Chicago Area Local News

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (CBS) ― Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of Stacy Peterson, and while her family and authorities believe she was murdered, her ex-husband Drew Peterson says he hopes she "returns home or reveals herself."

Suspicion has been surrounding Drew Peterson ever since Stacy Peterson, then 23, of Bolingbrook, vanished from her home. Illinois State Police later said Stacy Peterson was likely dead, and that Drew Peterson was a suspect.

But Peterson and attorney Joel Brodsky have maintained that Stacy Peterson left the former Bolingbrook police sergeant for another man and left their two children behind. He repeated that sentiment in a statement commemorating the one-year anniversary:

"There is not a single day that goes by that I don't think about Stacy, so to me Tuesday is just another day of her being away. I realize this may be a significant event for the media, but it is not for me or my family. I won't be participating in any vigils. Instead, I am giving one interview and then I will be far from the media spotlight spending quality time with my kids who need their dad now more than ever," the statement began.

"For those who are concerned about my children, I thank you. But there's no need for worry. I am taking good care of them though I have to admit acting as both dad and mom takes a lot of work and patience. My son Thomas is first in his class at one of the largest and finest high schools in Illinois. His brother Chris is also doing exceptionally well in school and is involved in wrestling and other activities. My youngest kids, Anthony and Lacy are too young to be in school but both are happy and healthy and adjusting normally," the statement continued.

"I have consistently and steadfastly maintained that I had nothing to do with Stacy's disappearance and the death of Kathy Savio, my third wife. I hope that Stacy returns home or reveals herself, and that I am one day cleared of any wrongdoing in both cases. Until then, I remain strong thanks in no small part to my family and especially my kids who believe in their dad," Peterson's statement concluded.

CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli reports that for the first time ever the man who sources believe helped Drew Peterson load a suspicious blue barrel into his truck has been caught on tape. He wasn't talking about what he did exactly one year ago today or anything else before he shut the door and retreated inside his home.

For the one-year anniversary, Stacy Peterson's sister and closest relatives are mourning privately, while neighbors hold a memorial vigil. Meanwhile, Drew Peterson plans to discuss the case in the latest of several television interviews he has done over the past year.

Drew Peterson is also under investigation in death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, whose body was found in a dry bathtub in 2004. Originally, the Will County coroner's office ruled that Savio had died in an accidental drowning, but following an exhumation late last year, her death was reclassified as a homicide.

In the time since, Peterson has said he wants the media to leave him alone, but simultaneously courted media publicity. He has made numerous appearances on national news programs, and even planned last January to appear on a dating game on Steve Dahl's radio show, although Dahl later canceled the stunt.

Peterson and Brodsky made another TV appearance on Tuesday, with Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today" show. He talked about Stacy's disappearance, and his third wife's death.

"Everybody calls my behavior early on, that my behavior was bizarre or unusual, but again, I have no books or guidelines on how to act," Peterson said. "I was very afraid of what was going on; I just acted with knee-jerk reactions."

Peterson says his wife is alive and is likely off gallivanting with another man which is what he claims she told him she was going to do when he says she called him on the evening that she disappeared. On the "Today" show, he addressed her directly:

"Show yourself, and put an end to this nightmare," Peterson said.

But a year later, Will County authorities abruptly have signaled that some charges may be coming in Stacy Peterson's disappearance or Savio's death, which initially was classified an accident. After Stacy's disappearance, authorities exhumed Savio's body, conducted a second autopsy and labeled her bathtub drowning a homicide.

Calling the investigations into the two cases "highly productive," Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow last week said he expected to conclude one of the probes shortly.

"I fully expect there to be a resolution in at least one of these investigations in the near future," Glasgow said in a written statement.

A key issue in filing charges could be new legislation Glasgow is pushing that would allow so-called "hearsay evidence" from absent witnesses to be presented in murder trials. The proposed law Glasgow is backing would allow a judge to determine whether previous statements made by a witness -- even a murder victim -- could be admitted as trial evidence if prosecutors prove the defendant is responsible for the witness not being able to testify personally.

Both Savio and Stacy Peterson reportedly told friends they feared Drew Peterson --statements prosecutors conceivably could use against him if the hearsay bill becomes law later this year.

Sources close to the investigation theorize that it was Peterson's fear that Stacy was about to reveal what she knew about her husband's whereabouts on the night when his third wife was killed that may have led him to murder his fourth wife.

Sources says Stacy Peterson was seen just days after Kathleen Savio was found dead in a bathtub looking for her husband and was repeatedly calling his cell phone to try and locate him the day before Savio was found dead. Later an independent pathologist determined that Savio had been dead for at least 18 hours when she was found.

"She said she couldn't repeat it because her aunt and my life would be in jeopardy," said Sharon Bychowski, Stacy's friend and neighbor.

At the end of October last year Stacy Peterson met with the late Kathleen Savio's divorce attorney to see if she would take on his case. Days later she disappeared without a trace.

Sources believe in a blue barrel that Peterson's step-brother helped Peterson put into his truck. He was reportedly distraught after helping Peterson remove that blue barrel. According to sources, he is cooperating with police.

Relatives remain upbeat that they ultimately will see criminal charges filed.

"I know something is coming," Stacy's sister Cassandra Cales said. "The wheels of justice turn slowly, but they're going to turn."

Savio's sister, Anna Doman, thinks charges in her sister's death aren't far off.

"This is going to happen, I'm just not sure when," Doman said.

Peterson, who denies any wrongdoing, shrugged off Glasgow's efforts to enact the hearsay law and his recent pronouncement that he expects action soon in at least one of the cases.

"I'm just kind of numb to it all," said Peterson.

Brodsky tied Glasgow's recent statements to his upcoming, contested Nov. 4 election and flatly predicted Peterson doesn't have to worry about standing trial.

"He's not going to be charged in either case," Brodsky said.

When Peterson was asked on the "Today" show whether he expected to be charged in either case, he said, "I really don't know."

CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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