Case File: Drew Peterson

Born in 1954 in Bolingbrook, Ill.—a suburb of Chicago—Peterson enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating high school, and in 1974 he married his high school sweetheart. The couple had two sons, Stephen and Eric, but divorced after six years because of his infidelity.

In 1977, Peterson began a 30-year career with the Bolingbrook Police Department, where he was once honored as Officer of the Year. By 1982, Peterson had married his second wife, Vicki Connolly, who had a daughter from a previous marriage.

Connolly allegedly endured more than nine years of abusive and controlling behavior from Peterson, as did her daughter. Connolly claimed that her husband threatened her with a gun and pushed her up against a wall with his hand around her throat. “He told me he would kill me and make it look like an accident,” she later testified.

During this time, Peterson was also reportedly under investigation by the Bolingbrook Police Department for allegations of accepting bribes and other misconduct. He was temporarily relieved of duty, then rehired.

When she discovered that Peterson was having an affair with a local accountant named Kathleen Savio, Connolly divorced him. Peterson married Savio in 1992, just a few months after his divorce from Connolly was finalized. Peterson and Savio eventually had two sons together, but their marriage was rocky from the start.

Police were called to their house numerous times for domestic disturbance, and in 2002, Savio requested an order of protection against Peterson because of domestic abuse. Savio stated in the order of protection that she feared her husband “wants me dead" and thought he would “burn the house down just to shut me up.” At one point, Savio reportedly told the Bolingbrook police chief, "If anything happens to me, it’s because Drew’s killed me."

Finally, in 2003, the couple’s tumultuous marriage ended in divorce, though Peterson retained visitation rights with their sons. Later that year, Peterson married his fourth wife, Stacy Cales, a 19-year-old hotel clerk who was 30 years younger than him. By 2005, the couple had two children and lived less than one mile from the house Peterson had previously shared with Savio.

But in March 2004—as Peterson and Savio’s divorce settlement was being finalized—Savio’s body was found in her bathtub. Her hair was wet even though the tub was dry, and Savio had a deep, one-inch cut on her head. Her death was ruled an accidental drowning by a coroner’s jury that included a police colleague of Peterson’s; he claimed that Peterson was a good husband who would never do anything to hurt his ex-wife.

Stacy also provided her husband with an alibi, stating that he was with her at the time of Savio’s death. Then, in October 2007, Stacy was reported missing by her sister. Peterson told investigators that Stacy had left him for another man, but Stacy’s family said she would never willingly abandon her two children.

Stacy’s disappearance alarmed local authorities who were familiar with Peterson’s history. Illinois State's Attorney James Glasgow reopened the investigation into the death of Savio in 2007, saying that "there are some unusual circumstances in the 2004 case.”

In November 2007, Savio’s body was exhumed and a forensic examination was performed by a former New York City medical examiner. He determined—based on extensive bruising, scraping and other wounds—that Savio died from drowning after a prolonged physical struggle. Glasgow therefore announced that the death was a homicide “staged to look like an accident.” 

Peterson appeared to relish the media attention that was now focused on him, saying in 2008 on a television show that “Stacy Peterson would ask me for a divorce … on a regular basis, and it was based on her menstrual cycle.”

In May 2009, Peterson was arrested for Savio’s murder and bail was set at $20 million. Because much of the evidence against Peterson was based on hearsay statements made by people who were missing or dead, the Illinois legislature passed “Drew’s Law” allowing prosecutors to enter hearsay statements into evidence under certain conditions.

During Peterson’s murder trial in 2012, witness Jeff Pachter testified that Peterson had offered him $25,000 to hire someone to kill Savio, adding that Peterson hoped the crime would be a secret he would take to his grave. In September 2012, Peterson was found guilty of the premeditated murder of Savio; the following year, he was sentenced to 38 years in prison.

Peterson’s murder conviction and lengthy sentence didn’t deter him from engaging in criminal activity. In 2014, a fellow inmate at Menard Correctional Center in Chester, Ill., tipped off authorities that Peterson was trying to hire someone to kill lead prosecutor James Glasgow.

Wearing a wire, the inmate recorded Peterson asking, “So how long before you think your uncle can take care of business?” When the inmate said the hit would be done by Christmas, Peterson replied, “It’d be a nice Christmas present.” As a result, Peterson was sentenced to an additional 40 years for solicitation of murder for hire.

Peterson is currently serving his sentence at an undisclosed location. His son, Stephen, believes Peterson is likely responsible for Stacy’s disappearance and probable murder. “I don’t want to come out and say he did it,” he told the Chicago Tribune in 2017, “but, I’m sure he did it.”

Peterson stayed in the spotlight, appearing on numerous television and radio programs including the Today show, Larry King Live and local radio programs. These appearances helped give his case national interest. At one point, his trial judge was forced to limit his access to the media.

The case also highlighted the difficulties women often have when reporting instances of domestic violence. According to Chicago magazine, “Kathy [Savio] sought the protection she thought she needed, including … reaching out to the Bolingbrook police and the Will County state’s attorney’s office. Little was done on her behalf.”

Stacy Peterson remains a missing person. In May 2022, defense attorney Joel Brodsky claimed to have information about her disappearance that is protected by attorney-client privilege. He is, however, under a gag order that prevents him from discussing those details: “I know everything about both of his wives—everything. I feel bad about Drew still not taking responsibility and Stacy still being missing. I'm thinking about maybe revealing what happened to Stacy and where she is.”