Crime & Safety

Drew's Murder-For-Hire Conviction Stands: Glasgow Reacts

Drew Peterson wanted his murder-for-hire conviction overturned, but the Fifth District Illinois Appellate Court disagreed.

At left, Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow, who successfully prosecuted Drew Peterson in 2012 for the murder of Peterson’s third wife, Kathy Savio.
At left, Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow, who successfully prosecuted Drew Peterson in 2012 for the murder of Peterson’s third wife, Kathy Savio. (John Ferak/Patch)

JOLIET, IL — The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow issued a news release Monday announcing that an Illinois appeals court had rejected Drew Peterson's appeal trying to overturn his conviction for a murder-for-hire that targeted Glasgow himself.

Peterson had tried to hire a fellow inmate to murder Glasgow in exchange for $10,000, according to prosecutors.

"This is an important decision for the rule of law as well as for all prosecutors," Glasgow said in Monday's news release. "Our society would collapse if criminals could get away with their crimes by murdering the prosecutors before or after being brought to justice. A prosecutor’s family should never be placed at risk because the prosecutor has done their job. I appreciate the skilled work of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Randolph County State’s Attorney Jeremy Walker, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Illinois Department of Corrections in securing this conviction, and the thoughtful deliberation of the Appellate Court in its decision affirming it."

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Glasgow prosecuted the former Bolingbrook police sergeant in 2012 for the murder of Peterson’s third wife, Kathy Savio, and Peterson received a 38-year prison sentence. At sentencing, Peterson said that Glasgow had destroyed his life.

According to Glasgow, the inmate Peterson tried to hire wrote a letter to prosecutors disclosing the murder-for-hire plot, and Peterson’s scheme to murder Glasgow was captured in full on a listening device. Peterson was subsequently convicted of solicitation to commit murder for hire and sentenced to 40 years, to be served back-to-back with the sentence for Savio’s murder.

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Peterson has never been tried in connection with the October 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. Her body has never been found.

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Drew Peterson's murder for hire conviction has been upheld. Mugshot of Drew Peterson via Department of Corrections

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