Nov 22, 2007 10:39 pm US/Central
Letter To Drew Peterson Claims Stacy Is Alive
Former Police Sergeant's Lawyer Says Writer Claims To Have Seen Stacy Peterson In Peoria Grocery Store
BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (CBS) ―
A mysterious letter has surfaced that missing Bolingbrook woman Stacy Peterson is still alive. A description of that letter was released by Drew Peterson's attorney. But Thursday night, Stacy Peterson's family is skeptical.
Drew Peterson, the man who told People magazine he expects to be arrested, is not talking about the letter. But his lawyer, in a news release, has revealed what's in it.
He calls it "a detailed description of a sighting of...Stacy Peterson." The writer, who did not sign the letter, tells of seeing the missing woman inside a Kroger food market in Peoria on November 12. The writer says she was "Standing in the dairy section. …It appeared that she was trying to be noticed."
The letter also describes a man apparently with her. The writer also questions if Stacy Peterson was pregnant, "because she appeared to have a little 'pudge.'"
"It would be the best news in the world to hear that is exactly where she is and we would find her," said Stacy Peterson's stepsister, Kerry Simmons.
But Simmons is also suspicious about the origins of the letter.
"He just got done talking to the press about Stacy coming forward and going public and all of a sudden there's this letter," Simmons said. "It just seems to be coincidental."
State police will review surveillance tapes from inside the store if they exist.
Drew Peterson marked Thanksgiving at home with his mother and other relatives Thursday night. His lawyer says he's turned the letter over to the state police.
A friend of Stacy Peterson's family has also weighed in on the letter.
"We got a letter saying she was in Florida," Pamela Bosco said. "She's traveling an awful lot isn't she?"
Meanwhile, Drew Peterson's pension is in jeopardy after investigators discovered several crimes unrelated to the disappearance of the former police sergeant's wife and mysterious death of his third wife, according to a report in Thursday's Chicago Tribune.
Illinois State Police Captain Carl Dobrich told the Tribune 64 officers are now assigned full-time to investigate the disappearance of Stacy Peterson and the death of Kathleen Savio.
Dobrich said in the course of the investigation, detectives discovered evidence Drew Peterson may have violated Bolingbrook Police Department policies.
Dobrich would not describe the alleged violations, but told the Tribune they were serious enough to potentially trigger the loss of Drew Peterson's $6,000 monthly pension. Under state law, a police officer's pension may be denied or revoked only if the officer is convicted of a job-related felony.
Peterson submitted his resignation last week, but Police Chief Ray McGury refused to accept it, saying he wanted Peterson fired. Bolingbrook's Police and Fire Commission later accepted Peterson's resignation.
McGury didn't disclose specifics, but alleged Peterson committed "severe" violations of departmental policies.
State police have named Peterson a suspect in Stacy Peterson's disappearance, and Will County prosecutors have said the bathtub drowning of Savio, 40, in March 2004 appeared to be staged to conceal a homicide.
Tips are coming in from across the nation, and the cases are the agency's top investigative priority, Dobrich said.
A grand jury convened for the Savio and Stacy Peterson probes met for the first time Wednesday and heard testimony from Rossetto.
Police contacted Rossetto after finding phone records that connected him to Stacy Peterson. Rossetto's brother dated her briefly in 2001.
CBS 2's Mike Parker and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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