Drew Peterson, a retired American police sergeant, gained notoriety for his involvement in the disappearance of his fourth wife and the murder of his third wife. With over 30 years of service in the Bolingbrook, Illinois police department, Peterson’s career was marked by both commendations and controversy. Despite an ordinary upbringing and military experience as a police officer, he was fired for bribery before being reinstated. Known for his abusive behavior towards his wives, Peterson’s third wife was tragically killed shortly after their divorce. His fourth wife, who was aware of his past, intended to leave him before mysteriously vanishing. Peterson, now imprisoned for murder, vehemently denies all accusations against him. His story has captivated audiences through numerous documentaries.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Drew Walter Peterson
- Age: 69 Years, 69 Year Old Males
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Stacy Ann Cales (m. 2003), Carol Brown (m. 1974 – div. 1980), Kathleen Savio (m. 1992 – div. 2003), Vicki Connolly (m. 1982 – div. 1992)
- Father: Donald Peterson
- Mother: Betty Morphey
- Siblings: Thomas Morphey
- Children: Anthony Peterson, Christopher Peterson, Lacy Peterson, Thomas Peterson
- Born Country: United States
- Education: Willowbrook High School, College of Dupage
- Murderers
- American Men
Childhood & Early Life
Drew Peterson was born on January 5, 1954, in Bolingbrook, Illinois, USA, to Donald Peterson and Betty Peterson. He has a stepbrother, Thomas. In 1972, he graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois. In 1974, he briefly attended ‘College of DuPage’. Thereafter, he moved to Virginia and joined the ‘U.S. Army’ to train as a military police officer.
Career
In 1977, Drew Peterson joined the Bolingbrook Police Department as a military police officer. In 1978, he was ordered to join the ‘Metropolitan Area Narcotics Squad’. In 1985, when he was accused of bribery, disobedience and misconduct, he had already been working as an undercover narcotics agent for several years. He was found guilty and fired, but rehired after he appealed his case.
On March 1, 2004, his third wife, Kathleen Savio, was found dead in a bathtub with a large wound on her scalp and bruises on her body. On October 28, 2007, his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, mysteriously disappeared. He stated that she called him at 9pm to inform him that she was leaving him for another man. Her sister alerted the police when Stacy failed to show up at her house as previously agreed upon. In November 2007, in light of his fourth wife’s disappearance, his third wife’s body was re-examined and the case reopened. In the weeks following his fourth wife’s disappearance, he was accused of abusive and controlling behaviour by his second wife. Family and friends claimed that his fourth wife was afraid of him, feared for her life and wanted to leave him. Her pastor also testified that she knew about his third wife’s murder. His friend, Rick Mims, told police that he had assisted him in buying three large plastic containers. His stepbrother feared that he may have accidentally helped dispose Stacy’s body when he helped Peterson haul a plastic container from his home to his SUV. But, Peterson continued to deny all allegations. In December 2007, Drew Peterson retired as a police sergeant in the wake of his fourth wife’s disappearance.
Convictions and Sentences
In February 2008, his third wife’s death was declared a homicide case. On May 7, 2009, he was convicted for the murder of his third wife. In September, 2012, he was handed a 60-year prison sentence. In February 2013, his prison sentence was reduced to 38 years. In May, 2016, he was handed a 40-year prison sentence for arranging a hit on the lead prosecutor of his murder trial, James Glasgow. In February 2017, he was sent to Indiana’s ‘United States Penitentiary’ to serve his sentence. In September 2019, despite rejected previous attempts, he once again tried to get his sentence overturned sighting the incompetence of his lawyer.
Depiction In Media
In December 2007, he was the subject of an episode of an OWN channel show, Dr. Phil, titled A Killer Among Us. In January 2012, a TV movie, Drew Peterson: Untouchable, aired on the Lifetime channel. In August 2017, he was the subject of a documentary on Investigation Discovery titled Drew Peterson: An American Murder Mystery.
Family & Personal Life
In 1974, Drew Peterson married his high school girlfriend, Carol Brown. In 1980, his son, Stephen Paul, was born and his wife divorced him after she learned of his infidelity. He had one more son with Carol, Eric Drew. In 1982, he married Vicki Connolly. They seemed to have a happy marriage, where they opened a bar in Romeoville, Illinois. But Connolly later revealed that he was unfaithful and mistrusting, even bugging his own home to keep track of her. Connolly accused him of domestic violence, including threats to kill her and making it look like an accident. In February 1992, they divorced each other. By May that year, he had already married Kathleen Savio, an accountant. In January 1993, his first son with Kathleen, Thomas, was born. In August 1994, his second son with Kathleen, Kristopher, was born. In 2002, claiming physical abuse, she filed a restraining order against him. He was cheating on Kathleen during their marriage by having an affair with Stacy Ann Cales, a 19-year-old hotel receptionist. In October 10, 2003, Kathleen divorced him. On October 18, 2003, he married Stacy. Before the end of the year, their son, Anthony, was born. In 2005, his and Stacy’s daughter, Lacy, was born. In October 2007, Stacy went missing. By December 2008, he was in a relationship with Christina Raines. In January 2009, she broke up with him after her father forced her to do so.
Trivia
During his marriage to his second wife, the police reportedly came to their house 18 times in a span of 2 years for domestic violence complaints.