Kriti Mehrotra
‘Cellmate Secrets’ is a Lifetime original documentary series that examines some of the most infamous true-crime tales in a new light. With exclusive interviews from family members, former friends, prison guards, cellmates, and lovers, it gives us a first-hand account of what exactly transpired and why. So, of course, its episode entitled ‘Drew Peterson,’ profiling the story of a former cop and how he was charged with the murder of his third wife, is no different. And now, if you are curious to know more about Drew and his current whereabouts, we’ve got the details for you.
Who is Drew Peterson?
Born on January 5, 1954, Drew Peterson graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois, in 1972 before joining the Army and training as a military police officer. He married his high school sweetheart in 1974, but they divorced just six years later after she discovered his infidelity. During this time, Drew had begun serving as a local cop in Bolingbrook, Illinois, a suburban Chicago area. He advanced a lot in his 30-year long career and retired as a sergeant in 2007. He had married three more times throughout this, with his second wife leaving him after he started going out with Kathleen “Kathy” Savio.
Drew and Kathleen married in 1992, just two months after his divorce from his second wife, Victoria Connolly, was finalized. This pair stayed together for about 11 years, but, once again, Kathleen filed for divorce following the start of Drew’s relationship with Stacy Ann Cales. Their split became legal on October 10, 2003, and he tied the knot with Stacy eight days later. Yet, the vital thing to note here is that between 2002 and 2004, the authorities responded to 19 domestic dispute calls concerning Drew and Kathy. Then, on March 1, 2004, her bruised body was found in a dry tub in her home.
The coroner’s office initially ruled Kathy’s passing as an accidental drowning, but after Stacy Ann disappeared on October 28, 2007, things took a turn. Not only did Stacy’s family not believe Drew’s claim of her leaving for another man, but Victoria also came out to state that he threatened to murder her and make it look like an accident several times during their marriage. And so, Kathy’s remains were exhumed, and it was unveiled that she drowned following a struggle. It took a long while, but Drew was apprehended and indicted by a Will County grand jury for Kathy’s murder on May 7, 2009.
Where is Drew Peterson Now?
Most of the evidence against Drew Peterson at his trial was circumstantial or hearsay, but a judge issued a ruling that allowed them in cases such as this. Therefore, the prominent features introduced to the jury were Drew’s failure to report misconduct while he was an officer, his wives’ claims that they were confined in a controlling union, and Stacy’s possible lie about being Drew’s alibi on the night of the slaying. A pastor at Stacy’s church testified that she feared her husband and was worried that he had killed his ex-wife and asked her to cover. Moreover, another witness said that Drew had offered him $25,000 to hire someone to kill Kathleen.
Ultimately, on September 6, 2012, Drew was found guilty of premeditated murder in connection to his third wife’s untimely death and subsequently sentenced to 38 years in prison. He tried to appeal his conviction multiple times, but the Illinois Supreme Court upheld it on September 21, 2017. In fact, after a tip from a fellow inmate, Drew was condemned of solicitation of murder and solicitation of murder for hire for attempting to have a state attorney killed. He received an additional 40 years for these. Stacy’s case, on the other hand, is a bit complicated. Officials have stated that Drew is the sole suspect, but no charges against him have ever been filed.
After all, with no remains, she is considered missing to this day. Still, as per Drew’s fiancée from December 2008 to January 2009, the sergeant “got rid of” Stacy Peterson by choking her to death and then disposing of her body in a blue barrel. “He actually tried to show me the trick [of] how to snap someone’s neck within seconds,” said Christina Raines. Drew Peterson had been incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, but he was released and handed over to the Illinois Department of Corrections in December 2019. However, he was assigned to an out-of-state facility, which persists to be undisclosed due to safety reasons.
Read More: Where is Scott Peterson Now?
