Drew Peterson’s Life of Tragedy and Crime Still Unfolds

Bolingbrook, Illinois — Drew Peterson, convicted of murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio, remains a controversial figure even today. He is also a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. Arrested in 2009, Peterson’s case has drawn widespread media attention due to its troubling details and the impact on his family.

Peterson’s family life consists of six children from four marriages. He first married Carol Brown in 1974, sharing two sons, Eric and Stephen. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1980, with custody favoring their mother. His second marriage to Victoria Connolly lasted from 1982 to 1992 but yielded no children.

Peterson wed Kathleen Savio in 1992, with whom he had two sons, Thomas and Kristopher. Their tumultuous relationship saw numerous domestic disturbances before their divorce in 2003. Shortly after, Peterson married 19-year-old Stacy Ann Cales, who adopted Thomas and Kristopher after Savio’s death in 2004. Drew and Stacy also had two children, Anthony and Lacy.

Stacy Peterson went missing in October 2007. Drew claimed she left him for another man, but many doubted his story, especially after the subsequent investigation into Savio’s death. Her body was exhumed, leading to a homicide ruling in 2008.

In May 2009, Peterson was charged with Savio’s murder, and during the ensuing trial, his son Stephen publicly offered to care for his siblings, aiming to provide stability. Stephen, then an Oak Brook police officer, lost his job amid the investigation.

In a twist, Stephen later expressed doubt about his father’s innocence, stating he believed Drew was ‘probably’ responsible for both women’s fates. Meanwhile, Eric has openly criticized his father’s conduct, providing testimony that painted Drew in a negative light during the trial.

Thomas and Kristopher, now young adults, initially defended their father but chose to distance themselves from the public eye following the trials. Anthony and Lacy, too young to understand the situation when their mother disappeared, have remained private and silent in the years since.

As of 2022, Drew Peterson, now 71, remains in prison following a conviction for Savio’s murder. He is incarcerated in an undisclosed location for security reasons. In recent years, he has filed multiple appeals, asserting that he received ineffective legal counsel during his trial.