Chicago Area Local News

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (CBS) ― A mysterious blue barrel remains the focus of the investigation into the disappearance of Bolingbrook mother Stacy Peterson. Drew Peterson has been declared a suspect in the disappearance of Stacy Peterson, his fourth wife.

Drew Peterson's 14-year-old son is expected to testify Thursday before the grand jury investigating the disappearance.

CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli stopped by the Bolingbrook home of the man who sources say helped Drew Peterson, move a large container from the Peterson home into Drew's truck on the same day Stacy was last seen alive. Sources say the man, who is related to Drew, attempted to take his life the next day out of fear that he had unwittingly helped dispose of Stacy's body.

Dawn Fico doesn't know where her 39-year-old neighbor is, but is disturbed by the news of his possible entanglement in the case. But, she says her neighbor likely helped out Drew Peterson without having any idea what he was involved in.

"If he did do it, it would be totally unknowing," Fico said. "His character would not describe him as someone who would knowingly do something like that."

Drew Peterson's attorney says talk of his client removing a large plastic container from his home, that published reports say was "warm to the touch" is just plain untrue.

"The whole thing seems like a never-ending rumor that started with comments that Stacy's sister made and seems to have been growing ever since," Brodsky said.

"There never was a drum," he added.

He went on to say that the relative is a psychologically unbalanced repeat DUI offender.

"This is a person that has some very, very serious issues," Brodsky said. "But when you look at the problems that he has you really can't credit these statements."

Brodsky says sending someone to prison or possibly death row based on the statements of such a witness would be a miscarriage of justice.

"The only potential witness they have is this very, very sick person," Brodsky said.

Stacy Peterson's family believes there is a lot more truth to the relative's story than Drew's attorney is letting on. They say he's only attacking the relative in order to defend Drew.

"They're not going to come forth and say he's guilty or this is the case, they're still going to have to stand by with what Drew says is he's innocent of this whole situation," family spokesperson Pamela Bosco said.

Also Wednesday, volunteer members of a boat team set out to find Stacy Peterson, a mission on which they have been unfalteringly faithful. They say the purpose is "to bring closure to the family." Searchers said they were told to look for a barrel large enough to fit a petite woman's body.

Searchers have found more than 10 blue barrels since Stacy disappeared.

CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller says the revelation a plastic container was allegedly removed from the Peterson home, can be looked at two ways.

"You know this could be a bombshell or absolutely nothing," Miller said.

Police have said they believe Stacy Peterson is dead of a homicide, and they consider Drew Peterson a suspect in her disappearance. But he has repeatedly maintained that Stacy left him for another man. Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio, was recently exhumed for a new autopsy after Will County State's Atty. James Glasgow concluded that coroner's ruling that her death three years ago was ruled an accident, was erroneous.

Meantime, on Saturday, there's going to be a vigil held in front of the Peterson home. At that point, it's going to be more than one month since Stacy vanished.

CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman, Suzanne Le Mignot and Mike Puccinelli, and the Associated Press, contributed to this report.

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