Stacy Peterson -- Missing 10/28/07

Stacy Peterson's brother agonizes through hearing
Yelton Cales angered by defense attorneys' descriptions of Stacy Peterson

January 30, 2010



It wasn’t easy for Yelton Cales to listen to testimony last week suggesting Drew Peterson may have killed his younger sister. It’s been hard to sit still as Peterson’s attorneys disparage her as an attention-seeking flirt, someone who would leave her two young children and run off with another man.

But what really hurts, said Cales in his first interview since Stacy Peterson vanished Oct. 28, 2007, is testimony that will suddenly stir up good memories of his sister. Like the time she painted and decorated his room, leaving stacks of Diet Pepsi — his favorite drink — in the closet as a surprise gift. Or the descriptions of his sister by witnesses as friendly, outgoing — or “bouncy,” as Cales put it.

“It hurts,” said Cales, 30, describing the pain as a punch in the gut. “There’s no closure.”

As the second week ended in the pretrial hearing of whether hearsay statements will be allowed at the trial of Peterson, who is charged with the 2004 drowning of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, much of the testimony has centered on Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, and her alleged fear of Drew Peterson and desire to divorce him. Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant, remains a suspect in her disappearance but has not been charged.

With nearly 60 people on the prosecution’s witness list, including Stacy Peterson’s younger sister, an aunt and an uncle, Cales is one of the few family members allowed to sit in court and watch the case unfold. The privilege is not without cost for Cales, whose sex-offense history has been invoked repeatedly by Drew Peterson’s attorneys in an attempt to undermine the state’s witnesses.

Peterson’s attorneys have suggested that Cales molested Stacy Peterson, who is four years younger than him. “They’re trying to irritate me,” said Cales, who was freed from prison in June after serving nearly three years for aggravated criminal sexual assault but vehemently denies being inappropriate with his sister. “Drew won’t even look at me.”

Cales is a registered sex-offender for crimes against a 16-year-old girl in 2005. Other prison stints were for domestic battery and possession of a motor vehicle. Cales said he does not care what others think of him; it’s the thought of Peterson’s attorneys trashing his sister’s reputation that puts him on edge. “Ninety percent of what Drew is saying is lies,” he said.

He and his sister became close growing up in a volatile home. There was a lot of drinking. Their parents fought often, eventually obtaining restraining orders against each other, and divorcing. Their father moved the kids to Florida and Louisiana, before they came back to the Chicago suburbs and became wards of the state.

There was also much tragedy in the family. In 1983, their sister Jessica died at age 2 in a house fire. In 1987, their sister Lacy died as an infant, and her death was attributed to sudden infant death syndrome. In 1998, their mother, Christie Cales, vanished at the age of 40. She was last seen with a Bible, on her way to church. It’s that tragedy that Drew Peterson and his attorneys have been inclined to bring up when talking about Stacy Peterson’s disappearance. “My mom went out of her way to give us the best life she could,” Cales said. And Stacy Peterson, he said, would never leave her children.

Cales learned of his sister’s disappearance while he was in prison. The guards took him to an isolation cell, and he immediately started asking, “Is something wrong with my family?” He met with a counselor, who before saying a word flipped open a manila folder with Stacy Peterson’s picture in it. “I said, ‘He killed her,’ “Cales recalled. “[The counselor] said that she was missing, so I repeated: ‘He killed her.’ “

Cales said he and Drew Peterson never got along. “I met him before they started dating,” Cales said. “Stacy worked at Springhill Suites in Bolingbrook, and she was always talking about him. I’d go visit her almost every night. I walked in one night, and he was sitting there. He gave her a sense of security.”

But Drew Peterson’s possessiveness of Stacy Peterson scared and angered Cales. During one July 2007 incident, Peterson showed how he could track his wife by GPS on her cell phone. “He said it smug, with his little chuckle,” Cales said. “I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ Drew said, ‘Yeah.’ “

Stacy Peterson’s absence has deepened the huge hole in the family, which includes younger sister Cassandra and their father, Anthony. Their oldest sister, Tina, died of cancer in 2006.

Cales vividly remembers a conversation with his sister shortly before she vanished. He told her that if he had to choose one person in the world to be a mother to him, other than their mother, it would be she. “She was the greatest person in my life,” he said. “She started crying. She was the best mom.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-peterson-brother-20100129,0,3598883.story

Thank you for posting this Snaz. I didn't realize that I didn't have her listed in the Missing section. I guess we have discussed the POS hubby in the Daily News section and I just never got her listed here. It's so sad that she's never been found. Her family must be beside themselves.

I've never heard anything about Stacy's childhood. They certainly had tragedy in their lives. I'm sure Stacy felt she met the perfect father figure when she met Drew, and that he would take care of her. Apparently Drew and his attorneys are really playing the fact that Stacy's own mother vanished in 1998, at the age of 40. I had no idea. I don't believe for a second that Stacy just walked away from her children.

Divers search Bolingbrook pond for Stacy Peterson

April 21, 2010
Sun-Times Media



A band of volunteers searched a pond for missing Bolingbrook mother Stacy Peterson on Wednesday.

Bolingbrook police Lt. Michael Rompa said the search was strictly a civilian effort with no presence from his department or the state police. The state police have been the lead agency investigating the Peterson’s October 2007 disappearance. They consider her to be the victim of a potential homicide and named her husband, former Bolingbrook cop Drew Peterson, the sole suspect in their case.

Drew Peterson was arrested in May and charged with murdering the woman he was married to before Stacy Peterson – third wife Kathleen Savio. His murder trial is set to start June 14.

The search of a pond near the intersection of Boughton and Weber roads was led by Stacy Peterson’s sister, Cassandra Cales, Rompa said.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/plainfieldsun/news/2184704,bolingbrook-pond-search-stacy-peterson_SCN042110.article

It seems Stacy has been forgotten, but certainly not by her family. I'm glad to see them making search efforts. Too bad the one responsible won't reveal where Stacy is.

This has been an intriguing case to say the least...I rank it up there with the Spector and Durst cases...I can't include OJ in there as that was just pure RAGE...however both Kathleen's death and Stacy's disappearance/death were money related...Spector was just stupid...opps...and Durst demented...Scott P. was selfish just like KC and God only knows the motive of little Haleigh's disappearance/death...None the less I am rivited to this case and want justice for Kathleen...I don't think LE will ever find Stacy or Haleigh...

Stacy Peterson case update: Police to dig for body of Drew Peterson’s third wife

http://health-beauty-2468.blogspot.com/2010/06/stacy-peterson-case-update-police-to.html

Saturday, June 5, 2010

There’s breaking news in the case of missing woman Stacy Peterson. Reports state that police will dig for the body of Stacy Peterson tomorrow. Stacy Peterson was Drew Peterson’s fourth wife. She suddenly disappeared on October 28, 2007. Drew Peterson was a police officer at the time of her disappearance and said that she ran off with a man, leaving her children behind. Many suspect foul play; Drew Peterson is currently incarcerated after being indicted for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.

According to a report by TMZ, Drew Peterson disposed of his wife’s body with the help of an accomplice. Now, the accomplice is speaking and told authorities where Stacy’s remains are located. The report says that the accomplice told authorities where they can find her body and that Stacy Peterson was buried in a metal drum. A search is scheduled for tomorrow and the area has been roped off.

Will Stacy Peterson’s body be found tomorrow?

Hopefully this report is true and Stacy will be found. The TMZ article was posted last night, so I think today is when they are supposed to be digging. The article said Peterson told an inmate how he killed Stacy and had an accomplice help him dispose of the body. According to TMZ, the inmate told authorities about the discussion when led them to the accomplice.

Here is the article: http://www.tmz.com/2010/06/04/drew-peterson-murder-wife-body-crime-scene-police-officer-illinois-dig/

Cops May Have Found Body of Drew Peterson's Wife

Originally posted Jun 4th 2010 9:52 PM PDT by TMZ Staff

There may be a huge break in the disappearance of Drew Peterson's fourth wife. TMZ has learned authorities believe they may know exactly where the body is buried, and then plan to dig for it tomorrow.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Peterson, an ex-cop who is currently behind bars awaiting trial for the murder of his third wife, told an inmate yesterday how he killed Stacy Peterson, wife number 4. Stacy's body has never been recovered.

Our sources say Peterson told the inmate he had an accomplice help him dispose of the body. The inmate then told authorities about his discussion with Peterson, which led them to the alleged accomplice. We're told the accomplice informed Will County Sheriff's officials and prosecutors that the body was buried just outside Peoria, Illinois.

Will County Sheriff's deputies and prosecutors took the alleged accomplice to Peoria Friday, and the accomplice led them to private hunting grounds. The owner allowed authorities to enter his property and the accomplice then led them to the site where Stacy's body was allegedly buried. The accomplice told authorities the body was stuffed in a metal drum that had been buried underground.

On Friday afternoon, authorities brought police dogs onto the property and we're told the dogs immediately took them to the place where the witness said the body was buried. Authorities then put prongs in the soil and hit a mass below ground that could be the drum in question.

We're told State Police are now guarding the property and authorities will begin digging Saturday morning.

UPDATE 6/5 10:00 AM PT -- State Police confirm the search is underway.

I sure hope they find her. It's been a long time coming. kh

Stacy Peterson's body buried in private hunting grounds?

June 5, 2010 7:46 AM

Former Bolingbrook, Illinois police Sgt. Drew Peterson pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Jury selection for Peterson's trial on the murder of Kathleen Savio is expect to begin July 8. Friday, TMZ reported that law enforcement authorities may have a break in solving the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, in 2007.

The celebrity website cites law enforcement sources who said that Peterson told a fellow inmate that an accomplice helped him dispose of his fourth wife's body. The alleged accomplice reportedly led the police to a private hunting ground near Peoria, Ilinois, where police are to investigate the site.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20006890-504083.html

I hope they find her today. I wonder what made him speak up and tell this. Cruel, heartless murdering monster. Poor Stacy and her motherless children.......

I hope so too. The only part that sounds wrong, is that he would tell a fellow inmate anything.

I agree Julie. Especially when he's this close to his trial for murdering Kathleen.

Right J4A, he seems so arrogant, he would never say anything, like Casey.

Body of Stacey Peterson Possibly Found in Peoria

Will County Authorities are outside of Peoria this morning acting on a tip of the whereabouts of the body of Stacey Peterson. TMZ is reporting is reporting Drew Peterson told a fellow inmate how he killed Stacey and that he had an accomplice help him dispose of the body The inmate told authorites about his discussion with Peterson which led them to the alleged accomplice. WJOL has learned dogs hit on a spot in a field just west of Peoria yesterday and returned this morning to begin the dig.

http://www.wjol.com/Body-of-Stacey-Peterson-Possibly-Found-in-Peoria/7398818

The TMZ article mentioned the dogs hitting on the spot that the alleged accomplice showed them. I wonder if WJOL has confirmed this independently of the TMZ article.

Police to dig for Stacy Peterson's body near Peoria: source

June 5, 2010
BY JOE HOSEY Herald News

Working with new information in the disappearance of Stacy Peterson, authorities are set to dig in search of her body Saturday in an area east of Peoria, sources said.

Illinois State Police confirmed Saturday that they are currently following a lead in rural central Illinois regarding Peterson’s disappearance and have set up a media staging at a location near Peoria, according to an ISP release.

The ISP Investigation team that has been investigating the disappearance and possible homicide of Stacy Peterson is aware of the situation and at the scene, the release said.

The State Police and Will County state's attorney's office are expected to have investigators on the scene Saturday, in hopes the missing fourth wife of ex-Bolingbrook cop Drew Peterson will finally be found.

Sources would not reveal what the new information was, or where it came from. Although they did dispute a TMZ.com report that the latest tip came from inmate who had spoken with Drew Peterson as late as Thursday. TMZ.com, citing sources, said the inmate passed along the tip to law enforcement.

Sources do confirm that law enforcement, using dogs, searched a hunting area east of Peoria Friday. They are set to return Saturday to dig in an specific area.

Stacy Peterson has been missing since Oct. 26, 2007. Peterson is considered a suspect in her disappearance.

He is about to stand trial, as soon as next month, in the 2004 drowning death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Her death was initially ruled an accident, but authorities reopened the case after Stacy Peterson disappeared. A new autopsy ruled it was a homicide, and Peterson was arrested and charged with murder.

He has denied any involvement in Savio's death or Stacy Peterson's disappearance.

http://www.suntimes.com/2358222,drew-peterson-stacy-body-dig-peoria-060510.article

I don't know what to believe now. I guess all we can do is wait and see.

Cops Deny Lead on Stacy Peterson's Body

Report claims Drew Peterson confessed to fellow inmate

By MARCUS RILEY
Updated 9:30 AM CDT, Sat, Jun 5, 2010

Police and Drew Peterson's lawyer are denying reports that there's a lead in the search for Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy.

TMZ is reporting that authorities had planned to dig in an area outside of Peoria Saturday where Stacy's body was believed to have been buried.

According to the report, Peterson, who is currently behind bars charged in the murder of his third wife Kathleen Savio, told a fellow inmate how he killed Stacy, stuffed her body in a metal drum, and buried it on private hunting grounds with help of an accomplice.

Peterson's lawyer, Joel Brodsky told NBC 5 that the story is not true because his client is so isolated that he can't talk to other inmates.

Pat Barry with Will Co. Sheriff's Department said he first heard of the story at 3 a.m. Saturday morning, and that authorities were not planning to go down to Peoria.

The TMZ report claims that police dogs led officer to a spot on the hunting grounds Friday, and prongs placed in the ground hit a mass believed to be the metal drum containing Stacy's body.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Cops-Deny-Lead-on-Stacy-Petersons-Body-tmz-95683979.html

I pray the original report is true, and that they have found remains that turn out to be Stacy's. It is beyond time for this young mother to be found and laid to rest.

Also, if her remains are found, that will shut Drew Peterson up about how she ran off with another man and left him and her children......

I hate Drew Peterson.

Great link from local newz channel for updates:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/06/authorities-pursue-a-lead-downstate-regarding-stacy-peterson.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChicagoBreakingNews+%28Chicago+Breaking+News%29


kh