Notorious cop convicted of 3rd wife's murder doesn't want children to think ‘I killed their mothers’

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

BOLINGBROOK, ILLINOIS: Drew Peterson, the former Bolingbrook police sergeant convicted for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, has shared his profound concern over how his children perceive him.

Peterson, now serving a 38-year prison sentence, expressed a strong desire during an interview with NewsNation's Ashleigh Banfield, "I’m not wanting my children to believe that I killed their mothers. I don’t want them thinking that of me."

Drew Peterson's fourth wife remains missing

The notorious case involves Peterson being found guilty of killing Kathleen Savio shortly after their 2003 divorce. Adding to the mystery, his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007, and her whereabouts remain unknown.

Banfield pressed Peterson on whether he would admit to any other murders, to which the father-of-six responded, "I want them to know the truth and believe the truth."

Drew Peterson makes accusations of witness tampering

In an October 2021 handwritten post-conviction filing from prison, Peterson maintained his innocence, accusing his former attorney Joel Brodsky of placing him "out to the press and put me on national television.”

Blaming widespread bias against police officers for his conviction, Peterson also accused Will County State’s Attorney Jim Glasgow of intimidating witnesses, a claim strongly denied by Glasgow’s office.

“People enjoy seeing policemen in trouble. I’ve seen a lot of cops get in trouble and people enjoy that,” he said.

Drew Peterson set to undergo a mental fitness evaluation

While legal experts note that Peterson's claims about witness intimidation are new, they emphasize the need for evidence to substantiate them. The case is set to resume in Will County court on March 6.

Banfield, acknowledging Peterson's likely lifetime imprisonment, questioned why he hasn't shared his full story, possibly through writing a book. He responded, "There’s no money involved in it. You’re going to pay me, I’ll do it."

As Peterson remains in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, he is expected to undergo a mental fitness evaluation at the request of his public defender. If he succeeds in his post-conviction efforts, it wouldn't guarantee his release, as he was found guilty in 2016 of plotting to kill Glasglow, receiving an additional 40-year prison sentence.