Identified! IL - Will Co., Male body in Des Plaines River, May'09 - Gary Schmidt

[athy]

One thing that I have always found strange is Tom Morphey's comment that he thinks he may have helped move Stacy's body. And now that this is being looked at closely again, I had the same thoughts about his comments. Here's the reason:

At the point in time when Drew asked him to help move the blue container, Stacy hadn't been reported missing. Think about it. If you visit your brother's home and he asks you to help move a container from the bedroom, it could be anything - after all, his wife was helping a relative paint. So, at what point does he think there's a body inside? And, more importantly, WHY?

I think that relatives other than Kathleen's family -such as Tom Morphey - thought that Drew murdered Kathleen. And did Tom know that Stacy & Drew were having problems? What would prompt a brother to think he had just helped his brother move his wife's body when no one knew she was deceased or missing? He had the thoughts that night BEFORE there were any suspicions. WHY?

I'm eager to hear what all you sleuthers think. And, don't think I'm questioning Tom's story, I'm not. I just wondering why a guy would have those thoughts horrible about his brother.

Thoughts anyone?

i believe it was shortly afterwards, like next day that stacy was reported missing and thats when TM put two and two together.

 

[Leila]

That is pretty much what I recall also. Just couldn't remember WM's name.

Leila, Do you recall talk of the container having metal handles and clasps? Here is a whole page of information about the container on ACANDYROSE website with various containers:

http://www.acandyrose.com/stacy_peterson_blue_container.htm


01/28/2008 (www.mandjshow.com) - The moring show with Mike and Juliet
"Long-time Friend of Drew Peterson Speaks Out" (Ric Mims Interview)
RIC MIMS: The only thing I found out so far, that he has told me personally, is that he drove down to the airport [Cushing Field] where he kept his ultra light plane to put his FAA stickers on, which aren’t due till the first of the year and we’re talking he went down on the day she went missing. - MIKE: What do you think happened? - MIMS: I believe he buried her somewhere down near the airport.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MIKE: Do you think he buried her in that blue tub that everyone talks about? - RIC MIMS: Yes. - MIKE: You do. - RIC MIMS: Yes, I do, because the blue tub was brought up a bunch of times. And then when his, Thomas Morphey mentioned the tub with the silver handles. - MIKE: He helped him move it. - RIC MIMS: We used these big, blue tubs with the silver handles when we worked at the cable company to carry converter boxes in. And then the day I heard them say silver handles on the blue box, I knew immediately which box it was. I immediately grabbed pictures of the boxes I had that were similar.
********************************************************

abcnews.go.com
December 13, 2007

"Rick Mims, Peterson's long-time friend, told a grand jury last week that he and Peterson bought three such containers for about $100 from AmeriCable, where they both worked part-time in 2003, according to a source close to the investigation. Peterson put two of the containers on a shelf in his garage, but after Stacy vanished, so did the containers, Mims testified. A state prosecutor and the grand jurors themselves questioned Mims for approximately 10 minutes about the containers, the source said, asking in particular about the items' handles. Mims turned over photographs of the containers, and ABC News obtained copies of those photos. The new pictures have reportedly prompted state investigators, local police and volunteer searchers to shift their attention from what was originally thought to be a blue barrel to a square blue container."******************************************************************

11/27/2007 Julie Unruh (wgntv.trb.com) reporting (VIDEO): "Chicago Tribune is reporting tonight that a male relative said he helped Drew Peterson carry a large rectangular plastic container out of the Peterson bedroom on Oct 28th, this one day before Stacy Peterson was reported missing by relatives. The man who believes he assisted Peterson told a friend on Oct 28, quote, 'I think I just helped Drew dispose o

**********************************************************

chicagotribune.com
November 28, 2007


The two men {Drew Peterson and Thomas Morphey, a step-brother] went to an upstairs bedroom and removed a large covered and sealed 4-foot-long rectangular plastic container and placed it in the SUV, the sources familiar with the case said. They left the home about 10 p.m., and Drew Peterson then dropped the relative off at his home, at which point the distraught man contacted a friend, saying words to the effect of, "I think I just helped Drew dispose of Stacy," the source said. The relative allegedly told the friend the plastic container was warm to the touch and may have weighed about 120 pounds, a source said."f his wife Stacy.

***************************************************************

11/29/2007 Anita Padilla (www.myfoxchicago.com) reporting (VIDEO):
"Morphey Told Me...'I Don't Know What to Do, You Can't Tell Anyone'"
ANITA PADILLA: "In this exclusive interivew, Walter Martineck Jr. hasn't told anyone other than state police investigators what his good friend Thomas Morphey told him on the evening of October 28th, the very day Stacy Peterson disappeared. Morphey, he says was visably shaken." - WALTER: "Drew had taken him back to his house and said, 'Hey can you help me move something?' And Tom, you know, unwittingly, 'yeah okay I'll help ya' and he had gone upstairs to the master bedroom and brought a tote down, a blue tote, a seal blue tote and then he got really shooken up and he goes, 'I know she was in there.'

********************************************************************

There was a lot of discussion about the barrel or container, and the square boxes that Rick mentioned that he and Drew got when they worked at the cable company.

There's a lot of confusion because we don't know exactly which container is the right one........the blue barrel Cassandra says was in the garage and now missing; the square boxes that Rick says were in the garage and now missing; or another type of blue container. There was a woman reporter that did an interview and tour of the Peterson home. During that tour, she was in the basement and noticed a lid to a large Rubbermaid container, and there was speculation about that too.

I'm sure that both Tom Morphey and Rick Mims have been questioned at length about the container by LE. The police would have to have a better description of the container that TM says he help Drew carry downstairs to load in the Denali.

I remember too that a neighbor saw Drew and another man (who we now know was TM) loading something into the back of Drew's Denali. It's never been revealed who the neighbor was. I've always wondered if it was Sharon or her husband.

 

[Leila]

Thanks so much Marsha, This info from way back puts a whole new light on the Blue Barrel. It wasn't a barrel after all but a container.

How did the word barrel get into the mix? I bet some journo Or Sandra Bellinger, as she used the word barrel way back in the beginning I think.

Off to bed but I think a container like is described here and shown in your photo earlier would have a good chance of getting caught in all the riff raff of the river bottom, handles and all. I hope they drag that river!

The 4' tote is what Tom helped carry down from the MB. Then it sounds like he had 3 more on shelves in the garage, unless one of the 3 was 4' long.

Off to bed but what a boon this is to our Sleuthing xox

This is another container that was discussed at length - a Rubbermaid tote, and it did come in blue.

 

[Leila]

Hiya scandi! I am wondering a whole lot of things. Especially about the quotes saying it 'could' take two weeks for DNA results. I read another article this morning (and promptly lost it lol) saying that DNA results were being expedited.

I think it may take two weeks for a full report, but I believe that a preliminary report would not take so long, especially since LE has DNA from both Stacy and Lisa in hand. I think LE will know shortly, if they don't know already, if it is either of these women. Whether they will release that info immediately is another question.

Paintr............it's been said that a DNA match can be done in as little as three days. The autopsy on the remains was done on Thursday, and it was at that time the ME said that there was nothing to identify who the victim is, and that they've sent DNA to the lab.

Considering the holiday weekend, and allowing for an extra couple of days considering the state of the remains, I think it's possible that we might hear something by this Friday, or next Monday.

In the meantime, if there's still searches of the river going on, there might be more evidence to be found, and something that would point to either Lisa or Stacy.

Is there anyone local that knows if the river is still being searched?

 

[Leila]

Hello. I'm new to this forum. Thank you in advance ) for excusing me if I make a less than informed statement but is is possible that because the body seems to be, or may have been, dismembered, that 'her remains were put in to both the blue container AND the blue barrel?

I think that's a good possibility. Other containers may have been used to dispose of other evidence too.

 

[Noway]

Probably more than you want to know about blue containers, totes, and barrels, but this is a good site for information when you're trying to recall what you read.

Click here.

 

[kikid]

One thing that I have always found strange is Tom Morphey's comment that he thinks he may have helped move Stacy's body. And now that this is being looked at closely again, I had the same thoughts about his comments. Here's the reason:

At the point in time when Drew asked him to help move the blue container, Stacy hadn't been reported missing. Think about it. If you visit your brother's home and he asks you to help move a container from the bedroom, it could be anything - after all, his wife was helping a relative paint. So, at what point does he think there's a body inside? And, more importantly, WHY?

I think that relatives other than Kathleen's family -such as Tom Morphey - thought that Drew murdered Kathleen. And did Tom know that Stacy & Drew were having problems? What would prompt a brother to think he had just helped his brother move his wife's body when no one knew she was deceased or missing? He had the thoughts that night BEFORE there were any suspicions. WHY?

I'm eager to hear what all you sleuthers think. And, don't think I'm questioning Tom's story, I'm not. I just wondering why a guy would have those thoughts horrible about his brother.

Thoughts anyone?

I think it was the combination of the following which made him feel he had helped drew move stacy's body:

* mysterious death of kathleen in past
* Drew asked TM two days prior if TM loved DP enough to kill for him
* Drew left TM at the cafe with his cell instructing him not to answer
* TM saw incoming calls from SP while DP was away
* DP has him help moved a sealed container from his bedroom to his vehicle
* DP's behavior

 

[Leila]

One thing that I have always found strange is Tom Morphey's comment that he thinks he may have helped move Stacy's body. And now that this is being looked at closely again, I had the same thoughts about his comments. Here's the reason:

At the point in time when Drew asked him to help move the blue container, Stacy hadn't been reported missing. Think about it. If you visit your brother's home and he asks you to help move a container from the bedroom, it could be anything - after all, his wife was helping a relative paint. So, at what point does he think there's a body inside? And, more importantly, WHY?

I think that relatives other than Kathleen's family -such as Tom Morphey - thought that Drew murdered Kathleen. And did Tom know that Stacy & Drew were having problems? What would prompt a brother to think he had just helped his brother move his wife's body when no one knew she was deceased or missing? He had the thoughts that night BEFORE there were any suspicions. WHY?

I'm eager to hear what all you sleuthers think. And, don't think I'm questioning Tom's story, I'm not. I just wondering why a guy would have those thoughts horrible about his brother.

Thoughts anyone?

In recent statements Tom Morphey has talked about his relationship with Drew. Tom was interviewed on Good Morning America in March, and somewhere in this thread is a link to that interview.

In the interview Tom says that Drew asked him if he "would kill someone for him." Tom told him no, he couldn't live with the guilt. He says that Drew talked a lot about the problems with Stacy. Tom said he always felt that Drew killed Kathleen. In the days leading up to Stacy's disappearance, in fact just a day or two before, Drew asked Tom if he would rent a storage unit in his name and let Drew use it. Again, Tom refused.

I think it was the background, what Drew said in the weeks leading up to Stacy's disappearance, that made Tom come to the conclusions he did about what was in the blue container.

 

[CindyLooWho77]

Here is the picture of the blue box Rick M said both he and DP purchased at the same time from the same place.

He still had his but he said DP no longer had his. In an email I asked RM what size it was and he said approx. 2x2x2.

I have an end table in my family that same size and had a neighbor boy who is a bit over 5' tall come and he fit perfectly under the coffee table in a folded up position. I couldn't believe it.

Also, IIRC in the first reports about what Tom M. described as to what he helped load into DP's vehicle, I believe he said it was a blue container with metal handles and metal clasps. (just my recollection)

I still feel like he buried SOMETHING, not sure what it was in a neighboring field............I think by now the ground would have settled totally though....18 months

 

[CindyLooWho77]

Hi Marsha, I hope they drag the river too! The container you show is not a barrel, and I did appreciate your thoughts and practicality with the neighbor boy of about the same size, fitting into a 2 x 2 x 2 area.

What about the barrel he bought with the chlorine in it, at an odd time of year and that was not there left in his garage. Could it be he used the 2 x 2 x 2 container to dispose of the accoutrements to the crime? The things that had her DNA? A coverlet that would have blood or spinal fluid on it if he broke her neck in the attempt to strangle her? Makeup, an IUD, Just shooting from the hip here, but we have seen how these things happen in all the cases we see here at Websleuths. xox

IT WOULD BE ABOUT BLOODY WELL TIME, IF THEY DID DRAG THE RIVER Dear God............

 

[Leila]

The following is a link to the Good Morning America interview with Tom Morphey on March 15, 2009. There's a video of the interview and an article. Tom seems very credible and honest in this interview. The video is about 5 minutes long and very worth while listening to.


http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/LegalCenter/story?id=7082749&page=1

 

[panthera]

This is another container that was discussed at length - a Rubbermaid tote, and it did come in blue.

Oh yes that looks very familiar ~ we have two blue ones in the garage for storing Christmas trees. And it definitely would be large enough for Stacy's body if she were curled up. MOO

 

[thelmadawg]

The following is a link to the Good Morning America interview with Tom Morphey on March 15, 2009. There's a video of the interview and an article. Tom seems very credible and honest in this interview. The video is about 5 minutes long and very worth while listening to.


http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/LegalCenter/story?id=7082749&page=1

I totally believe his story -- interesting he specifically said barrel, and his description of DP moving it out of the bedroom sounded like what we might call "walking" something heavy and unwieldy. To me, I get the image of a large blue barrel, not a smaller square object or a tote that you could pick up. Hopefully the police have a good idea of what exactly went into the back of the suv.

 

[scandi]

I was under the impression the additional remains found close to Dow Chemical were that of a leg bone, according to the man who walked the reporter to the area (can't recall which station.)

CBS 2 has this report of perhaps another finding?

"And they were out yesterday again when one man says they found evidence: an arm bone from shoulder to elbow. He wanted his identity withheld but praised the efforts of the volunteer searchers . . ."

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Des.Plaines.River.2.1017836.html

Am I confused, the reporter confused, or do we now have at least two pieces of additional evidence that we know about?

Hi Thelmadawg, Acc to this article published about 9pm on Sat eve and updated on Sunday, it says the worker said it was a leg bone. He said THEY {the investigators he led down to that area I assume the way it reads} told him it was found along the edge of the river. I do believe he stood there while they worked, watched them bagging evidence even and it is hard to imagine him saying it was a leg bone if he wasn't told that. Or he might have heard the men talking together, right?

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/Des_Plaines_River_New_Evidence

That was MyFOX Chicago. Then your above link from CBS2 tells of an arm bone from the shoulder down to the elbow being found - very specific. On Sat we learned they found more than one thing, including things taken out of the water.

So IMO I'm assuming on their Sat quest they found several bones, at least 2 that we have heard about. And these bones would be ones that the remains found on Wed were missing. That could be why the links said the new find was related to the Wed find, and then clarified LE would not confirm that.

Another thing. They also thanked the volunteers who had been searching along the river. I bet that sometime between Wed and Sat some volunteers came upon this site, called it in and were told to leave it as be. And that would explain why these LE men/women had to be led into that spot on the river.

I wonder what else they found?

 

[scandi]

I totally believe his story -- interesting he specifically said barrel, and his description of DP moving it out of the bedroom sounded like what we might call "walking" something heavy and unwieldy. To me, I get the image of a large blue barrel, not a smaller square object or a tote that you could pick up. Hopefully the police have a good idea of what exactly went into the back of the suv.

It is very interesting Thelmadawg, as in the link Marsha posted on the previous page from ACANDYROSE, he also said it was a large rectangular plastic container {that would not be the 2x2x2 one}:

"11/27/2007 Julie Unruh (wgntv.trb.com) reporting (VIDEO): "Chicago Tribune is reporting tonight that a male relative said he helped Drew Peterson carry a large rectangular plastic container out of the Peterson bedroom on Oct 28th, this one day before Stacy Peterson was reported missing by relatives. The man who believes he assisted Peterson told a friend on Oct 28, quote, 'I think I just helped Drew dispose . . ."

BTW, the link to ACANDYROSE's site Marsha included in that same post {pp 31 here, post #762}, gives an amazing study of the BB/B container scanario with photos. An odd thing is the photo with the large blue rectangular box on the grass behind Stacy is different than the one with silver handles from the cable co. It makes me wonder if it is one of the 3 boxes they bought for $100?

 

[parker38]

Just a thought that has always nagged at me.
Not to demean TM, but I found it strange that he
had all this knowledge leading up to the fact, BUT
didn't put two and two together until it was to late.
He THOUGHT Drew had something to do with KS's death,
Drew had asked him if he would kill for him, and on and on and yet
he helps him with this barrel, bucket or whatever and waits
until it is too late to do anything about it! Just boggles my mind.
Maybe it's just my way of thinking, lol, but if someone asked me to
help them move something, with everything else that had occurred that
night, I would WANT to know what I was helping with!!

By the time he told his neighbor WHAT he thought, it was too late!!
Maybe I'm missing something!

 

[Marsha]

I totally believe his story -- interesting he specifically said barrel, and his description of DP moving it out of the bedroom sounded like what we might call "walking" something heavy and unwieldy. To me, I get the image of a large blue barrel, not a smaller square object or a tote that you could pick up. Hopefully the police have a good idea of what exactly went into the back of the suv.

I didn't hear TM say the word "barrel" at all. The interviewer (or the voice telling the story) says it.

 

[Marsha]

Just a thought that has always nagged at me.
Not to demean TM, but I found it strange that he
had all this knowledge leading up to the fact, BUT
didn't put two and two together until it was to late.
He THOUGHT Drew had something to do with KS's death,
Drew had asked him if he would kill for him, and on and on and yet
he helps him with this barrel, bucket or whatever and waits
until it is too late to do anything about it! Just boggles my mind.
Maybe it's just my way of thinking, lol, but if someone asked me to
help them move something, with everything else that had occurred that
night, I would WANT to know what I was helping with!!

By the time he told his neighbor WHAT he thought, it was too late!!
Maybe I'm missing something!

I think he knew that DP had killed KS and TM was probably very afraid of DP.

 

[parker38]

I think he knew that DP had killed KS and TM was probably very afraid of DP.

Thank you Marsha!! Very true. I had forgotten to consider that
evilness and fear spread by DP to everyone he came in contact with.

 

[thelmadawg]

I didn't hear TM say the word "barrel" at all. The interviewer (or the voice telling the story) says it.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/LegalCente...7082749&page=1

My bad! The reporter mentions the barrel at the beginning and then breaks in again with the barrel statement just before TM begins describing what I would call "walking" the container out of the bedroom being careful not to tip it. It still seems that this would seem to be some rather large and tall to "walk" it as I envision it, but I suppose you could "walk" a shorter object such as a plastic storage container as well.