Mar 21, 2008 5:41 pm US/Central
Police Confiscated 12th Gun From Drew Peterson
Mother, Stepfather Called Before Grand Jury
BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (CBS) ―
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Former police Sgt. Drew Peterson stands in front of the garage of his home in Bolingbrook, on Nov. 17, 2007.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Police confiscated a dozen guns from former Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson, but say Peterson kept one hidden from investigators in the course of the search for his wife, Stacy Peterson.
CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli reports the gun is so small it can be concealed in a belt buckle. And a source close to the Stacy Petersen investigation says Drew Petersen concealed a mini-revolver so well in his house that Illinois state police officers never found it, despite the fact that search warrants were executed netting 11 other firearms.
The source says the gun, a Derringer, is now in possession of the Illinois State Police.
Drew Peterson declined to go on camera Friday afternoon, but did tell CBS 2 he believes he did everything legally. He also said police officers' conduct bordered on "shady."
Peterson's lawyer says his client never stashed a 12th gun.
"After the searches did Drew have a gun in his possession? The answer to that is no," said attorney Joel Brodsky.
But Peterson's former friend Rick Mims has said that Peterson showed him the weapon after the initial warrants boasting about how authorities missed the gun. Mims was called in by police recently to identify the gun after it was secured by police.
Brodsky says Mims is a liar out to make a buck for himself.
"That's just Rick Mims probably trying to shop another story to the National Enquirer," he said.
Sources wouldn't reveal who gave them the 4 by 2-1/2 inch gun. Brodsky says he doesn't know either.
"It wasn't in his house when they searched it. If they got it, it was in somebody else's possession," he said.
Neighbor Sharon Bychowski is worried that if, as sources say, Peterson successfully hid the fold-up gun, then more guns might turn up.
"Drew himself said there are between 15 and 20 guns that he owns," she said. "Where are the other guns?"
Drew Peterson confirms that he has had that many guns over the years, but he says he no longer has any guns in his home.
Mims met with police Wednesday and says they showed him a handgun, which he could not positively link to Drew Peterson.
Earlier this week, Brodsky, was in court arguing to have 11 weapons seized by police returned to his client.
A judge ruled earlier that several belongings confiscated from Drew Peterson's home after Stacy Peterson disappeared must be returned. But shortly after the ruling, Peterson's Firearms Owner Identification Card was revoked by Illinois State Police.
Peterson Says Grand Jury Is Trying To 'Bother' Him Drew Peterson's mother and stepfather appeared before a grand jury Thursday in what the embattled ex-cop believes was nothing more than an attempt to irritate him.
Peterson's mother, Betty Morphey, and stepfather, Albert Morphey, would not discuss their testimony.
"You guys are vultures," Al Morphey hissed when questioned about his grand jury appearance.
He also claimed to have "no idea" where his stepson's missing wife might be.
The wife, Stacy Peterson, is Drew Peterson's fourth and has been missing since Oct. 28.
The third wife, Kathleen Savio, was the victim of an unsolved 2004 homicide that state police at first figured was an accidental bathtub drowning.
The state police have determined Stacy's disappearance is a "potential homicide" and named Drew Peterson a suspect in the case.
But even if the cops think Stacy might be dead, her mother-in-law is optimistic the young woman might return.
"We hope so," said Betty Morphey as she and her husband walked to their car in a downtown lot.
She later asked a photographer for the pictures he was taking of her.
"We want 10 copies of each," she said. "We didn't do nothing."
Drew Peterson accused the authorities of subpoenaing his mother and stepfather just to bother him.
"No other reason," he said. "Why else would you pick on a couple of old people like that?"
If that is the agenda of the police and prosecutors, it is working.
"It does upset me," Peterson said.
After appearing before the grand jury, Albert Morphey denied speaking about Stacy or where she might be with his stepson.
Albert Morphey is the father of Thomas Morphey, Drew Peterson's stepbrother and the man who supposedly helped him move a warm blue barrel from his bedroom to his GMC Denali hours after Stacy was last seen alive.
Albert Morphey refused to talk about what role his son Thomas may have played in Stacy's disappearance.
CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(CBS 2, the Naperville Sun and the Aurora Beacon-News are news partners covering stories in the western suburbs. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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