Murder of Kathleen Savio; Disappearance of Stacy Peterson
Former Bolingbrook, Illinois police sergeant Drew Peterson was convicted in 2012 of murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio, whose 2004 death had initially been ruled an accidental drowning. His fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007 and has never been found; her disappearance prompted the reopening of the Savio investigation.
Drew Walter Peterson, born January 5, 1954, served roughly thirty years with the Bolingbrook, Illinois police department, retiring as a sergeant in November 2007. He married four times. His third wife, Kathleen Savio, an accountant, married Peterson in 1992; the couple had two sons and divorced in October 2003. Between 2002 and 2004, police were reportedly called to the couple's home eighteen times for domestic disturbances.
On March 1, 2004, Savio's nude body was found in a dry bathtub at her Bolingbrook home, with bruising and a large gash to her scalp. A coroner's jury — which included a police officer acquainted with Peterson — initially ruled the death an accidental drowning. Peterson sold the marital home shortly afterward without disclosing Savio's death to the buyers.
Peterson married his fourth wife, Stacy Ann Cales, in October 2003, when he was 49 and she was 19; they had begun dating when she was 17 while he was still married to Savio. Stacy disappeared on October 28, 2007, and was reported missing the next day. Peterson claimed she called him to say she was leaving him for another man and had left her car at a local airport. Investigators, using search warrants, seized firearms and vehicles from Peterson's property. Witnesses described Peterson and another man moving a large plastic container or barrel from his home around the time of the disappearance; his stepbrother, Thomas Morphey, later said he had helped carry a container and attempted suicide amid fears he had helped dispose of Stacy's body. Stacy Peterson has never been found and remains classified as missing.
Suspicion generated by Stacy's disappearance led authorities to exhume Savio's body in November 2007. A forensic examination commissioned by Savio's relatives and Fox News, conducted by former New York City medical examiner Michael Baden, concluded she had died of drowning following a struggle. Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow announced in February 2008 that a pathologist had determined Savio's death was a homicide. Peterson was indicted for Savio's murder in May 2009.
At trial, prosecutors were permitted — under a newly passed Illinois hearsay statute known as "Drew's Law" and later under the common-law doctrine of forfeiture by wrongdoing — to introduce statements Savio and Stacy had made before their deaths/disappearance, including reports that Stacy had told her pastor that Peterson admitted killing Savio. On September 6, 2012, a jury convicted Peterson of Savio's murder. He was sentenced on February 21, 2013, to 38 years in prison.
In February 2015, Peterson was charged with soliciting the murder of James Glasgow, the prosecutor in his Savio case, after a fellow inmate wearing a wire gathered evidence. He was convicted in May 2016 and sentenced in July 2016 to an additional 40 years. The Illinois Supreme Court upheld his murder conviction in September 2017. As of a 2021 court filing, Peterson was incarcerated at the Indiana State Prison under the Interstate Corrections Compact.
Kathleen Savio's body is found in a dry bathtub at her Bolingbrook home; death initially ruled accidental drowning.
2007-10-28
Stacy Peterson disappears; reported missing the following day.
2007-11-16
Savio's body is exhumed for a second forensic examination.
2008-02-21
Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow announces a pathologist has ruled Savio's death a homicide.
2009-05-07
Peterson is indicted by a Will County grand jury for Savio's murder and arrested.
2012-09-06
Peterson is found guilty of the murder of Kathleen Savio.
2013-02-21
Peterson is sentenced to 38 years in prison for Savio's murder.
2015-02-09
Peterson is charged with solicitation of murder and solicitation of murder for hire targeting prosecutor James Glasgow.
2016-05-31
Peterson is convicted on the solicitation charges.
2016-07-29
Peterson is sentenced to an additional 40 years in prison.
2017-02-21
Peterson is transferred to the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
2017-09-21
The Illinois Supreme Court upholds Peterson's murder conviction.
2019-12
Peterson is transferred from federal custody to an undisclosed out-of-state state facility.
2021-10
Peterson files a hand-written Petition for Post Conviction Relief, revealing his incarceration at Indiana State Prison.
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Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
That Chapter / 35 min
The Case of Drew Peterson
People
Stacy Peterson
VICTIM
Drew Peterson's fourth wife; disappeared in October 2007 and has never been found; case remains unsolved.
Drew Peterson
CONVICTED
Convicted in 2012 of the murder of Kathleen Savio; convicted in 2016 of solicitation of murder and solicitation of murder for hire against prosecutor James Glasgow.
Kathleen Savio
VICTIM
Drew Peterson's third wife; found dead in a bathtub in 2004, death later ruled a homicide, and Peterson was convicted of her murder.
James Glasgow
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Will County State's Attorney who prosecuted Peterson for Savio's murder and was later the target of Peterson's solicitation-of-murder plot.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Former Bolingbrook, Illinois police sergeant Drew Peterson was convicted in 2012 of murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio, whose 2004 death had initially been ruled an accidental drowning. His fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007 and has never been found; her disappearance prompted the reopening of the Savio investigation.
Where did the murder happen?
Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Who was convicted?
Drew Peterson (Convicted in 2012 of the murder of Kathleen Savio; convicted in 2016 of solicitation of murder and solicitation of murder for hire against prosecutor James Glasgow.).
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