Stacy Ann Peterson was born on January 20, 1984. She worked as a hotel receptionist. She wanted to be a nurse. She was a student in the nursing program at Joliet Junior College in Illinois.
In 2003, 19-year-old Stacy Ann Cales married 49-year-old Drew Peterson. Stacy legally adopted the children from Drew's previous marriage and treated them like they were her own. They also went on to have two of their own children, Anthony and Lacy.
In the early hours of Monday, October 29th, 2007, Stacy's sister, Cassandra Cales, drove to the police station at 12:30 a.m. and filed a missing person's report for Stacy.
Drew was a Sargent at the Bolingbrook Police Department. A 30 year veteran, he spent time as a undercover narcotics officer. He was married four times.
Drew's first wife was named Carol Brown. They met in high school in Villa Park and together attended his senior prom. They married in 1974, but divorced in 1980, after Brown learned about Drew's infidelity. Together they had sons Stephen Paul Peterson and Eric Drew Peterson.
Drew's second wife was named Victoria "Vicki" Connolly. They married in 1982. They operated a bar together in Romeoville. Vickie alleged a history of domestic violence during her ten-year marriage to Drew, as has her daughter, who lived in the household until she turned 17.
Drew's second wife was named Victoria "Vicki" Connolly. They married in 1982. They operated a bar together in Romeoville. Vickie alleged a history of domestic violence during her ten-year marriage to Drew, as has her daughter, who lived in the household until she turned 17.
During their marriage, Drew allegedly threatened to kill Vicki and make it look like an accident. She divorced Drew after he started dating Kathleen Savio. Their divorce was finalized on February 18, 1992. Drew married Kathleen two months later.
Drew's eldest son, Stephen, was 11 years old when Drew and Kathleen got married. He claims that Drew was a great dad, but he did say that Drew and Kathleen would fight a lot. There was one fight in particular that Stephen remembered. It was in the middle of the night and Stephen was awakened by screaming and the sound of furniture being broken. He said that when he and his siblings went down stairs later, that it looked like a train had been through the house.
Kathleen's sister, Susan Doman, was very close to Kathleen. Susan didn't like Drew from the very beginning. She said that Kathleen would tell her about her and Drew fighting all the time. Kathleen would always have bruises on her.
Kathleen also documented all the incidents that happened between her and Drew. In the wake of some of their fights, the police were called and Kathleen had kept her copy of the police reports. One report in particular stated that she was hit by her husband, yet, he was never arrested. Sometimes Kathleen had to go to the hospital the fights got so bad.
At one point, Kathleen wrote a letter to the state attorney depicting the abuse that Drew enforced on her. She even wrote that her kids had to be in counseling after witnessing all the abuse and that Drew was a police officer. Sadly for Kathleen, after writing the letter, no help came.
In 2001, while still married to Kathleen, 47-year-old Drew began dating 17-year-old Stacy.
Kathleen and Drew's marriage ended on October 10th, 2003 and Kathleen received temporary custody of Thomas and Kristopher and possession of their home. Drew married Stacy later that same month.
Susan said that Kathleen told her about a bizarre incident that happened when Drew snuck into his own house, dressed in black. He then put a knife to Kathleen's throat and told her, "I can kill you now."
The last time Kathleen's sister, Susan, heard from Kathleen, Kathleen sounded depressed and told Susan, "Drew is going to kill me, and he is going to make it look like an accident. Please take care of my children."
Susan said that Kathleen told her about a bizarre incident that happened when Drew snuck into his own house, dressed in black. He then put a knife to Kathleen's throat and told her, "I can kill you now."
The last time Kathleen's sister, Susan, heard from Kathleen, Kathleen sounded depressed and told Susan, "Drew is going to kill me, and he is going to make it look like an accident. Please take care of my children."
When Susan found out that her sister was dead, the first thing that she thought was that Drew killed her. Susan called the police right away and told them that Drew killed Kathleen. The police did nothing but accuse Susan of having a grudge against Drew.
That night, Kathleen's death was ruled an accidental drowning.
Fast forward to October 28th, 2007. Stacy was supposed to help Cassandra's friend, Bruce, paint his apartment, but never showed up. Bruce had talked to Stacy on the phone at 10:15 a.m. and that was the last time anyone outside Stacy's house talk to her.
Cassandra tried to call Stacy at 2 p.m, but Stacy's phone was off, which Cassandra found weird. She made another call to Stacy's phone around 4 p.m. but this time it kept ringing. Cassandra kept calling her sister's phone and by 7 p.m. she was in a total panic. Finally by 12:30 a.m. on October 29th, she went to the police station to report Stacy missing. Cassandra told the police that she hadn't spoke to Stacy since the previous morning. The police told Cassandra to drive to Stacy's house and see if her sister's car was there.
When Cassandra pulled up to Stacy's house, both Stacy's car and Drew's was there. Cassandra didn't know what to do, so she called Drew. When he answered the phone he asked her, "Where's your sister?"
Cassandra replied, "That's why i am calling you."
Drew began telling Cassandra that Stacy left him for another man. It was very out of character for Stacy to leave and not tell anyone and she never did anything like this before.
At 4:30 a.m., Cassandra called the state police. She didn't feel right about leaving her sister's case with the local police since Drew had once been a Sargent there. After the state police got involved, the FBI soon joined.
Drew told investigators that on October 28th, Stacy left at 10:30 a.m. to help her grandpa and Drew stayed home with the kids. At 2 p.m., Drew called in sick to work. He said that he had to use up his sick time so it wouldn't be taken away. Then Drew claimed that Stacy called him at 9 p.m. to tell him that she was running away. Drew said that at 11:45 p.m., he walked to the local private airport and found Stacy's car. He said that he then drove the car back home and went to sleep.
At 9 a.m., on the October 29th, police interviewed Stacy's family and friends and other people that knew Stacy.
Stacy's aunt, Candace, was very close to and would often spend time with the Peterson family. She doesn't believe that Stacy would ever run away and leave her children with anyone, not even Drew. She said that Stacy would have never put her kids through that, because she knew how it felt to lose a mother.
Candace also said that she visited Stacy from October 6th through October 11th of 2007 and Stacy had told her aunt that she and Drew were planning a divorce. She said that her niece seemed terrified. Drew and Stacy had a big fight and when Stacy and Candace left to go to the store, Stacy told Candace about the divorce. She said that she didn't want to be married to Drew anymore and waned to take all four kids with her. Stacy had already been packing up Drew's clothes.
At the time of her disappearance, Stacy and Drew were going through marriage counseling at their church at the request of Stacy. She was worried about Drew's jealousy. In their last session, the pastor and counselor, Neil Schori, went to their house. A sobbing Stacy told Neil about what happened after a trip to see her sister that was dying of cancer. She said that when she returned home, Drew held her against the wall and stripped off her clothes and smelled her to see if she had been with another man. As Stacy told her story to Neil, Drew just stared coldly through her.
At the time of her disappearance, Stacy and Drew were going through marriage counseling at their church at the request of Stacy. She was worried about Drew's jealousy. In their last session, the pastor and counselor, Neil Schori, went to their house. A sobbing Stacy told Neil about what happened after a trip to see her sister that was dying of cancer. She said that when she returned home, Drew held her against the wall and stripped off her clothes and smelled her to see if she had been with another man. As Stacy told her story to Neil, Drew just stared coldly through her.
Sharon Bychowski was Stacy's friend and next door neighbor. She claimed that Stacy told her that Drew threw her into their TV. Sharon also said that Stacy had told her that she wanted to leave Drew. In September of 2007, Stacy had been accused by Drew at her sister Tracy's funeral of sleeping with Tracy's husband. The next day she went over to Sharon's house. She was hysterical and told Sharon that she just couldn't stay married to Drew anymore.
Sharon also told police that a week before Stacy went missing, Stacy told her that Drew was going to kill her.. that she was already dead. So when on October 29th, the day that Stacy was reported missing, at 8:30 a.m. when she answered the door to find Drew telling her that Stacy left him, she felt in her heart that he was lying.
Harry Smith was Kathleen's divorce attorney. He said that Stacy had called him two days before she disappeared and asked him to help her leave Drew and she wanted to take the kids with her. She also wanted to know if she could get more money in the divorce if she told the police how he killed Kathleen. He said that he then heard Stacy being yelled at by Drew.
Neil also claimed that Stacy told him that Drew had killed Kathleen and made it look like an accident. She told Neil that she had woken up in the middle of the night and Drew wasn't there. She said that he returned hours later and she met him in their laundry room. Stacy said that he was wearing all black and carrying a duffel bag. When she asked Drew where he was, he replied, "You know where i was."
Stacy then told Neil how Drew emptied the clothes from the duffel bag into the washer and left the room. She said that when she peered into the machine, it was woman's clothes, but not hers.
Stacy said that she sat down with Drew and he told her every sorted detail. He said that he tried to make it look like she drowned in the bathtub, but he actually hit her on the back of the head with his police nightstick. After he was done telling Stacy his story, Drew then coached Stacy for hours on what to say to police.
Neil then said he asked Stacy why she didn't tell anybody. Stacy replied with, "When you are married to the police, the police aren't going to help you."
Neil said that he would have went to the police, but that might have hastened Stacy's demise, so he said nothing until after Stacy went missing.
On October 29th, at 12 p.m., investigators attempted to search Stacy's house. They took out the tub and flooring, but found nothing. But Drew wouldn't let them inspect Stacy's car.
Family and friend's of Stacy organized a search and the community pitched in attempts to find out what happened to Stacy. At the same time, police searched nearby canals. Cadaver dogs hit on a spot of the canal. A family friend and one of the lead searchers for Stacy, Roy Taylor, brought in sonar equipment and found what it looks like a woman's body lying on the bottom of the canal. Roy said the image was forwarded to law enforcement officials, who threw it out. Roy said that he had tracked the image for four days and on the fifth day it disappeared. Authorities never dragged that part of the canal.
Roy and his crew found many blue barrels in the canal as well as a crushed up one. And 18 months later, a barge clean up crew found a pelvis, part of a spine, and a scapula. On the body there were petite Victoria Secret panties, which were the same size that Stacy wore. This prompted Roy and volunteers to search that area and they found a tibia, a humerus. They sent the tibia to a forensic pathologist who said that he believes that the bone came from a female. After getting the results, Roy gave it to the Illinois State Police, who eventually told them that it came from a man, not a woman. They also told Roy that the panties were found near the body, not on it and that they have DNA evidence of who the bone belongs to.
At 11 p.m., Drew's stepbrother, Thomas Morphey, was admitted to the hospital for a suicide attempt. Thomas was able to talk to investigators. He told them that he had helped Drew carry a blue barrel out of Stacy's home the day before. He said that the container was warm to the touch and that he thinks he helped dispose of Stacy's body.
Thomas also had told investigators that Drew wanted him to kill someone and Thomas had told him that he couldn't do that. Drew had then asked him if he could live with knowing that he had killed someone.
GPS of Drew and Thomas' cellphones cooberated Thomas' story and showed that Drew lied about where he was the day that Stacy vanished.
At this point, detectives decided to take another look at Kathleen's death. James Glasgow, the lead prosecutor on Drew's case, wondered how Kathleen could have slipped and fallen and injured herself so badly that she drowned in the kind of tub she was found in.
Drew took a polygraph in regards to the death of Kathleen and the disappeared of Stacy. Drew's attorney Joel Brodsky decided which topics could be addressed during the examination and which could not be discussed.
"The key one would be did he hire someone or know of someone being hired to harm either Kathleen Savio or Stacy Peterson," said Derek Armstrong, the person who administered the test. "I wasn't allowed to ask that question."
Sharon also told police that a week before Stacy went missing, Stacy told her that Drew was going to kill her.. that she was already dead. So when on October 29th, the day that Stacy was reported missing, at 8:30 a.m. when she answered the door to find Drew telling her that Stacy left him, she felt in her heart that he was lying.
Harry Smith was Kathleen's divorce attorney. He said that Stacy had called him two days before she disappeared and asked him to help her leave Drew and she wanted to take the kids with her. She also wanted to know if she could get more money in the divorce if she told the police how he killed Kathleen. He said that he then heard Stacy being yelled at by Drew.
Neil also claimed that Stacy told him that Drew had killed Kathleen and made it look like an accident. She told Neil that she had woken up in the middle of the night and Drew wasn't there. She said that he returned hours later and she met him in their laundry room. Stacy said that he was wearing all black and carrying a duffel bag. When she asked Drew where he was, he replied, "You know where i was."
Stacy then told Neil how Drew emptied the clothes from the duffel bag into the washer and left the room. She said that when she peered into the machine, it was woman's clothes, but not hers.
Stacy said that she sat down with Drew and he told her every sorted detail. He said that he tried to make it look like she drowned in the bathtub, but he actually hit her on the back of the head with his police nightstick. After he was done telling Stacy his story, Drew then coached Stacy for hours on what to say to police.
Neil then said he asked Stacy why she didn't tell anybody. Stacy replied with, "When you are married to the police, the police aren't going to help you."
Neil said that he would have went to the police, but that might have hastened Stacy's demise, so he said nothing until after Stacy went missing.
On October 29th, at 12 p.m., investigators attempted to search Stacy's house. They took out the tub and flooring, but found nothing. But Drew wouldn't let them inspect Stacy's car.
Family and friend's of Stacy organized a search and the community pitched in attempts to find out what happened to Stacy. At the same time, police searched nearby canals. Cadaver dogs hit on a spot of the canal. A family friend and one of the lead searchers for Stacy, Roy Taylor, brought in sonar equipment and found what it looks like a woman's body lying on the bottom of the canal. Roy said the image was forwarded to law enforcement officials, who threw it out. Roy said that he had tracked the image for four days and on the fifth day it disappeared. Authorities never dragged that part of the canal.
Roy and his crew found many blue barrels in the canal as well as a crushed up one. And 18 months later, a barge clean up crew found a pelvis, part of a spine, and a scapula. On the body there were petite Victoria Secret panties, which were the same size that Stacy wore. This prompted Roy and volunteers to search that area and they found a tibia, a humerus. They sent the tibia to a forensic pathologist who said that he believes that the bone came from a female. After getting the results, Roy gave it to the Illinois State Police, who eventually told them that it came from a man, not a woman. They also told Roy that the panties were found near the body, not on it and that they have DNA evidence of who the bone belongs to.
At 11 p.m., Drew's stepbrother, Thomas Morphey, was admitted to the hospital for a suicide attempt. Thomas was able to talk to investigators. He told them that he had helped Drew carry a blue barrel out of Stacy's home the day before. He said that the container was warm to the touch and that he thinks he helped dispose of Stacy's body.
Thomas also had told investigators that Drew wanted him to kill someone and Thomas had told him that he couldn't do that. Drew had then asked him if he could live with knowing that he had killed someone.
GPS of Drew and Thomas' cellphones cooberated Thomas' story and showed that Drew lied about where he was the day that Stacy vanished.
At this point, detectives decided to take another look at Kathleen's death. James Glasgow, the lead prosecutor on Drew's case, wondered how Kathleen could have slipped and fallen and injured herself so badly that she drowned in the kind of tub she was found in.
The tub she was found in the fetal position in was 40 inches long and 20 inches wide. Her body took up the entire bottom of the tub and she was wedged in it with her feet pressing against the side.
Glasgow sat down with the forensic pathologist and the coroner and he agreed with Glasgow that Kathleen's death didn't look like an accidental drowning.
"The key one would be did he hire someone or know of someone being hired to harm either Kathleen Savio or Stacy Peterson," said Derek Armstrong, the person who administered the test. "I wasn't allowed to ask that question."
When asked if he knew where his wife was, he answered “no,” and when asked if Stacy called him the night of her disappearance to tell him she was leaving him, he answered “yes.”
Drew failed the test on all three of those answers.
In November of 2007, authorities got permission from Kathleen's family to exhume her body. There was no deep bruising to her back or tailbone and there was no impact site in the the crime scene photos. There was also nothing knocked over around in the tub in the crime scene photos. There was deep bruising to Kathleen's chest as well as one on her left hip, which was consistent with a struggle. None of this evidence fit with the narrative that Kathleen slipped, fell backwards, hit the back of her head and drowned. Also, the laceration on her head was deemed that it could have came from a nightstick. Kathleen's death was changed from an accidental drowning to a homicide.
Drew was arrested for Kathleen's murder. His son, Stephen, hid all of Drew's gun's before the investigators searched his home. Stephen later admitted to doing this and lost his job as a policeman.
And on July 21st, 2012, his trial began. He plead not guilty, but was ultimately convicted of first degree murder sentenced to 38 years.
Drew's attorney knows what happened to Stacy, but can't say exactly what happened because of attorney client privilege. But he does say that after Drew passes away, he believes Stacy will be found.
After Drew was arrested, his oldest son, Stephen took care of the rest of the children. Stephen now believes that his father killed Kathleen and Stacy.
In 2016, Drew tried to have someone kill Glasgow for $10,000. Drew was charged and sentenced to 40 years.
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