Disrespectful?

The Bolingbrook IL police have now searched his home twice after he refused to let them search it and they have searched a nearby canal and woods. On Thursday November 8 2007, a close friend and next-door neighbor filed a police report and on Friday November 9, he went from being considered a person of interest to being a suspect.

All of this and officials still have not located Drew Peterson's 4th wife Stacy, 23, whom he originally stated he believed had run off with another man and recently told reporters that he believed she was still alive. Drew claims to have last spoken to his wife on the night of October 28 2007 and she was reported missing by her family on October 29 when she failed to arrive at a friend's home.

Drew began dating Stacy when she was 17, while he was still married to Kathleen Savio, his 3rd wife. They have been married for 4 years and have two children, ages 2 and 4 and Drew has older children from his marriage to Savio. Officials have filed a petition to exhume the body of Savio and investigate her drowning in 2004 as well.

Sue and Charlie Doman, Kathleen's sister and nephew recently spoke out on the renewed interest in her death. Sue stated that when she first got the call that her sister was dead, she thought, did he kill her? They both agree that they had never felt that her death was an accident. She was a young, vibrant woman who exercised, worked out and wasn't drunk. Sue had told the coroner's inquest in 2004 that Kathleen had told her that Drew just wanted her to go away, that she was terrified of him and about a week before she died, Kathleen had said that he always threatened her and if she were to die, he would make it look like and accident.

"There's no doubt in my mind that it wasn't an accident," stated James Glasgow, Will County State's Attorney.

What has been revealed now is that although Drew and Kathleen were divorced at the time, the financial issues hadn't been finalized yet. The Will County Coroner Patrick O'Neil has reviewed Savio's autopsy and stated that there are aspects of it that trouble him. Savio was found "drowned" in a tub with no water in it and the report also found that she had a one-inch "blunt laceration" to the left side of her scalp. Her hair was soaked with blood and she also had abrasions or bruises on seven different locations on her body.

Drew was suspended without pay on Friday, pending the outcome of an investigation of an incident several months ago. He had granted permission to an officer to chase a suspect while serving as the shift commander. That officer crashed into another vehicle after going nearly 100 mph and the department had been placed in the situation of a possible lawsuit after the apparent violation of Bolingbrook's no-chase policy.

"None of them have been very much help to him. They turn their back on him. I find that very disrespectful," stated Morphey.

On Saturday November 10, Drew's mother spoke out in his defense stating that he didn't do anything. Betty Morphey added in response to the question of Drew's refusal to let officials search the family home, would you want people going through your home. While Drew did refuse officials entry, he did however agree to give a tour of his home to Fox News' Jamie Colby.

Sharon Bychowski stated that having Drew show up on her lawn at 11pm shouting "Come here Sharon.... I want you" was what drove her to file the police report Thursday. She stated that she remembered seeing Stacy in tears at the end of her driveway a week before she disappeared. She told her next-door neighbor Sharon that Drew was all packed up and she wanted him to go. Sharon added that she saw six boxes sitting in the open garage that Stacy had said were Drew's things. Bychowski, who has babysat the two children and took them trick-or-treating this year, has been staying in a hotel under a ficticious name and is now contemplating seeking an order of protection against Drew.

Friends and family are beginning to reveal that Stacy had told them of her fears about Drew or that her relationship was abusive. Steve Cesare told CNN that he had received an e-mail from Stacy that described the marriage as abusive. Her aunt, Candace Aikin of El Monte CA, stated that Stacy had told her during her recent visit to the Peterson's , that Drew was obsessive and stalked her 24/7, even in their home. Aikin added that Stacy was very stressed and not happy in her marriage at all.

I understand that there are few, if any parents who would believe their child did something that wrong but to expect his fellow officers to stand up for him? Sadly, it doesn't look good for Stacy's family now that the police have moved to make their investigation one of a case of possible homicide but with Drew's past history, he may well have thought it could be easier to make a wife "disappear" rather than deal with her.


For other related posts, go here.

Of note:

photos are of Kathleen Savio and Drew & Stacy.

Update: November 14

Drew Peterson appeared today on NBC's Today Show to talk about his missing wife Stacy. While he did state that his attorney had advised him not to talk to the police about the matter, he seemed to speak quite freely on television and didn't balk at answering any of the questions put to him.

Drew stated that he had not harmed Stacy or that he had anything to do with her disappearance. He added that he had no plans to help in the search for her as well, stating that she had told him that she had found somebody else and he believes that she left him willingly.

"Why would I look for somebody who I don't believe is missing. She's gone. She's where she wants to be," stated Peterson.

He did describe that his relationships with both Stacy and his third wife, Kathleen had been troubled. Drew added that both women had come from troubled homes and had battled depression as well. He stated that Stacy had fallen into a deep depression after her sister died from cancer and that she would regularly ask him for a divorce, claiming it was based on her menstrual cycle.

Drew went on to state that he felt that his silence may have painted him as guilty to the media and he pleaded with his wife to return or let someone know where she is.

Drew is beginning to become more like Scott Peterson was when his wife "disappeared" and I don't think he has been all that silent. He looks to be a guilty man by the circumstances of his last two relationships. It takes either quite a set of balls or false confidence to not speak to the officers investigating him and then go on national TV to deny involvement and plead for Stacy's return.

Update: November 16

Steve Carcerano, a friend of Drew Peterson and the man who states he found Kathleen's body in her bathtub, was called to testify before a grand jury that has been convened to investigate that death. He didn't testify on Wednesday but was told to return at a later date and officials add that Drew's brother Paul has also been supoenaed to testify.

Drew, 53, has resigned from the Bolingbrook police department this week and is not a suspect yet in Savio's death but he is in Stacy's disappearance. Savio's body was exhumed this week after state's attorney James Glasgow felt that her death could be a homicide made to look like an accident.

The husband of Drew's first wife, Dave Brown has told WGN-TV on Wednesday that his wife hasn't spoken to Drew in over ten years. He stated that she didn't have any kind of problem with him and had never mentioned that he was threatening or violent with her.

Vicki Connolly, Drew's second wife has told the Chicago Tribune that Drew had become increasingly controlling, hit her and had told her that he could kill her and make it look like an accident. She added that she didn't believe that he would kill her but had told Bolingbrook police officers she considered friends of his threats so that they would know he had made them.

The family of his third wife, Kathleen, has released documents that show that Savio had once accused Drew of stealing her car while she was in church with one of the children. They also released a letter she had written to the Will County State Attorney officein Novemeber 2002, that accuses Drew of placing a knife he carried on his leg against her throat and that he had beaten her severely numerous times, enough to have her go to the emergency room.

The allegations in the letter are similar to ones she made when she filed for an order of protection from Drew in 2002 and reports from her family. Charles Pelkie, a spokesman for the state's attorney office stated that he didn't know if that letter had ever reached their office.

Fred Morelli, a former attorney of Drew's stated that he hadn't heard of the knife story before and felt it was crazy. He described Drew as a very personable and pleasent fellow. There is no word on whther Morelli will take up Drew's plea for representation that he claims he can't afford.

Many killers are described as pleasent and pesonable fellows such as Richard Crafts, Scott Peterson and Ted Bundy but they all were convicted of killing as well. As for Drew's "need" for free representation....... I am sure that he hadn't felt many of the people he has arrested over the years who couldn't even afford a $2,000 legal bill should get a break. Unfortunately, it looks as though Drew has left a trail of violent actions towards his wives and the Bolingbrook police I feel have made the right choice in naming Drew as a suspect in his fourth wife's diappearance. I am one who doesn't believe she just ran off with someone else and wouldn't contact anyone, least of all, her children.

Update: November 17

"It is my opinion to a reasonable degree of medical certainty....... that it is a homicide," stated Michael Baden, former New York City chief medical examiner.

Baden stated that there were signs of a struggle including bruises on the chest, hands and abdomen that were still fresh with purple discoloration but there were no fractures. There were no bruises on Savio's arms and he believes that she was drowned by holding her head underwater. He feels strongly that there is no evidence that it was an accident or that it was suicide.

He went on to add that her family had been suspicious of her death from the start because she was wearing jewelry and her hairstyle was not what she usually wore when bathing. They also had not heard from her for almost 36 hours before she was fouind dead. Sue Doman, Kathleens sister stated that the evidence of bruises on her hips, arms, elbows, feet and legs made her believe that her sister had put up a struggle. She also added that she felt it was beat up and placed in the bathtub as a cover-up for whoever had done it.

Steve Carcerano has described finding Kathleen's body in the small whirlpool tub. He stated that Drew was surprised and distraught when he first saw her body. He added that Drew checked her for a pulse to see if she was dead or alive and then went on asking what was he going to tell the kids. Carcerano stated that he had never seen Drew hit Savio in anger in front of him but that he had seen Savio slap his face, spit at him and chase him around with an extension cord.

The results from the official autopsy will not be available for several days. Baden had done an independent autopsy using the county morgue and had a state's attorney's investigation observing. Drew has an unlisted number and denies any involvement in both cases, believing still that his wife Stacy is alive and with another man.

Only time will tell it seems, if he will become a suspect in his third wife's death as well.

Update: November 19

Drew Peterson seems to have gotten himself a lawyer now and wisely let his attorney, Joel Brodsky do all the talking Sunday and Monday. Brodsky questions the motives and the conclusion reached by Dr Baden, in regards to Savio's death. He stated that they had known all along what Baden's feelings about her death were and his conclusion is the same as those earlier statements.

Brodsky also questioned the motives, stating that Fox news had a finacial arrangement with Baden by paying to fly him to Chicago. Baden, who has appeared as both a witness for the prosecution and defense in numerous cases stated that he had done the autopsy for the Savio's for free and that Fox had paid for his flight so that he could appear on their program.

Brodsky stated that he did not want to see Kathleen's death as a source of entertainment. Drew had earlier stated that he felt that people were unfairly singling him out to make him the center of a media "circus" surrounding his 4th wife's disappearance. He still maintains that he believes she is alive and with another man.

Drew's first wife, Carole Brown told the Chicago Tribune that while he could be very charming and supportive, he also could be very controlling. She did state that he had not been abusive to her in their 6 year marriage as his other wives have reported. She and Drew married out of high school and she found out that he was cheating on her when she was pregnant. She stated that she had felt that he had always respected her but concluded that when you cheat, you aren't respecting that person anymore.

I don't agree with Drew or his attorney, Drew has drawn the media attention to himself through his own actions. The very fact that he seems to have issues with control and his last two wives are surrounded with controversy add to what seems to be a history of cheating on his wives.

He wouldn't be the first to find murder as a solution to his marital problems or even the first to be suspected of an earlier death as well. At 2 am on November 4 1990, emergency personnel went to the apartment of the Boczkowski's Greensboro NC apartment after a 911 call. They found Tim there trying to revive his drowned estranged wife. Elaine was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead at 4:16 am and her death was left as undetermined.

On November 7 1994, Greensboro investigators were notified that Tim's second wife Mary Ann, had died of similar circumstances in PA. Tim was arrested in both states and charged with killing both women. His defense claimed that Elaine had drowned in her bathtub and Mary Ann had suffered a fatal heart attack in their hot tub. Tim was believed to have killed both women for their insurance money and he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Relatives of Stacy have spoken out as well, describing how Drew met and seduced her. He began by offering her safety and continued that while buying her more expensive gifts including a car and furnishing her apartment. Neighbors have described the last year of their marriage as rocky at best with Drew openly following his wife on her errands and even to the park with their two young boys. They all state that Stacy had wanted out of the marriage and her decision to begin nursing school was part of that plan to leave him. They added that Drew had recently purchased her a motorcycle as a gift in hopes that he could buy more time with her.

It looks more as though Drew's actions in the past and during his wife's disappearance have led to the accusations, not anyones interest in his becoming national "entertainment."

Update: November 20

"I would tell her I'm ashamed of her for putting the family through this. She knows where she is," stated Betty Morphey.

It would seem that Drew's mother, Betty believes very strongly that her son has done nothing wrong.... in any of his marriages. Morphey, 79, spoke out strongly Monday in his defense and the heartbreak that insinuations of his doing harm to anyone she feels. She added that she would swear on a Bible that he would harm no one and she feels bad that he is going through this because of Stacy. Morphey went on to blame the 30 year age difference between the two as a possible reason that the marriage hadn't work out well.

Drew and his attorney appeared on the "Today" show on Monday, while his first wife, Carol Brown appeared on "Good Morning America." Drew again stated that he believes his wife had run off with another man and pleaed for her to return. Carol though spoke about the man she had been married to when she wasn't even out of high school. She stated that he had been a good husband and attentive to their two sons. She added that when she found out about his affair, that was the beginning of the end for their marriage but she didn't believe the man she knew then was capable of murder.

Drew has stated that he found the comments that his second wife, who he had been married to for ten years, found him to be violent and threatening during their marriage. His comment was simply, that he thought they were friends.

Joel Brodsky, Drew's new attorney has shown before that he too can be a very persuasive man in his 25 years of practicing law. Brodsky, 50 had gotten in trouble for forging a dead man's signature to cash a $23,000 check and managed to convince the state board to only suspend his license for three months instead of the three years that had been proposed.

He convinced the board that by not cashing the check immediately, the $23,000 would go to the state and the client wouldn't see the money. It arose from a case that his former law partner had handled for an estate. He had split on bad terms with that partner and took it upon himself to close the account that had no activity in five years and not notify his former partner. He had told the bank officials that the owner of the account was "incapacitated."

Brodsky stated that he wished people wouldn't rush to judge Drew because of supposition that his fourth wife may have met harm. Drew's mother seems to be squarely in her son's defense as well by blaming it seems everyone else and age as the reasons haven't went well for her son. While she praised Brown's description of Drew, she blamed their you age for that marriage not working.

I'm sorry but the man has left a trail of women and children behind him in the years. He has been said to have cheated on many of them and Stacy it seems did little to chase Drew. After the reports of his getting her pregnant and giving her lavish gifts while he was still married to Savio, I think he should have been the one to be concerned about age differences......... or maybe he was? Quite possibly, he may have felt someone that young would be "easier to control."

Update: November 28

Last week, police in Bolingbrook received a report from a neighbor of the Peterson family that they had observed Drew and another man loading a large blue barrel into Drew's SUV. Police have now reported that they have found the man who assisted Drew in carrying the barrel from inside the home to the SUV.

Not so surprisingly, neighbors do report that Drew had such a barrel but that it had been in the yard. I am sure though, that Drew was only stuffing it with maybe, old sheets or or outgrown children's clothes, since he still claims that his wife ran off with another man. It doesn't surprise me that they search for Stacy now includes a search for the blue barrel.

Update: November 29

New reports are out and they state that a source has stated that Stacy told a clergyman as well as two others that Drew had bragged about killing his third wife Kathleen and made it look like an accident. It also states that Stacy had given Drew an ultimatum on Oct 28 that she wanted him out of the house by Wednesday and she was going to begin divorce proceedings as well.

That source has also offered a timeline for what occured on the day she gave Drew that ultimatum. At 5pm on Oct 28, Drew called in to take the day off. At 7pm that evening, Drew met with his stepbrother, Tom Morphey, at a local Starbucks to discuss his problems with Stacy and how to dispose of the problem.

Drew then reportedly excused himself and left Morphey with Peterson's cell phone which he told him not to answer if it rang. It did ring and Stacy showed on the caller ID and that call reportedly was placed from near the home of Scott Rossetta, possibly to focus the police on him and not Drew.

That evening Morphey was again called by Drew but this time to the Peterson house where he helped move a large blue from inside to the Peterson SUV. The next day, Stacy was reported missing and one day later, Morphey apparently attempted suicide. Drew visited him on Oct 30 while he was being treated at Edward Hospital in Naperville IL.

Peterson's attorney has stated that there was no object carried out of the house, no blue barrel and that Morphey's story makes no sense. He also described Morphey as a man with psychological issues.

FBI search specialists were in Lockport on wednesday assessing the Cal-Sag channel where they think Stacy may have been dumped in that barrel. The investigators had chosen that location because of a number of cell phone calls that had been made in that area. They are also discussing if the area should be dredged before divers enter it because of the accumulated debris that is seen on underwater photos.

Morphey, 40, had been identified on Tuesday as the man who was seen helping Drew load a barrel in his SUV. On Oct 29 at around 11:20 am, Bolingbrook police responded to an attempted suicide call and according to his girlfriend Sheryl Alcox, he hasn't returned to his home because he is in therepy. His neighbor of seven years, Dawn Fico, stated that the attempt was very out of character for him.

Morphey had accumulated a number of domestic violence arrests in the 1990's and in 1997, was arrested and convicted twice of drunken driving. An ex-girlfriend of his had sought orders of protection from him for threatening text messages in 1993 as well.

What is interesting is that Drew's attorney is very quick to dismiss the report of a barrel or that his stepbrother can be believed. It was other people in Drew's neighborhood who reported seeing the barrel both in the yard and being loaded. Morphey also had to be tracked down by the police to discover his story, he didn't step forward, out of the blue and offer it.