004).[5] Kathleen Savio's body was subsequently found in a circular bathtub on March 1, 2004. Her death was initially ruled an accidental drowning.[2]
However, following Stacy Peterson's disappearance, Savio's body was exhumed and underwent forensic examination on November 16, 2007.[6] Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City chief medical examiner who conducted the examination at the request of Savio's relatives and Fox News, concluded that she died of drowning following a struggle when her body was placed in the bathtub. The results of the official autopsy ordered by the county have yet to be released to the public.[7] Illinois state attorney James Glasgow told the press that after examining evidence in the case, he believed that the death was a "homicide staged to look like an accident."[7][8] On February 21, 2008, Glasgow announced that a pathologist determined that Savio's death was a homicide,[9] adding that the death had been investigated as such reopening the case following the exhumation.
Rev. Neil Schori, a pastor at Stacy Peterson's church, reported that she had told him that Drew had killed Kathleen Savio and had made it look like an accident and that she was fearful of her husband.[10] Stacy had provided Drew's alibi for his whereabouts on the evening that Kathleen Savio died.
Vicki Connolly
Drew Peterson's second wife, Vicki Connolly, has alleged a history of abuse during her 10-year marriage to him,[11] as has her daughter who lived in the household during this time, from the age of 8 to 17 years.
Police career
Drew Peterson had a 29 year career as a policeman. Peterson brought forward his planned December 2007 retirement as a Bolingbrook police sergeant following Stacy's October 28 disappearance. The Bolingbrook Police Pension Board voted to allow Peterson to collect his $5,800 per month pension,[12] stating current law gave them no option.[11] In the 1980's Peterson had been fired for misconduct in conducting an unauthorized investigation dealing with drug dealers, but was reinstated and not convicted of any wrong-doing.[11]. Peterson was also accused of police brutality for allegedly breaking the thumb of an arrestee in May 2007. The charges were later dismissed as Drew was not present during that arrest.[13]
Police investigation
Several leads have been followed in the investigation by Illinois State Police with FBI involvement. Four search warrants have been issued and carried on Drew Peterson's property following Stacy's disappearance, including seizure of his vehicle and Stacy's vehicle, and Drew's 11 guns.
Rick Mims, Peterson's long-time friend, has admitted that Drew Peterson and Mims bought three blue containers from a cable company, where they both worked part-time in 2003, and has provided photos of the containers to police. Peterson's stepbrother, Thomas Morphey, attempted suicide two days after allegedly helping Drew carry a large blue plastic container from Peterson's Bolingbrook home to his sport utility vehicle, fearing he may have helped dispose of the body of Stacy Peterson. Neighbors reported seeing Peterson and another man hauling a 55-gallon barrel, large enough to hold a person, out of the house shortly after Stacy's disappearance. Cales says she wants Drew Peterson to take a lie detector test about his knowledge of a blue barrel or container that she said she saw in their garage two days before Stacy disappeared. Joel Brodsky, Peterson's attorney has denied any container is missing from the home. There were also reports of truckers referring to the containers, but their stories were treated as not credible.[10][14][15][16][17][18]
One theory, according to a police source, is that Stacy Peterson was romantically involved with Scott Anthony Rossetto, or his brother Keith Rosetto, both of Shorewood, Illinois, though Rosetto denies this. Investigators have speculated that Peterson's body may have been dumped near Rossetto's home in an effort to frame him as the killer.[19]
Larry King Live Appearance
Drew Peterson appeared on Larry King Live on April 11, 2008. He was in company of his lawyer. His lawyer was present as an adviser on which questions were alright for Peterson to answer.[20]
References
- ^ Authorities call cop a suspect in wife's disappearance. Associated Press. 9 November 2007.
- ^ a b Babwin, Don. Grand Jury Probes Death of Ex-Cop's Wife. Associated Press. 16 November 2007.
- ^ Stacy Peterson's Family Releases Audio Recording. 7 December 2007.
- ^ Find Stacy Peterson
- ^ Peterson case: Did cops protect one of their own?. CNN. 2007-11-30 Access date: 2007-11-30.
- ^ Walberg, Matthew and Jo Napolitano. Expert: 3rd wife was slain. Chicago Tribune. 17 November 2007.
- ^ a b Tarm, Michael. Relatives Try to Confront Ill. Officer. ABC News.com. 17 November 2007.
- ^ Peterson's second wife recalls threats November 16, 2007
- ^ Death of former cop's third wife ruled a homicide. CNN.com. 21 February 2008.
- ^ a b Peterson's Family Demands Drew Take Lie Detector Test. NBC5.com. Chicago. 27 November 2007.
- ^ a b c Slife, Erika. EXCLUSIVE: Peterson's second wife tells her story. Chicago Tribune. 16 November 2007.
- ^ WBMM. Drew Peterson Tells Newsradio: My Retirement Sucks. wbbm780.com. 6 December 2007.
- ^ Fox Chicago. Drew Peterson is Now Accused of Police Brutality. myfoxchicago.com. 17 December 2007.
- ^ Missing Mom Stacy Peterson's Family Wants Husband, Drew, to Take Lie Detector Test FoxNews.com. 30 November 2007.
- ^ Police say claim of Peterson sighting by trucker unfounded. Northwest Herald. 7 December 2007.
- ^ Peterson case: Trucker lied. UPI.com. 7 December 2007.
- ^ Relative linked to Stacy Peterson case. UPI.com. 28 November 2007.
- ^ Peterson's Missing Blue Containers Dec. 13, 2007
- ^ Hosey, Joe and Janet Lundquist. The man Stacy turned to. The Bolingbrook Sun. 18 November 2007.
- ^ http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0804/11/lkl.01.html