Drew Peterson Confessed To Killing His Fourth Wife, Fellow Inmate Claims


Drew Peterson confessed to killing his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, according to a fellow prison inmate. Antonio Smith claims the former Bolingbrook, Illinois, police officer also asked for his help finding a hit man to kill Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow. The prosecuting attorney was responsible for putting Peterson in a jail cell.

The Stacy Peterson disappearance case remains unsolved. Drew Peterson, 62, has continued to maintain his innocence in his fourth wife’s disappearance and alleged death, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Drew Peterson was convicted in 2012 of killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio. The two were divorced at the time of her death. The former Bolingbrook police officer was sentenced to spend 28 years behind bars for the murder.

Kathleen Savio’s death was initially ruled accidental, but the 2004 case was reopened in 2007 after Stacy Peterson went missing, the Daily Mail notes.

When the latest Drew Peterson trial began this week, Randolph County State’s Attorney Jeremy Walker told the court the former police officer had initiated a murder-for-hire scheme against James Glasgow. Walker further alleged the plot was fueled by “anger, hatred,” and revenge against the prosecutor. According to the state’s attorney’s claims, Peterson felt the death of Glasgow would help his appeal of the first-degree murder conviction. The homicide case is currently being reviewed by the Illinois Supreme Court.

Antonio “Beast” Smith testified that Drew Peterson promised to pay $10,000 in the murder-for-hire scheme. The inmate told the authorities about the murder-for-hire plot and helped gather evidence against Peterson. The recorded conversations between Smith and Peterson is expected to be played in the courtroom during the trial.

Peterson has pleaded not guilty to the murder-for-hire charges. He is currently being housed at the Menard Correctional Center. If convicted on the charges, the ex-police officer could have an extra six decades added to his sentence.

Drew Peterson allegedly wanted Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow killed when he was going to or coming from his office in Joliet. In the recorded conversations between the accused and Smith, Peterson allegedly blamed the prosecuting attorney for the role he played in efforts to have his $79,000 annual police pension revoked.

After Peterson’s conviction for murdering his former third wife, James Glasgow reportedly deemed Glasgow both a “thug” and “coward” who made a habit of threatening others “because he had a gun and a badge.”

The former police officer also allegedly blamed Glasgow for his son, Stephen Peterson, losing his position at the Oak Brook Police Department. He reportedly also claimed Stephen was fired over what police officials claimed were his efforts to obstruct the investigation into Kathleen Savio’s death.

“They’re going to sensationalize the heck out of this thing. Do not give in to this approach,” Peterson’s defense attorney, Lucas Liefer, told the jury during his opening statement at the murder-for-hire trial.

James Glasgow told the court he personally listened to about 15 minutes of the recorded conversation between Drew Peterson and Antonio Smith. According to Glasgow, the word “kill” was not used, but the implication was definitely present.

“Based on 36 years of experience in law enforcement, from my listening of the tape, it was clear to me there was going to be my demise,” the Will County State’s Attorney added.

Antonio Smith was not reportedly offered a reduced prison sentence for his cooperation in the Drew Peterson murder-for-hire case but was paid $3,000 by the FBI for property lost from his cell when he was transferred to a federal prison.

[Photo by M. Spencer Green, File/AP Images]

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