E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
M. Spencer Green / AP
Marcia Savio, stepmother of Kathleen Savio, cries outside the Will County Courthouse in Joliet, Ill., on Thursday after former Bolingbrook police officer Drew Peterson was found guilty of murder. At right is Kathleen Savio's half-brother Nicholas Savio.
With tears falling and arms raised in vindication, Kathleen Savio's stepmother called Drew Peterson's guilty verdict justice for her daughter after years of waiting.
"Finally, somebody heard Kathleen's cries!" Marcia Savio yelled to cheers from a crowd of onlookers. "Twelve people did the right thing, thank God. She won today. It's her victory."
After 14 hours of deliberation, a seven-man, five-woman Will County jury found Peterson guilty of murdering his third wife in a bathtub in 2004. As the verdict came down, gasps were heard throughout the courtroom, and Savio's family immediately hugged each other, shedding tears of joy.
Check NBCChicago.com for more on Drew Peterson case
"This is better than the White Sox winning the World Series," Savio's brother, Nick Savio, told reporters after the verdict came down.
In a statement read through tears, Nick Savio said his sister received justice after a "very long time." He said he hopes and prays Savio's children never forget her.
The Chicago Tribune via AP file
Kathleen Savio is shown in an undated photo provided by the Will County State's Attorney.
"Although we cannot have Kathleen back, we hope she can now rest in peace and that she knows she has had her day and justice has finally been served," he said.
"Stacy, you are now next for justice," he cried, referring to Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, who went missing in 2007.
AFP - Getty Images file
Stacy Peterson is seen in an undated photo provied by the Illinois State Police.
Savio's father, Henry, told reporters he never thought this day would come but now that it has, "I know it would make her happy as well if she was here."
Drew Peterson found guilty of killing third wife, Kathleen Savio
Through the tears of joy, an edge of anger emerged from Savio's family toward Peterson and his attorneys.
"I don't see you laughing now," Nick Savio said of Peterson, "so why don't you go with your clown defense team who made fun of this whole trial and go have a cigar with them while you're rotting in jail."
More content from NBCNews.com:
Leave a Comment:
Thanks to the 12 jurors who had the guts to get it right! They deserve it. Drew Peterson is a dirt bag and I will sleep better knowing he will spend the rest of his life in jail. Hope they tell all the inmates he was a policeman. Should be a good time!
All I can say is that if this trial was California or Florida he probably would have walked. At least some parts of the country can find a high profile suspect guilty.
I think he always had that they can't catch me smirk on his face because I am smarter than you. Well I think justice has finally been served. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who have suffered in his hands (physical abuse) and mind(mental abuse). God bless.
I always noticed that smile on his face. I wonder if he is still smiling? I think he thought he had gotten away with it before and he was to smart to get caught! He was very arrogant and I'm glad he got what he deserved!!! He should get the death penalty! It was almost like he was laughing at the victims and there families! Who got the last laugh?
If the smile is still there, it won't be once he's sentenced and goes to a real prison. Two people that don't fair well in prison, cops, and child molesters. Have a nice ride Drew.
Now they need to go after his fellow policemen, etc. who enabled him to get away with these crimes for so long.
Amen Sister!
Can we try every other "missing wife" case in Will County? Maybe then we could have had the likes of Josh Powell behind bars before he could kill his kids. Kudos to the jurors!
Amen Sister!
bet the sucker isnt laughing now, he deserves not to be feed, hes just a trash of a cop who thought he would get away with whatever hes done,i feel so sorry for all these familys, all i can say is hope you all can have peace now in your life, it took way too long for this man before anything was done,but now hes gonna suffer& it makes me wanna laugh.isnt too funny when it happens to you... so hope he knows heaven isnt knocking on his door.!!!! good luck to all your familys.!!!
bubba will be knocking on his "backdoor".
yes its about time this sucker got what he should of gotten long before now. him a cop, not in my book he isnt, hes a ass hole, he thought im a big cockey cop who knows how to play the system, every time his face was shown on tv, his crappy smile just mad me sick, those ladies, my hearts go to everyone of them,& these poor family members, i can only say heaven isnt gonna knock on his door, so just know his day will come. i wish he didnt get to eat, shouldnt even get anything for what hes tore from all of you people, my heart goes out to all of you, god will punish him.
I felt the same way about his arrogant smile! I would like to see his face now! Let everyone laugh in his face! Disgusting!!! I pray for the victims and family members that they will at least sleep a little better knowing he is going to pay!
First off, I extend my deepest feelings of sympathy to the Savio family and to Stacy Peterson's family. Next, I hope Drew Peterson winds up rotting in prison. Such callous and cruel arrogance. Usually you only see that kind of cold-hearted cruelty in an ugly movie. May he be forgiven for his sins, but may he also never see the light of freedom's day ever again.
I too am glad this jerk got his just deserts! I hated to look at his smirking face on t.v., it really ticked me off! But one thing needs to be said that hasn't yet, Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts & uncles, get through to your women, some dumb gal out there is going to be one of those who falls for him while he's in prison. Rush her to intervention if you even see her writing this jerk a postcard. Maybe he won't last too long in prison.
Well, you what they say - "Some days you are the windshield; and some days you are the bird:. I guess it was time for his wings to get in the way. Couldn't happen to a better person.
Yes, his smirking face has sed it all. Finally, JUSTICE for Kathleen & her family.
Finally they got this SOB EX-COP. Hope he gets the same treatment he doled out to his Ex-Wives (Plural) Let us see the SMUG LOOK ON HIS FACE THEN!
I can't believe he got away with it for so long because he was an officer of the law. It only infuriates me that he thought nothing of doing it again because he got away with it and they did not do a thorough investigation into his wifes suspicious death to begin with because her husband was in law enforcement. I don't trust police officers, when one screws up they all cover up, even when it's murder. This man is truly evil and left orphans without their Mother. For a man that snuffs out a life of his wife and is so smug about it just makes you wonder how many sociopaths do we not know about in law enforcement in this day of age.
Marcia Savio is one ugly fleabag. The family didn't have a single attractive member it could have put in front of the camera?
Now the police have to work on finding out how he killed Stacy Peterson. I hope they can find Stacy Peterson's body and give her family some closure.