After Drew Peterson Verdict, Focus Shifts To Appeal And Missing Fourth Wife

Drew Peterson’s verdict was read on Thursday, with the jury proclaiming the former Chicago-area police officer, shifting the focus to an anticipated appeal, as well as the whereabouts of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson.

While Stacy was never mentioned in front of the jury, her disappearance loomed over the proceedings, according to Detroit News. Now that the trial is over and Peterson is convicted of killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio, prosecutors have shifted their focus to his missing fourth wife.

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow promised reporters that “We are going to aggressively review that case with an eye towards potentially charging it.”

Drew Peterson was only charged with Savio’s death after the disappearance of Stacy Peterson in 2007. She is presumed dead, even though her body has never been recovered. Her husband is also a suspect in her disappearance, despite never being charged.

Cassandra Cales, Stacy’s sister, was in court on Thursday to hear the Peterson verdict. Afterwards, she sounded optimistic that charges in Stacy’s case would come quickly, saying, “He’ll be charged. It’ll come.” Savio’s family was also overjoyed at the verdict, with her brother-in-law, Micth Doman, stating:

“Finally, finally, finally … We finally got that murdering bastard!”

After Drew Peterson’s verdict, Glasgow is preparing for what comes next — a November 26 sentencing hearing which he is expected to ask the judge to impose a sentence close to the maximum 60-year prison term, reports Yahoo! News.

Glasgow’s office will also continue the investigation into Stacy Peterson’s disappearance, as they have long maintained that Stacy did not simply leave on her own. They have also asserted that they believe she was killed by Drew.

Glasgow believes that, as time goes on, the case against Peterson in his fourth wife’s death is just getting stronger. The prosecutor stated:

“The longer any person is gone, the easier it is to prove that they haven’t just simply run away, that they are deceased. Oct. 27, 2007, (when she disappeared) is way in our rearview mirror.”

Meanwhile, Peterson’s attorneys have promised to appeal his conviction, partly because of the trial’s reliance on hearsay evidence. Joe Lopez, one of Peterson’s attorneys, stated after the conviction that, “It’s a dark day in America when you can convict somebody on hearsay evidence.”

Despite knowing that Drew Peterson’s verdict may be appealed, and that no formal charges have been made in the Stacy Peterson case yet, Kathleen Savio’s brother Nick Savio declared outside the courthouse on Thursday that, “Stacy, you are now next for justice.”

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