Who doesn't know Drew Peterson? No, he's not related to "Scott Peterson", but he might as well be. He’s the flamboyant media hungry “sole person of interest” in the disappearance of his current wife, Stacy Peterson, who mysteriously vanished in October 2007. Peterson contends and continues to allege that Stacy abandoned him and their children and left him for another man.
Not only is his current wife missing, but his third wife, Kathleen Savio died under suspicious circumstances in March 2004, with her cause of death listed as an “accidental drowning” with no indications of foul play according to State Police Special Agent Herbert Hardy.
However, a November 8, 2007 Chicago Tribune article reported the following in regards to Savio's death:
"...Previous descriptions of the scene have noted that while the bathtub was dry, Savio’s hair was soaking wet. But the autopsy states that her hair was “soaked with blood.” It notes a one-inch laceration on the back of her head and numerous small bruises and abrasions all over her body.
No evidence of drugs or alcohol were found in her system, according to the report. The forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy said the cause of death was drowning and wrote that the “laceration to the posterior scalp may have been related to a fall in which she struck her head.”
Kathleen Savio also wrote the following, “When I found out Mr. Peterson was having an affair with a minor (Stacy Peterson) … he began to get very violent,” she wrote. “Their [sic] has been several times throughout my marriage with this man where I ended up at the emergency room in Bolingbrook for injuries, and I have reported this only to have police leave my home without filing any reports.”
“…Bolingbrook police officials issued a statement this week in which they confirmed 18 domestic calls to the home, but said they always investigated fully."
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2007/nov/08/local/chi-peterson_08nov08
In 2008, Dr. Michael Baden, one of the country's top forensic experts who has performed over 20,000 autopsies over the course of 45 years, had Savio's body exhumed and performed a new autopsy. He concluded that Savio DID NOT die from a "drowning". He reported that Savio died as a result of multiple blunt force traumas and ruled it "a homicide".
See following transcript from the Greta Van Susteren Show on November 19, 2007:
VAN SUSTEREN: One of the things that we read about in the autopsy report that was done back in 2004 is that there was a lot of blood in Kathleen Savio's hair. Was that a determination you were able to make today, whether or not that — or had she been — you know, did the funeral home clean that up or — could you make that determination?
BADEN: Any blood in the hair was already cleaned up by the funeral home. At the time of the first autopsy and when the exhumation was done, there was no more blood in the hair.
VAN SUSTEREN: What conclusion did you reach as to the manner of death after doing the autopsy today?
BADEN: That was a homicide.
VAN SUSTEREN: Any doubt in your mind whatsoever that it's a homicide?
BADEN: To a reasonable degree of medical certainty is the standard we usually use. It's my opinion to a reasonable degree of medical certainty that it's a homicide, and that's what I would have put down on the death certificate.
VAN SUSTEREN: Had you been the initial medical examiner doing the autopsy in...
BADEN: Even initially, there was enough information that it was a homicide because of the fact that she was an adult, healthy, hadn't been drinking or anything, found dead in a bathtub. It does not happen accidentally. No history of seizures or illness. And in addition, there were indications then of multiple blunt force traumas, of being beaten up. And one of the things we were able to look at today is those bruises were still there, and we could see with the naked eye that they were fresh.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312208,00.html
Note: Savio died just before the division of the marital assets was divided, making Drew Peterson the sole beneficiary.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/07/peterson.murder.arrest/index.html?eref=rss_crime
Second Note: Based primarily on November’s exhumation and autopsy of Drew Peterson’s third wife Kathleen Savio — which came about because of the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson — a judge has re-opened Savio’s estate. This means that Savio’s family can sue Peterson to recover the proceeds of her estate, which included a million-dollar insurance policy, all of which was awarded to Peterson when her May 2004 death was initially ruled an accident."
http://crimeweek.com/wordpress/?p=213
For four long years there were no additional investigations into Savio's untimely death even though she confided in her sister saying, "If something happens to me and I die, Drew did it."
After a wrongful death civil lawsuit filed against Drew Peterson in Savio’s death, and a recent ruling by a grand jury, Peterson has finally been charged with the murder of Savio. His current mug shot shows him donning a smirk.
The civil lawsuit filed in April 2008 alleges:
(1) "Peterson carried out a plan to "stalk, attack, repeatedly beat, then drown" Savio.
(2) The suit also claims Peterson "had the means to sneak into her home, and that he did so TWICE before she was found dead."
(3) The suit also alleges that, "Peterson cut a hole in the wall of her (Savio's) house and slithered inside."
*Note: Savio lived down the street from Drew Peterson's home.
(4) The suit quotes Reverend Neil Schori telling an interviewer how Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, claimed she woke to find Peterson "standing in front of the washing machine, dressed all in black, and holding a bag. Peterson then removed his clothes and put them in the washer, and emptied the contents of the bag he was holding, which appeared to be women's clothing, into the washer also."
(5) "Peterson also told Stacy how he hit Kathleen on the back of the head, making her death look like an accident."
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/peterson/1536685,peterson-savio-lawsuit_JO042109.article
Peterson's attorney Joel Brodsky is nothing short of a Joe Peschi playing attorney in court out of “My Cousin Vinny”.
Some real boner answers to questions were, "Prosecutors can't prove their case because he didn't do it."
Good come back. Strong argument there.
Brodsky also stated in a written statement, “There is no evidence that links Drew Peterson to the death of Kathleen Savio or anyone else for that matter…Drew did not harm Kathleen; he has said so from day one."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/07/peterson.murder.arrest/index.html?eref=rss_crime
I'm having an OJ flashback.
However, in an interview last night with Anderson Cooper, Brodsky stated that Peterson always had a feeling he would be arrested with the murder of Savio.
If Peterson “had a feeling” he would be indicted, then why so adamant about his innocence? Brodsky claims this case is based on circumstantial evidence.
First, defendants are found guilty everyday based soley on circumstantial evidence. Second, what will the jury think once they’ve read Dr. Michael Baden’s additional autopsy report? I say a massive blow to the head is more than circumstantial and is real evidence of more than an “accident”.
Peterson was currently engaged to be married to another young woman, Christina Raines, even though he is still legally married to missing Stacy. According to Raines’s father, Ernie Raines, he was with his daughter and as “recently as last week they (Peterson and Christina Raines) had talked about going to Las Vegas, and getting married.”
Looks like those wedding plans will be put on hold while Peterson is awaiting his arraignment and his bond set at $20,000,000. His minor children have been placed in the custody of the state’s children and family services department.
Here is an interesting question for the prosecution: If the death penalty is sought, will they make a plea to spare his life in exchange for the whereabouts of Stacy? After all, he is being charged with first degree murder and finding an impartial jury of his peers will be next to impossible.
Figure the odds on that one, Drew.
Come clean, save the Illinois taxpayers money, and tell us where Stacy is. And then face the music in regards to Kathleen.
