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Subscribe to RSSWill County State's Attorney James Glasgow speaks outside an Illinois courthouse, where Drew Peterson was found guilty of killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio.
AFP - Getty Images file
Stacy Ann Peterson
Though Drew Peterson was tried and convicted of murdering Kathleen Savio, the former police sergeant's missing fourth wife had a constant presence during the trial.
"They tried keeping her out of that courtroom, and eventually two profound statements were made by her, and that's what did it," said Pamela Bosco, a spokeswoman for the family of Stacy Peterson, who vanished in October 2007. "They sealed his fate."
Prosecutors suspect Drew Peterson killed sandy-haired Stacy Peterson because she could finger him for Savio's death, but her body has never been found and no charges have ever been filed.
Stacy Peterson told friends and family that she woke up Feb. 29, 2004, in the middle of the night to find her husband gone. Kathleen Savio's body was found March 1, 2004, in the bathtub of her home, blocks from the Petersons' Bolingbrook, Ill., home. Stacy Peterson later told friends and family her husband asked her to lie about seeing him return home with women's clothing that did not belong to her.
Judge Edward Burmila barred any mention of Stacy Peterson's disappearance during the trial, but jurors heard from her through the testimonies of Rev. Neil Schori and attorney Harry Smith.
Read more about the case at NBCChicago.com
Schori said Stacy Peterson told him Drew Peterson disappeared from their home around the time of Savio's death. Smith testified that Stacy Peterson called him days before her disappearance and "wanted to know if, in my opinion, the fact that he killed Kathy could be used against him."
Illinois State Police declared Drew Peterson a suspect in Stacy Peterson's disappearance on Nov. 9, 2007, the same day they formally launched an investigation into Savio's 2004 drowning death and a judge signed an order to exhume Savio's body.
Drew Peterson contends his fourth wife ran off with another man and is still alive.
Savio family: 'Stacy, you are now next for justice'
"Stacy's case is next, no matter what," Bosco told reporters Thursday after a seven-man, five-woman jury found Peterson guilty in Savio's death. "We still have to pay the price for Stacy. I still believe that's around the corner."
Defense attorneys representing Drew Peterson, who was convicted of killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio, speak to the media following Thursday's verdict.
Stacy Peterson's sister, Cassandra Cales, said the family is in constant contact with police and hopes someone will come forward with new information. "This is the first step," Cales said.
James Glasgow, Will County state’s attorney, told reporters outside the Joliet courthouse that prosecutors plan to review the evidence in Stacy's disappearance and "aggressively" seek to charge Peterson if possible.
See previous NBC News stories on the case
"Obviously the longer any person is gone, the easier it is to prove that they haven't just simply run away and that they are deceased," Glasgow said. "October 28 of 2007 is way in our rear-view mirror now, so we're going to look at that case and assess it as it stands today. If we feel confident that we can go forward, we will be doing so."
Savio learned in 2001 that Drew Peterson was having an affair with Stacy Cales, a 17-year-old hotel clerk at the time.
Drew Peterson and Savio were granted a divorce on Oct. 13, 2003, and he married in Stacy on Oct. 18 when he was 49 and she was 19. They had two children, Anthony and Lacy.
Stacy Peterson was reported missing Oct. 29, 2007, a day after she failed to show up at a relative's home.
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Stacy's family said they never will give up hope.
"I love you and I miss you," Cales said when asked what she wanted to tell her missing sister, "and I'm never going to give up hope in finding you."
"We miss you," Bosco said, choking back tears. "This man has to pay for Stacy."
NBC News' Jim Gold contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
Why call her, this serial wife killer monster's latest murder victim, by the name of her murderer? No woman murdered by her husband should have to carry his cursed name into perpetuity. Call her by the name of the woman who gave her life, not the man who gave her death.
While no one should be murdered she lied to the police about what he did the night that he killed his ex-wife and had a relationship with him while he was still married to Savio. In Savio's house and bed. If she had told the truth about his actions she would still be alive today. You help a murderer get away with it then he murders you that's karma.
I agree
Devil's Son - While Stacy's actions were not up to par, I am betting she was impressionable enough at 19 to believe everything this "man" said to her. NOBODY DESERVES TO BE MURDERED! I do believe though, that had she been stronger in herself and told about what she knew (though we don't really know what she told the minister, hearsay), she may have found the help to leave before she became a "missing" person.
Devils Son: He was THIRTY years older than her while she was just a KID: and he was a cop, probably with the same 'seemingly powerful' connections that most cops have. He preyed on the vulnerable. I don't know where you've been scuttled, mate - but apparently you have NO CLUE of either the psychological power brokering or the fear that exists in the relationships that the vulnerable have with an abuser. Nice try with the "while no one should be murdered" precedent but the rest of your logical fails the reasonably prudent person test. Karma doesn't have a place in law or in court and it makes a piss-poor excuse for a killer's actions regardless. You're obviously ignorant of these realationships and the beasts that can grow out of abusers, spawned from the very power that they wield.
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It sickens me when people like Devils Son blame the victim: he's either a troll on this board or one of those anti-social sociopaths that is capable of making similar statements like "she dressed like that - she must have wanted it, so its all her fault that she was raped and killed". I hope someone comes into this poster's life that intimidates them, manipulates them, controls them, and this poster finds themself on the weak end of a bad situation, LYING FOR THEM (at the time) out ofthe fuzzy sense of fear. THAT would be KARMA.
Who knows what the missing wife's connection might have been to the murder of her predecessor. Women do foolish things. So do men.
But the prime move in all of these events was Drew Peterson.
Glad he got nailed for one crime. Hope he never again sees the light of day as a free man.
Good to see this smug douche-bag where he belongs. Justice is not served until he becomes BIG CLOVELL WASHINGTON'S LOVE BUNNY!
A good waterboarding would get the answsers to your questions.
The link for this story was right under the one for "Woman's Torso Found in Floating Suitcase"........................Hmmmm
I'm sure once they find her body her family will change her last name. Support search efforts now www.SearchingforStacyPeterson.com
Drew Peterson was nuts for killing his most recent wife. She was the best he could EVER get. I am shocked when I see her picture and his....he was lucky. Now, he is not so lucky.
Stephanie, I can't imagine you meant to imply this, but your wording does suggest that if she wasn't so pretty, he would not be nuts for killing her. Here is the simple rule for my fellow males: Except when unavoidable to save someone else in danger, it is ALWAYS completely unacceptable to deliberately cause a female any harm. Not getting along? Fine, then express yourself in words, however loudly, walk away, perhaps even vent physically on inanimate objects, but hurting her is not OK.
what if shes kicking you in the face with her high heels while your driving?(thats happened).
Yea, @!$%# that. I will NEVER hit a woman first. She can slap me all she wants. The SECOND she balls up her fist and hits me, she has taken it upon herself to instigate a physical confrontation as a man would and there will be repercussions to be had.
Don't agree with me? Tough. Any many that stands there and takes punches from anyone, man or woman, is a fool. As I stated though, she can slap me all she wants. I will take those. Just not closed fist.
I've known quite a few men whose wives or girlfriends beat on then. A man has to be strong and firm. I have had a couple of girlfriends who have hit me ONCE. I hold their wrist and tell them "You don't hit me, I don't hit you", and that has ended the hitting. If they were to hit me again, I would hit them back, just like I would a man.
You don't get to go around hitting people just because you have a vagina.
I agree. NO ONE has the 'right' to abuse-mental, emotional, physical, verbal-I have learned over the years that it is MY responsiblity to protect myself from abuse. I treat others with respect (and hopefully kindness) and I treat myself with respect and I like others to treat me with respect.. I did not know this at age 19 however-learning is a process and takes time.......
Our Prosecutor should run for the Office of Governor ... but Drew Peterson should go up for being a petafile Stacy was 17 years old when he started dating her ... and left Kathleen for her.
First of all, loving someone much younger than you is not "pedophilia". Pedophilia is an attraction to children...a 17-year old is not a child. Also, the age of consent in Illinois is 17, so no crime was committed anyway.
Ryan, do not bother. Look at her pic. She is an insecure woman and any guy who likes women younger than her is a pedophile (that is how the word is spelled btw). As Ryan stated, 17 is not "pedophilia". That would be called "Ephebophilia" and seems to be much more tolerated.
Ripklawe - unfortunately your reading comprehension simply stinks. Both "Pedophilia" and "Pedophile" are words. Pedophile is a person engaging in acts of pedophilia. If you read Rayn's comment again, you would see he was pointing out (in his opinion) that the act of "loving someone much younger" is not "Pedophilia", and that is the RIGHT word for his expression. If he was referring to a person (which he did not), THEN the right word would be "pedophile".
Wow...I can't believe that spelling and the proper usage of the word pedophile is the topic here after Ripk insulted Sandra the way he did.
C'mon, you guys...have some decency! I know cheeky 12 year old boys that are better men than that. They at least know to defend the defenseless.
Sandra, what's a petafile????
It is amazing how good looking women are so attracted to ugly creeps like this serial killer, but they would not give a good man a chance
Doug, what you don't understand is that it wasn't his face she was attracted to. These types of guys roll out a special kind of charm for the unexperienced; what he showed her when she was attracted to him was nothing like the guy we have seen for the last four years. He was a guy who was misunderstood in his marriage, all his friends respected him, he was funny, and he kissed her butt and made her feel special. Once they're sucked in then he can start acting suspicious about who she's with, not liking her friends, controlling things like how she wears her hair or what clothes to wear, even sometimes what they eat, slowly cutting her off from everything and everyone. I have seen this type of guy get involved with my own relatives, and no one can tell them at the time what they're in for, because they won't believe it, until it's too late. Thankfully, my sister was not killed by her sociopath husband. Hopefully the restraining order will prevent any harm to her and her kids. He doesn't have the resources that Peterson had, though, like a bunch of cops to back him up.
Don't give up, though. There are a lot of good women out there too. Maybe you ought to reconsider what you think is a good-looking woman?
Doug,
I'm sure the Evil Mr. Peterson was a master of manipulation and poor 17 year old stacy more than likely had some serious issues to fall for his lines.
He is an arrogant ass that deserves every single thing that is coming to him and then some. I hope he enjoys his new surroundings. Somthing tells me that he will not get away with his arrogance for long in there. Good riddance to the trash!
I honestly believe he is guilty. But I think the police department who sat on it all these years should hang right along with him for not doing their jobs. Just because he was a cop, they decided he was innocent and did nothing. Because of this, more died than should have.
Exactly! This is no criminal mastermind, folks. He had lots of help from his friends.
Drew's lawyers said that Drew is fine with the turn out. Because he wants to be punished for his murderous deeds. He would have accepted an aquital. And probably have left the courthouse popping his gum like the arrorgant prick that he is. But he knows that he should be punished for his deeds. Of course him being locked up and awaiting an appeal is not the punishment he deserves because his two wives that he murdered are gone. So Drew you know what to do. The first chance you get....................................................
Did you see the made-for-TV movie with Rob Lowe as Drew Peterson? LOL
"I'm untouchable bitch!"
She is dead and disposed of somewhere where no one will every find her.
Just like the other crazy nut who murdered his two kids to keep them quiet about him killing their mom.
good luck in prison you dirty cop...you shamed police everywhere...now you can pay
If we're lucky maybe the inmates at his future home will beat the truth about Stacy's disappearance out of him so her family can have closure..........
I bet he put her in a meat grinder.....I mean, what else could you do with a body where it can never be found?
Even a meat grinder may not be good enough. Google "Helle Crafts".
They need to put this POS in GENPOP, but since he was a cop, that'll never happen, never mind the fact that he's a cold-blooded killer.
You have to hope this woman killer has a hell of a time in prison. He deserves a living hell.
Problem is a lot of cops and prison guards are spouse abusers themselves so he will probably get empathy from them.
I hope the police continue to search for Stacy Peterson and find her! Her sister made a website so that everyone can contribute to the search.
<p><a href="">
www.SearchingforStacyPeterson.com</a></p>