Daily News Channel
The remains found last week on the bank of an Illinois river and near a blue barrel are not those of Stacy Peterson, Illinois state police said Wednesday. Many people speculated that the remains, found near the Des Plaines River less than 30 miles from the homes of Peterson and another missing woman, Lisa Stebic, meant one of their disappearances would be solved. But testing done on the remains showed they belonged to a male, police said.
A preliminary autopsy Thursday did not reveal any identifying information on remains found on the bank of a river, less than 30 miles from the homes of two missing Illinois women.
“Testimony from the grave.” That’s what prosecutors are calling a key part of their strategy against Drew Peterson, the former Illinois police officer arrested last week on charges that he murdered the third of his four wives. It may sound like just another melodramatic turn in the tabloid tale of Peterson, who has been under a cloud of suspicion since his petite fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in the fall of 2007 after reportedly telling relatives that she wanted to leave what she described as an abusive relationship. But the prosecution’s strategy against Peterson, 55, could in fact be based on a controversial new Illinois law that allows for the admission of hearsay testimony.
Drew Peterson, the former police sergeant who authorities call the prime suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, has been indicted on murder charges related to his third wife, the Illinois state attorney’s office said. Illinois state police said Peterson was taken into custody Thursday.