Cop Now Suspect In Missing Wife Case

Police Shift Investigation To Potential Homicide; Body Of Previous Wife Also To Be Exhumed

(CBS/AP)  Authorities probing the disappearance of a police officer's wife said Friday he is now considered a suspect in a potential homicide investigation, and that the death of an ex-wife three years ago appeared to have been staged as an accidental drowning.

Formally re-opening the investigation into the death of Kathleen Siavo, authorities received court approval to exhume the body of Siavo, the ex-wife of Bolingbrook Sgt. Drew Peterson, as they continued the search for his wife, Stacy, who was last seen Oct. 29.

Illinois State Police Capt. Carl Dobrich said Peterson, 53, has moved from being a person of interest in the disappearance of his 23-year-old wife to "clearly being a suspect."

Dobrich also said the case was now a potential homicide investigation.

Peterson was relieved of duty, effective immediately, and placed on suspension without pay pending the completion of an internal affairs investigation and hearing, according to a press release issued by Bolingbrook police.

"We have mixed emotions right now," said Pamela Bosco, Stacy Peterson's adoptive stepmother. "We're sad, but we needed to move on, and this is something we've needed to hear for a long time."

Peterson has said Stacy Peterson phoned him and told him she had left him for another man. His attorney, Fred Morelli, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

The family of Stacy Peterson, who was studying nursing at a nearby junior college, has said she feared her husband, was making plans to divorce him and would not have willingly left her children, ages 2 and 4.

The body of Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio, was found in the bathtub in 2004, her hair soaked in blood from a head wound. A coroner's jury ruled the 40-year-old's death was an accidental drowning, even though there was no water in the bathtub. Investigators had theorized the water had drained out.

In a petition filed Friday listing the reasons authorities want to exhume Savio's body, prosecutors said a review of evidence in the case "is consistent with the 'staging' of an accident to conceal a homicide."

"The one-inch gash in the back of Kathleen Savio's head did not render her unconscious, which would have been necessary for her to accidentally drown in the bathtub," the petition stated.

Prosecutors said they reviewed photographs of the crime scene and autopsy, the autopsy protocol and police reports.

Will County Circuit Court Judge Daniel J. Rozak signed the petition granting the exhumation Friday. It was not immediately clear when the body would be exhumed.

No charges were filed in Savio's death, but "at the very least, her death should have been ruled 'undetermined,"' Will County Coroner Patrick O'Neil said earlier this week.

Savio's niece, Melissa Marie Doman, said relatives have long suspected that Savio didn't drown accidentally.

"I am all for it, along with the rest of my family, because something just was never right," said Doman. "I can't really say who, but someone did something. I don't think it was an accident."

Savio had gotten an order of protection in 2002, alleging a pattern of physical abuse and threats, according to court records. Drew Peterson has denied involvement with his ex-wife's death.

Meanwhile, search crews continue to look for Stacy Peterson, and are asking for more volunteers.

"Today the search will continue, and tomorrow if we don't find anything today," search team member Lisa Loper told CBS Station WBBM correspondent Rafael Romo. "But we're also in great need of food and drinks for the volunteers."

As part of the search on Friday, volunteers will be using a powerful sonar boat in the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal, and a number of lakes yet to be determined.

Sonar boat owner Dennis Watters explained how he intends to help in the search.

"God forbid that she's in a lake or whatever," Watters said. "If she's in there, we will see her body. If we run across a car we see a car, we see boats."

Gary Peterson is a member of Equusearch, a volunteer organization from Texas helping in the search for Stacy Peterson. He said they will bring in a drone Friday afternoon that will be flying in the marshy area near Lemont.

"Each morning I pick three of four target areas, target priority areas that we want to search and we assign people and they go out and they search these pieces of property," Peterson said.

[fibonacci_]

What a weird guy. Don''t mean to disrespect the dead, especially the innocent, but she must have been pretty weird to go for a guy like that too.

[denn034]

The husband is always the first suspect so, this could mean nothing. This also shouldn''t be held against all cops.

[petesis]

What in the world is a 23 year old girl doing married to a 53 year old cop to begin with. What was she a stripper or some such? (not that it makes it OK to kill her but what is the story there?)

[cryonbrian]

What was this dumb cop thinking? Didn''t he know if was going to kill his wife he should have married Black woman! If she were Black it would have not even made the local news! Fool!

[fibonacci_]

denn034, his first wife "drowned accidently in the bath tub" I think there is reasonable sus;picion here.

[jn4ggs]

he clearly did it

just frame him like all cops do to people that they know did it. makes the trial faster. lock his *** up.

[khaizlip]

Put your energy in voluntering to help find Stacy Peterson. Bring your own food and water from home! this is not a hunger crisis, volunteers are coming from theri homes in the morning and returning to them at night. Pack a cooler!

[vitajay85]

Oh, it''s ok for him to have been married to a black woman so he could murder her, huh Cryonbrian??? Where did you get your stupid thought from? As if a black woman''s life is NOT valuable! Why do some people even waste their energies thinking on stupid mess is beyond me...

[fibonacci_]

Tucker, I agree. vitajay85, I think that he was just trying to make a comment on the racial prejudice in our court systems, which I agree is very sad :(

[bildooreilly]

I figured the cop did it when I first read about them searching for a cops wife. Typical cop.

[cryonbrian]

Oh, it''''s ok for him to have been married to a black woman so he could murder her, huh Cryonbrian??? Where did you get your stupid thought from? As if a black woman''''s life is NOT valuable! Why do some people even waste their energies thinking on stupid mess is beyond me...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by vitajay85 at 05:45 PM : Nov 09, 2007



I think you missed my point? Sorry!

[fibonacci_]

californiar, I certainly believe that.

[waterboy074]

cryonbrian

If this guy killed his wife, he is still a low life scum bag murder no matter what race she is or if his crime makes the daily news. You cryonbrian are a stupid racist idiot. It is no wonder our country will never grow out of racist attitudes because of comments like yours.

O.J. Killed his white wife and got away with it and it did make the news.

so what is your point?

[iceman_1960]

"Stacy Peterson" -- that name is very similar to "Laci Peterson."

I hope Stacy Peterson has had a less tragic fate.

[iceman_1960]

"Missing white woman syndrome"

"Missing white woman syndrome (MWWS), also known as missing pretty girl syndrome, is a term used to describe alleged disproportionate media coverage of white female victims. The individual may be missing, murdered, captured, or even have faked her own abduction; the essential element of the syndrome is that her gender, race, prettiness, age, or social background is alleged to have extended the media coverage and public interest in her case."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_white_woman_syndrome

[michellem99-2009]

Oh yes Sir there is. there are killer cops, Predator cops who prey on others. Cops who abuse their power as cops. There are good ones. There is good and bad in every thing.

[scotuspotus]

53 with a 23 year old wife, I guess after the viagra prescription ran out they didn''t have much in common so he offed her.

[kansas1946]

The body of Peterson''s third wife, Kathleen Savio, was found in the bathtub in 2004, her hair soaked in blood from a head wound. A coroner''s jury ruled the 40-year-old''s death was an accidental drowning, even though there was no water in the bathtub. Investigators had theorized the water had drained out.
*************************
Well, here you go. This case was swept under the rug, and not investigated in the manner if would have been if it were you are me, because this guy is a cop. If it had of been, there might be a 23 year old, still alive and living her life. The first person police go after in any woman''s death is the husband or boyfriend, I guess unless the husband or boyfriend is a cop. Nobody should have gotten by with that bathtub busniness, without some really heavy scrutiny.

[cryonbrian]

I am not racist, I am just stating a fact! If his wife was a Black woman it would have never made it to the CBS news! So who is the racist.................?

Check Mate!

[Cas2dy]

"Stacy Peterson" -- that name is very similar to "Laci Peterson."

I hope Stacy Peterson has had a less tragic fate.

Thank you. I could not quite get my mind to wrap around this elusive fact. It was driving me nuts everytime I read the name...Too eery, though. Way spooky.

[edward1975-2009]

Being from the area of this crime, I can tell you this guy has been coming unglued after the police put the fact that they were looking into his third wifes death in `04. And your probally right about an improper investigation into that 2004 death. It''s that " Blue Line" mentality of protecting their own. And I hope the truth for both families come to light and this whatever he is is dealt with accordingly.

[brianbwb-2009]

"How many people who claim cops routinely cover up crimes committed by other cops have personal knowledge of any such event?" Posted by tuckerndfw

I do, and have several friends who have also. In fact, it would not be unreasonable to speculate that the majority of "Black" Americans are aware through personal eyewitness, or experience.

Not only do cops cover up for each other, but statistics show that if illegal events of a nature involving crimes against "Black" people are brought to light and proven, the courts are reluctant to deliver maximum sanctions, and accepting the barest possible mitigating circumstances to justify minimum sentences, or probation. This is reality, not of a former age, but even now, and most probably into tomorrow.

[jetranger7]

Its OFFICIAL - The World has Gone Insane, totally Nutso !!!

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by tuckerndfw,

I am in Singapore now, But I was born and raised in Detroit, and lived in NY, and LA, amongst other cities.

As for the crimes I witnessed, they included one shooting and several drug deals, payoff shakedowns from prostitutes, and confiscation of drugs from a dealer, and the subsequent sale of the same bag to another.

As for myself, I have been twice physically assaulted, while on my way home from work, I was a club musician at the time, the first assault resulted in a visit to the hospital, where I received stitches from being kicked in the chin, while lying on the ground, as instructed.

1,500 letters is not enough to detail, but I don''t, and probably never will trust the police, so why should I report them to themselves? Had I done so on any of the occasions, I probably wouldn''t be alive today.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by tuckerndfw,

Tuck, any inner city resident sees such on a daily basis, and we learn early on that if we are not involved, best not to get involved, and if we are victimized, best to let it go, no one cares about us, and if we make too much noise, we are, at best, called "whiners", at worst "dissappeared",

Thanks to decades of fascist propaganda, we are nothing more than "welfare begging n-words" to most whites, even though most of us have never even seen a welfare check. This is the reality that America tries to pretend does not exist, and feigns surprise when incidents that prove such are brought to light.

[brianbwb-2009]

"I''''ve personally known hundreds of police officers and they are just like any other group. Some good, some bad, but most of them in between." Posted by tuckerndfw

I would be the first to agree with you on this point, most are in between. However, even though my experiences with police in several cities has taught me my way of thinking, my way is not everyone''s way. Many have actually reported incidents, trying to believe in the "system" only to learn the hard lesson of non interference, or of letting it go, because the consequences are usually worse than the crime reported.

It is probably not easy, probably a little scary, but I''m sure you have, or can make acquaintances in DFW, who live in the "ghetto," most are law abiding, good people. Talk with and listen to them about their relationship with the police, and then try to explain what you hear without including institutionalized covering up as a factor.

[brianbwb-2009]

to tuckerndfw

Please don''t mistake my statements as expressing contempt, I am not quite that bitter, it is just that whenever concerns like the ones we discuss here hre mooted in the media, the one most ofter heard response is similar to the statement in my post that gave you the impression.

I am sure most "whites" don''t think this way, but it is the one most echoed in the media, and used by politicians using division as a means to attain office, and by pundits looking for shock ratings (does Imus ring a bell?)

[chad55555]

One has to wonder how many people in the public did he harm while he was doing this. After all police are only human and can get by with anything. MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE WOMEN THAT THOUGHT HE COULD BE TRUSTED.

[panhandlpete]

The days of the humble policeman walking the beat and being the neighborhood''s best friend is long gone. Just take a close look at how they dress, how they walk and what procedures they are taught. Then, add to that a personality needed to "KILL" another being, and feel they are superior to the rest of us while doing so. And, add to that the horrible scenes they may encounter while doing their work.....Is it any wonder that some cops become worse than the ''folks'' who break the laws they try to enforce?

[menrscum]

Wow, reeeaallly? Oh goodness fu(king sakes! I guess the obvious corruption of the police involved in this was finally outweighed by this obvious MURDER by yet another psycho controlling violent man who has abused every wife he has had. Yeah fu(king pig cops, they''re all "good guys" until they finally can''t control that urge to force women to their will and go too far. Even Hitler kissed a baby or two before he anhilated 6 million innocent people. Sick mother fu(ker - get line up in the death row section "P" alphabetcally with Scott Peterson, and yuck it up about the thrill you got when the mother of your childrens neck snapped in your hands. Scum of the earth maggot.

[lochlan-2009]

It''s apparent we need public hanings again, when it comes to government authority and representation. That should change their "I''m above the law" mentality. Crooked cops are the norm now days, with payed extended vacations when they get caught. I mean the former NYPD CHIEF OF POLICE, is in custody for corruption and ties to the mob!!!

Go here: http://www.badcopnews.com/

You''ll be shocked at the amount of police being charged with child molestation, murder, rape... and this is within just the last few days (70 Pages). What do they get away with that we don''t her about?

[creeper00]

It would appear that the second wife''s death was covered up not by the cops but by the medical examiner who ruled such a suspicious death "accidental drowning."

Can you charge someone with murder when the death has been ruled an accident?

[jn122736]

How many people who claim cops routinely cover up crimes committed by other cops have personal knowledge of any such event?

And, if you have no first hand experience, on what do you base the claim cops, as a group, are criminals? (which is what is implied by claiming cops cover up crimes Posted by at 01:12 AM : Nov 10, 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Respectfully, in my opinion, your comment is unrealistic.

The term %u201Ccops%u201D is plural but not necessarily all consuming.
However, the opinion that cops, in general, do indeed cover up improper/illegal actions by their own is prevalent and I suspect held by a majority.

People with firsthand knowledge are the LAST to give unbiased opinions.

No juror with direct ties to a case, or any subjects involved in a case, is ever allowed on that jury.
Jurors findings are based on evidence at hand, many times only circumstantial evidence.

History is full of incidences where police actions have been judged acceptable, that would have been prosecuted if committed by anyone else.

Prosecution of criminal acts is done as a matter of course, while prosecution of police officers is generally a matter of last resort.

There are ex-cops serving time in prison right now for cover-ups

People%u2019s opinions are generally based on multiple incidents occurring over time.

As my Dad used to say, %u201CIt may sometimes be necessary to hit me over the head to get my attention, but never more than once%u201D.

[j-whitman]

Bush did it -------- Semper Fi

[quatermass2]

Am I the only one wondering what happened to wives 1 and 2?

[fibonacci_]

They probably realized the guy is a freakazoid.

[godofredo29]

Things look pretty bleak. But, that didn''t justify the statements of the profiler interviewed on CBS Saturday Morning, such as that now he might kill himself "as police officers under stress often do."

[menrscum]

Estimated Number of Arrests
United States, 2006
Data Declaration Download Excel
Total 14,380,370
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 13,435
Forcible rape 24,535
Robbery 125,605
Aggravated assault 447,948
Burglary 304,801
Larceny-theft 1,081,157
Motor vehicle theft 137,757
Arson 16,582
Violent crime2 611,523
Property crime2 1,540,297
Other assaults 1,305,757
Forgery and counterfeiting 108,823
Fraud 280,693
Embezzlement 20,012
Stolen property; buying, receiving, possessing 122,722
Vandalism 300,679
Weapons; carrying, possessing, etc. 200,782
Prostitution and commercialized vice 79,673
*** offenses (except forcible rape and prostitution) 87,252
Drug abuse violations 1,889,810
Gambling 12,307
Offenses against the family and children 131,491
Driving under the influence 1,460,498
Liquor laws 645,734
Drunkenness 553,188
Disorderly conduct 703,504
Vagrancy 36,471
All other offenses 4,022,068
Suspicion 2,482
Curfew and loitering law violations 152,907
Runaways 114,179

[menrscum]

Arrests
by Race, 2006

TOTAL 10,437,620
White 7,270,214
Black 2,924,724
American Indian or Alaskan Native 130,589
Asian or Pacific Islander 112,093

Percent Distribution
Total 100.0

White 69.7
Black 28.0
American Indian or Alaskan Native 1.3
Asian or Pacific Islander 1.1


So shut the fu(k up....

[menrscum]

Arrests
Males, by Age, 2006
[11,250 agencies; 2006 estimated population 216,686,722]
TOTAL 7,985,505

Arrests
Females, by Age, 2006
[11,250 agencies; 2006 estimated population 216,686,722]
TOTAL 2,486,927

MEN

ARE

SCUM