He insisted that Stacy Peterson was still alive even as he faced trial for killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2004. Adrian Peterson married his wife, Ashley Brown, on July 19, 2014. Kathleens company, Nortel, had a mass-firing, and the couple worried she might also lose her job, leaving the pair without a source of income to maintain their lifestyle. Carol Brown was Drew Peterson's high school sweetheart, according to Investigation Discovery. In 2012, Drew Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the 2004 slaying of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, whose death was re-examined after Peterson's next wife, Stacy, disappeared in 2007. ", Stephen Peterson, the son of convicted murderer Drew Peterson, said he's spent the better part of a decade cleaning up his dad's "mess." Following the recovery of almost 40 marijuana plants in his home near upscale Burr Ridge by the authorities, Eric was arrested on felony drug charges in April 2021. The Untold Truth Of The Drew Peterson Case. During the trial, evidence suggested she was hit with a fire poker after a heated argument about Michael Petersons closeted sexuality. Then, she stumbled indoors and, disoriented, fell down the stairs and was knocked unconscious, unable to call for help. Peterson is serving a 78-year sentence for the murder of Savio and for then trying to hire a hitman to kill the prosecutor who sent him to prison. Wife #2, Vicki Connelly, was married to Peterson from 1982 to 1992. Stacy's disappearance led to authorities exhuming the body of Savio for a new autopsy. And some believe that Kathleen Peterson died of simple, malicious negligence that Michael chose not to help Kathleen after an accidental fall. Hockey equipment fills corners in various rooms, and framed photos of the smiling children hang on the walls. Drew Peterson's son said he believes his dad killed two of his former wives, Kathleen Savio and Stacy Peterson. But despite a 10-part Netflix documentary about Kathleen Petersons death and now an HBO miniseries called The Staircase, starring Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Collette as Kathleen, the circumstances surrounding her fall remain a mystery. NetflixKathleen Peterson and Michael Peterson in an undated photograph. Illinois State Police long ago named Drew Peterson a suspect in Stacy's disappearance, which remains an active investigation. The theory, left out of the 2018 Netflix documentary The Staircase, posits that the lacerations found on Kathleen Petersons scalp were caused by the talons of an owl that attacked her outside. Stacy's sister, Cassandra Cales, says she first heard about the show from friends. Peterson is 63. In an interview on Lifetime cable network show "Monster In My Family," Stephen Peterson said he initially believed his father's claims his third wife drowned accidentally and that Stacy left him for another man, but that he eventually grew to believe his dad killed Savio. Last summer marked the end of Drew Peterson's pension payments, which Stephen said he had used to support the family after he lost his job in 2011. Know more in just minutes with our free newsletters. Soon, the investigation looked inward at Michael as more of their personal life came out. (AP Photo/M. She thinks he's looking for sympathy. Together, Adrian and Ashley share two children: Adrian Jr. and Axel Eugene. His marriage ended, and he moved into the Bolingbrook home Drew and Stacy once shared. His marriage soon ended, and Stephen moved into his fathers home. March 2, 2011 / 2:24 PM / CBS News. On the show, Stephen Peterson recalled often hearing his father and Savio arguing in the middle of the night while he and his brother were in bed. The marriage ended in 1980 when Brown found out Peterson was having an affair. ", Melissa Moore, daughter of the Happy Face Killer, meets for the first time with Stephen, the son of Drew Peterson, in this scene from "Drew Peterson. A forensic analysis showed that she had been lying there alive for hours before Michael called 911 around 2:40 a.m. Before that, his father's legal team told Stephen that Drew's murder conviction could possibly be overturned on appeal. In the Nov. 19, 2021 Dateline special titled "Infamous," journalist Natalie Morales speaks with Peterson in jail, as well as to Cales's sister. The house now feels more like home, he said. So, who were all of the women who were married to this dangerous man? CHICAGO (CBS) -- The son of convicted killer and former Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson has revealed he believes his father "probably" killed his third wife, Kathleen Savio, and his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. Kathleen Peterson and Michael Peterson in an undated photograph. Drew Peterson remains in jail as he waits to be tried on charges he murdered his previous wife, Kathleen Savio, who was found drowned in a dry bathtub in March 2004. Stacy Peterson's sister Cassandra Cales did not appear on the show but told the Tribune that Stephen Peterson has refused to let her see Stacy's children. The day after Stephen Peterson learned that source of support would be cut off, he said he got a call from producers of the Lifetime show, "Monster in my Family.". At the time of Savio's death, Peterson had already remarried. Peterson said he initially believed his father's claims that Savio died from an accidental drowning and that Stacy ran off with a boyfriend. He also adds that his father still insists that hes innocent. Stacy was a devoted wife and even supported her husband when he was being investigated for Savio's death in 2004 (Although sources later claimed she did out of fear). Adrian was listed as a five-star recruit and ranked the best running back and overall prospect in the Class of 2004 by Rivals.com. But when Petersons fourth wife, Stacy Ann Cales, went missing in 2007, investigators revisited Savio's case. "I'm not my father, and if I screw up, I own what I do. 1994), Stacy Ann Cales (2003) son Anthony (b. Stephen W. Peterson. He also said he told his father that he was going to appear on the show because he needed the money. Jessica O'Connor is a public historian focusing on Deep South Black History with degrees from Winston-Salem State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Kathleen Savio married Drew Peterson right after he divorced Connolly in 1992. Drew Petersons situation keeps getting worse: Last year, he was convicted of hiring a hit man in an attempt to kill the prosecutor in his murder case. For nearly a decade, former police officer Drew Peterson has steadfastly maintained his innocence in the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy. Meet his other three ex-wives. 3, for which he's been sentenced to 38 years in prison. Eventually he and the kids started to redecorate and paint, he said. Though he has declined interviews in the past, Peterson said he needed the $10,000 he received for doing the show, which also featured interviews with relatives of Savio and Stacy Peterson. Where Is Alex Murdaugh's Dog, Bubba, Who Helped Place the Disgraced Attorney at Murder Scene? John Smierciak/Chicago Tribune/MCT via Getty, Alex Murdaugh Receives Love Letters in Prison: 'I Think About You All Day, Every Day', Aiden Fucci Gets Life in Prison for Stabbing 13-Year-Old Cheerleader Tristyn Bailey 114 Times, Alex Murdaugh Faces August Trial in Mallory Beach Wrongful Death Suit, Accused of Enabling Underage Drinking, Paul Flores Sentenced to 25 Years to Life for 1996 Disappearance and Death of Kristin Smart, Alex Murdaugh's Brother Says Convicted Murderer 'Knows More Than What He's Saying' About Killings. Toxicology showed a blood alcohol content of 0.07 percent, just under the legal limit, and blood concentration of Valium consistent with a therapeutic dose. (Read more Drew Peterson stories.). They married in 1974 and had two sons during their marriage: Stephen Paul Peterson and Eric Drew Peterson. Peterson was convicted of murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2003, with his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, missing since 2007. The judge resentenced him to 86 months, and Michael Peterson was released with time served. 5 Years Later, a Trial, Texas Governor Slammed for Tweets After Mass Shooting, Killer Confesses to Old Murder. Stephen Peterson has been raising his father's four children in his father's home while Drew Peterson has been serving a 38-year prison sentence for the 2004 murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Carol Brown, Peterson's first wife, was his high school sweetheart and prom date. The case remains open to this day. In 2010, Connolly testified at Peterson's trial for the death of Savio, according to ABC 7. Stephen says that at first he believed his dad's stories that Savio drowned accidentally and that Stacy left him for another maneven though, Stephen says, the day after Stacy went missing his father brought over his guns and more than $200,000 in checks for safekeeping. Stephen W. Peterson of Lake Stevens, WA, passed away unexpectedly on November 1, 2008. . As a freshman, Adrian was named an All-American and finished as a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. Cales say the Stephen Peterson son doesn't allow her to see Stacy's children, whom he's now raising in his father's old house. It was revealed during the trial that Kathleen was the only owner of their mansion and car and that Michael may have been enticed by her $1.8 million life insurance policy. He told police she may have fallen after mixing alcohol and Valium but was unsure because he was outside when she fell. There was also a massive stab on her scalp. Thus, when she went missing, Drew became their sole guardian. He has not worked since. In 2003, 19-year-old nursing student Stacy Cales married 49-year-old Peterson. Pick up PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: Cases That Shocked America, on sale now, for the latest on Casey Anthony, JonBent Ramsey and more. "I want to tell you to tell him something for me. Stacy Peterson disappeared on October 28, 2007. According to an NBC report, to provide them with a sense of stability, he kept raising them in his convicted fathers home in Bolingbrook, Illinois. It has been theorized that a Barred Owl attacked Kathleen. He joined Prio Wealth in 2013, and is a Managing Partner of the firm. Carol Brown, Peterson's first wife, was his high school sweetheart and prom date. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Petersons son, Stephen, said that his father probably killed both wives. Her death was ruled an accident two months later. According to NBC Chicago, Thomas was the valedictorian of his class at Bolingbrook High and, in 2012, was a neuroscience major at UPenn. Kathleen Hunt was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, on February 21, 1953. In 2012, Peterson was found guilty of murdering Savio and was sentenced to 38 years in prison. On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson found his wife, Kathleen Peterson, dead at the bottom of the back staircase in the 11,000-square-foot mansion that they shared with their children in Durham, North Carolina. They got married a few months after graduating in 1974. Steve is survived by his wife, Cathy; son and daughter-in-law, Matthew and Nicole . Read more in our, Former Bolingbrook, Ill., police officer Drew Peterson in 2008, when he was found guilty of trying to hire someone to kill the prosecutor who helped convict him in his third wife's death. He did not take into consideration anybody except himself.". 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The younger Peterson said that he had been supporting his family with his fathers pension. And one intriguing theory involving an owl suggests that it may not have been a murder at all. / CBS Chicago. Stephen Peterson also said Stacy acted scared after Savio's death: "You kind of look back and think, maybe she did know something, or maybe something did happen, but at the time we never thought twice about it.". He said he's no longer mad at his dad and is solely focused on raising his siblings, who he thinks of as his own children. He was convicted on September 6, 2012, per CNN. Others theorize that one of Michael Petersons sons may have killed her out of jealousy or that a tree branch may have been the actual murder weapon. "His conscience is finally catching up to him," she tells CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez. In February 2008, her death was ruled a homicide. With Kathleen Savio, who Drew tied the knot with in the summer of 1992, he had two more sons, Thomas Peterson (born 1993) and Kristopher Peterson (born 1994), making them around 10-years-old when their mother was found dead in March 2004. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Stephen Peterson has been raising his father's four children in his father's home while Drew Peterson has been serving a 38-year prison sentence for the 2004 murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Adrian Peterson married his wife, Ashley Brown, on July 19, 2014. . She continued: "He told me he would kill me and make it look like an accident.". Drew Peterson, a retired police sergeant, was arrested for the 2004 murder of his third wife Kathleen Savio and became a suspect in the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife Stacy (nee Cales) Peterson, who has never been found. 1980) and Eric, Kathleen Savio (1992-2003) sons Thomas (b. I dont want to come out and say he did itbut, Im sure he did it. He does not like to bash his father publicly, but it happens because Stephen continues to clean his mess. February 2, 2017 / 9:09 AM He later got an additional 40 years tacked on for plotting to have his prosecutor murdered. Carol Brown was Drew Peterson's high school sweetheart, according to Investigation Discovery. All Rights Reserved. Mike Kekich, ex-Yankee, sweats wife-swap film. The day after the payments were cut off, he was offered $10,000 to appear on the Lifetime show money he said he desperately needed. As for Anthony and Lacy, since they are still minors, they are in Stephens safe custody to this day. Stephen Peterson, 37, has been raising his father's four younger children since Drew Peterson's arrest in 2009; . ET Back in 2012, former Bolingbrook, Ill. police sergeant, Drew Peterson, was sentenced to 38 years in prison for murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio, eight years prior. He tells the kids to stay off the internet and to come to him with questions. Stephen and Teresa Peterson have since divorced. He recalled hearing his father and Savio argue at night when he was a teenager. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, Vanessa Bryant remembers daughter Gigi on what would have been her 17th birthday, World's sexiest volleyballer sprawls on bed to show off curves in lingerie shoot, Tragedy as Shaq Barrett's daughter Arrayah, 2, 'drowns in family pool', NFL Network host peed on live TV during draft as fans joke 'that's ruff', 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Adrian Peterson is a professional running back, Adrian Peterson has played in the NFL since 2007. In 2012, Drew Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the 2004 slaying of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, whose death was re-examined after Peterson's next wife, Stacy, disappeared. And a 2009 forensic analysis detailed traces of wood splinters and cedar needles in her hair, along with microscopic bits of feather. "I understand I sound like him, and I have his laugh, and at the right angle I even look like him a little bit, but that's not me," he said. He also thinks his father killed his fourth wife, and said so on a Lifetime show in January and again to the Chicago Tribune this month. In October of the same year, he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. This brings little relief. Stephen and Eric had already grown up and were doing their own things, but Eric was estranged from their father. Though it is unknown how Kathleen may have felt about Michaels bisexuality, the prosecution argued that she would not have tolerated his infidelity. Peterson remains a suspect, although he has adamantly maintained his innocence. "He's your dad and you don't think twice," he said. Shortly afterwards, Peterson, then still Kathleen Atwater, moved to Durham, North Carolina, and met Michael Peterson, a local novelist and occasional columnist for The Durham Herald-Sun who had served in Vietnam with the Marines. The Season 2 premiere of Monster in My Family starsStephen Peterson, 36, the eldest son of convicted murderer Drew Peterson. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. by 2Paragraphs in Culture | January 3, 2017, Stephen Peterson, Monster in My Family, LMN. She test drove a few other vehicles, but always seems to come back to the Escape. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. And an owl expert testified that the appearance of a trident with three limbs converging to a point at roughly 30 degrees from each other, and a fourth limb converging to the same point at nearly 180 degrees from the centre limb of the other three limbs.. Not like his opinion matters now.. What has yet to be determined was exactly how Kathleen met her demise. He lost his job as a police officer in Oak Brook, after he was accused of obstructing the investigation into Stacy's disappearance by hiding his father's guns. Over the years, classmates have confronted the kids, telling them, "'Your dad killed your mom,'" he said. Stephen Peterson said he understands how Doman feels about his father, "and that's okay," but he said he is not his father. A coroners jury, which included a close friend of Petersons, ruled her death as an "accidental drowning. But even his son doesnt believe in his innocence. New York Yankee pitchers Fritz Peterson, front, and Mike Kekich sit on a schooner's bowsprit . Savio, who was newly divorced from Peterson at the time of her death, drowned in her bathtub on March 1, 2004. Hes not sure if Drew Peterson watched the episode. He told the newspaper that his father kind of put us in a really bad situation I have to clean up now.. On October 10, 2003, the jury found Michael Peterson guilty, and the judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole. "The sadness, the anxiety, (asking), 'Did he do it? She divorced her first husband for his own indiscretions years before, and they said it is unlikely that she would have felt differently about Michaels own cheating. Stephen Peterson said he told his dad he planned to tape the Lifetime show, but he's not sure if Drew watched. Married to Drew: 1974-1980 Ended: Divorce Carol Brown and Drew Peterson were high school sweethearts who married a couple of years after graduation. After Drew Peterson was apprehended, Stephen Petersons own marriage ended. They have two sons: Stephen Paul Peterson and Eric Drew Peterson (in 2017, Stephen told the press his father "probably" killed two of his other wives). Stephen Peterson also recalled his younger half-brothers Savios sons Thomas and Kristopher waking the next morning and learning their mother was dead. They had two sons together: Thomas Peterson and Kristopher Peterson. Stephen Peterson chuckles when looking up at a large portrait on the kitchen wall a print of "Seinfeld" character George Costanza, lounging on a chaise in a famous scene from the show. Michael Petersons attorney, David Rudolf, told the court, Show me one piece of evidence, one person who says that Kathleen was upset because Mike was bisexual. In September of 2012, Peterson was found guilty of her murder and was sentenced to 38 years in prison. Stephen says there was no "a-ha moment," when he changed his mind about his father's role in Stacy's disappearance, but he does recall her fear after Savio's death. According to the reports, Stephen Peterson said his father appeared to be in a state of shock after discovering Savios dead body. After learning about the mysterious death of Kathleen Peterson, read the shocking story of Dalia Dippolito, whose murder-for-hire plot to kill her husband was caught on camera by police. A Will County jury last year found Peterson guilty of drowning his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2004. He has not been charged in Stacy Peterson's disappearance, though authorities have said.