Drew Peterson convicted

The 58-year-old ex-cop faces up to 60 years in prison for murdering his third wife

Published September 6, 2012 9:53PM (EDT)

A jury has found Drew Peterson, a former police sergeant in Bolingbrook, Ill., has guilty for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, and remains the lone suspect for the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, who vanished in 2007. The Associated Press reported:

Illinois has no death penalty, and Peterson now faces a maximum 60-year prison term when sentenced in Kathleen Savio's death on Nov. 26.

The trial was the first of its kind in Illinois history, with prosecutors building their case largely on hearsay thanks to a new law, dubbed "Drew's Law," tailored to Peterson's case. That hearsay, prosecutors had said, would let his third and fourth wives "speak from their graves" through family and friends to convict Peterson.

Stacy Peterson's disappearance is what prompted police to look into Savio's death, which had previously been deemed an accident.

 


By Prachi Gupta

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com.

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