Drew Peterson trial update murder trial day 5 week 2 recap

Drew Peterson trial update murder trial week 2 (day 5)

Drew Peterson (photo: PR NewsChannel)

In a case that continues to capture national interest, the Drew Peterson murder trial enters its second week.

Peterson is on trial for murdering his 3rd wife Kathleen Savio.

Her dead body was found in a waterless bathtub and was originally ruled an accident.

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After his fourth wife Stacy Peterson disappeared, Savio’s body was exhumed and Drew Peterson was charged in her murder.

Stacy Peterson (photo: Chicago Tribune)

Drew Peterson trial update week 1 recap

To briefly bring you up to speed, here’s the highlights of week one, the first week of the Drew Peterson trial.

There were numerous motions for mistrial. All denied.

Witnesses began testifying including Savio’s neighbors Thomas and Mary Pontarelli who found Savio’s lifeless body. Thomas Pontarelli said that he believed Peterson left him an (unspoken) message – a bullet left in his driveway.  The jury was instructed to disregard that testimony.

Other witnesses included included Louis Oleskiewicz, a Bolingbrook Paramedic who responded to the 911 call, Locksmith Robert Akin as well as Bolingbrook Fire Department Lt. Michael R. Newton.

The most riveting testimony might very well have been from Anna Doman, Savio’s sister.

She said that her sister told her that Peterson was going to kill her and made her promise over and over again that she would take care of her kids.

With that said, she also admitted to not being in touch with her sister’s children and even invited Peterson to a banquet shortly after her sister’s death.

She did not even notify Police of what her sister told her until after Peterson’s 4th wife disappeared.

If you want more details, please see the Drew Peterson Trial Update

Drew Peterson trial update murder trial week 2 day 5

After adjourning early on Friday due to a juror being ill, the trial resumed Tuesday morning.

Prosecutors want to prove that the murder investigation was botched right from the beginning because of Drew Peterson’s ties to law enforcement since Peterson, a Bolingbrook Police Sergeant had professional relationships with many who were on the scene to investigate the death of Kathleen Savio.

Deputy Will County Coroner Michael VanOver took the stand and said he did not notice any signs that would indicate foul play.

He said that he even asked an officer on the scene, Robert Deel, an Illinois state police trooper if any other protocols were needed and was told they were not.

So since there was no evidence of foul play, certain protocols that would be followed for suspicious deaths or homicides were not undertaken.

VanOver did say that he thought it was suspicious that there was no soap scum in the bathtub, he thought it was odd that the items around the tub appeared to be undisturbed yet he admitted under cross examination that he never told anyone that or noted it in any report.

Still according to the Orlando Sentinel VanOver said, “It’s, it’s hard to explain, I felt it was a homicide.”

Deel took the stand as well and claimed that he kept an open mind during the investigation of Savio’s death.

Although Savio had a bleeding head wound, Deel said he did not check where the blood was coming from because that was beyond the scope of what he was supposed to do.

He maintained that there was nothing at the death scene to arouse any suspicion yet he admitted that he “bagged” Savio’s hands to preserve evidence.

Deel testified that pathologist Dr Bryan Mitchell who is now deceased, performed the original autopsy on Savio and said that Kathleen Savio’s death was not a murder.

Bolingbrook Police Lt James Coughlin’s testimony was explosive when he said that Peterson told him,

“My life would be easier if she was dead – or died, I don’t recall which word”

Peterson was referring to Savio and only weeks after that statement, Savio was dead.

Was the prosecution able to conclusively prove beyond a reasonable doubt to jurors that a shoddy investigation was conducted perhaps due to Peterson’s ties to law enforcement in what remains a case with mounds of circumstantial evidence?

Court resumes Wednesday morning so come back on Wednesday for the daily Drew Peterson trial update.

Related articles

• Drew Peterson trial focuses on botched investigation
• Drew Peterson’s third wife feared he would kill her, victim’s sister testifies
• Peterson’s ‘Incriminating Letters’ to Girlfriend Burned

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