Why This Case?

[Dryad]

I became interested in this case because I live in a Chicago suburb just about 20 miles from Bolingbrook. I'm also in the middle of a difficult divorce from my husband of 22 years who is a narcissist and a serial cheater. He left me and our children for another woman...I see alot of similarities and it scares me.

Another reason is that someone very close to me is an Illinois State Trooper who works in the area.

 

[SeekingJana]

There are so many horrible cases in the news, so many missing people we can't keep up with them all, many husbands who are abusive etc, so why does this case strike such a cord in so many? I find that I can't stop thinking about it and of course keep hoping Stacy will be found soon.
In part it seems when I see a picture of Stacy IMO there's a look in her eyes, a haunted look that really touches me, then there's the pictures of Kathleen, so full of life and ready to go on after the years of h^^$ DP put her through. Then I see the pictures and videos of DP with his smug arrogence and it also strikes me to the core.

VB

Vegas Bride,
I care about all the missing person cases which are brought to the public domain. Some don't get the publicity of others- probably this case went public more because of the combo of Drew Peterson being a ( now former) policeman with another deceased wife than anything related to the missing victim, Stacy, herself.

Media wants a case with a ' hook', something that makes it especially attention-catching, like a pregnant woman or pretty college cheerleader. None of the missing deserve to be missing, of course, but I am not sure that our society as a whole sees it that way. We are so desensitized to crime in general that it may take something unusually 'newsworthy' to grab our collective attentions.

I have a second cousin who has been missing for years and whose case has never gotten any media attention. I don't know her, but I do know that my family members who were closer to her have cried many tears and wonder every day if Jana is alive or dead. Holidays are hardest on them, I know.
In Jana's case, we don't even know if another person " disappeared" her like is feared in Stacy's case.. very few facts are available to us because she is a missing adult ( lower priority) in a very small town ( very few police to begin with, and no trained investigator.)
Jana apparently had a difficult life full of turmoil and with questionable friends and lifestyle choices at times. Also, her photo on the Texas missing adults site is not particularly eye-catching, so she falls way down the list of being newsworthy. Her parents have said that the only way her case would ever get public notice would be if she was found alive after being locked away for years in a madman's basement or such. IOW, if her reappearance was sensational, maybe there would be some publicity then.

 

[chiperoni]

I became interested when I read about Kathleen Savio and her complete powerlessness as a single mother divorced from DP. She had written every prominent LE official, DA's office and politician that she was worried for her physical safety. She told all her relatives.She died under suspicious circumstances and a coronor's jury with a persuasive cop declared it an accidental death. I can't understand how DP got away with it and he collected insurance as well. Kathleen's family must have been doubly devastated. If he had been stopped then SP would not be missing. It's horrifying.

 

[itsreenw]

I think what caught my attention was young, pretty Stacy being attracted to that baggy-eyed old coot. I had to know more.

When I heard she supposedly met Drew while she was working in a hotel lobby, I wondered what a married man would be doing in a local hotel in the first place. The sad part about all this is that there are cases that don't grab any attention. No media coverage at all. Those families have to be angry and frustrated that their loss seems insignificant to the Peterson cases, Natalie, Jonbenet, etc...

Drew is b*tching about all the media around his house. I bet there are plenty families that would love to get just one reporter to listen to their story. I have been working with a lady, Eleanor Penkala, who had a daughter, Ann Marie Selak that was murdered in 1982 in Norristown PA. Ann answered a doorbell at 3am and was blasted with a shotgun. Before Ann died, she was able to tell the name of the woman that shot her. LE KNOWS THE KILLER'S NAME!! There were 2 articles done about Ann in the 80s. The shooter was never arrested and about 6 months ago I contacted the editor of the Norristown newspaper. He agreed to do an article. Eleanor was so excited. He interviewed her and said the article was going to be printed on the 25th anniversary of Ann's death. (June 6, 2007) It never did get printed. The chief of police in Norristown suddenly claimed they were going to look into the case again and the editor decided to hold off on the story. Not another word has been mentioned about Ann's case. Eleanor is in her 70s and will probably die before her daughter's killer is found. Matter of fact, nobody's looking for her killer.

Drew Peterson should be grateful that he gets media attention for both of his wives tragic circumstances. But then again, what murderer wants attention brought to their own crimes.

 

[Leila]

I only casually followed this case in the news until the news broke that DP's 3rd wife drowned in a bathtub just a few years ago. That got my attention and at that point, I started seriously following the case here. I knew the basics of what happened and just needed to catch up on the details.

I think there's a lot of factors that make this particular case one that grabs the attention of the public. When you look at all those factors, it all comes back to DP. He's had 4 wives, three have alleged abuse, one is dead under suspicious circumstances that's now considered homicide, and the fourth wife is missing. Then there's the age difference of 30 years, and the fact that DP was obviously involved with a minor, which in any state should be considered child molestation. And coupled with all this is the fact that DP is a police officer and that his fellow officers had to know of his preference for minors, yet turned a blind eye. And, on top of all this is the fact that the missing woman and her suspect husband's surname is Peterson, which reminds us all of the case of Scott and Laci Peterson. Even the circumstance are eerily similar.

I feel that one thing that keeps people riveted to this case is the total lack of ANY emotion on the part of DP. He makes Scott Peterson look human in comparison. Scott Peterson at least went through the motions of searching for his missing wife and exhibited emotion.

 

[Camper]

I became interested in murder and crime at the age of 14. Raced to the newstand each week for my copy of 'True Detective magazine'. It had current stories of crime with real pictures of the victims and the story about each crime. Then came a lifetime of reading about such people, and many murder mysteries.

Becoming a sleuth did, I believe save my life from a stalker when I was 18 years old. Have told that story in years previous here.

Worked hard on numerous cases here. Frankly I have been suffering from major burn out, since my husbands passing.

Could not take the frustration of not being able to be heard by LE and actively helping with real cases. Frankly I had just turned into a social commentator in the Jury Room with great long time WS'ers!!!

When I saw DP with the American flag type scarf over his face, I went ballistic with wanting to know WHAT made him TICK!!!

Six children being left with such a horrible thing to live down. Four of them motherless AND a murdering creep as their father. Young women being taken advantage of by an older man.

WE have a job to do to keep our young inexperienced girls from having their lives ruined and ending up as a statistic, with just a tombstone IF they are lucky and have actually been found to be buried.

Endless lists of missing women and children!!!!!!!!!!!:furious:

I am in this til the end for this poor immitation of a man. He is so visible and readable to those of us who have met or been near a man just like him.

.

 

[Utopia]

There are so many horrible cases in the news, so many missing people we can't keep up with them all, many husbands who are abusive etc, so why does this case strike such a cord in so many? I find that I can't stop thinking about it and of course keep hoping Stacy will be found soon.
In part it seems when I see a picture of Stacy IMO there's a look in her eyes, a haunted look that really touches me, then there's the pictures of Kathleen, so full of life and ready to go on after the years of h^^$ DP put her through. Then I see the pictures and videos of DP with his smug arrogence and it also strikes me to the core.

VB

What everyone else has said but especially...

young
pretty
white
last name Peterson

Perhaps cynical, but true I think.

 

[kinsey milhoune]

Lots of reasons:
1. Age difference between Stacy & D
2. DP's outragious behavior:waitasec:
3. Fact that he (was) a cop
4. Number of marriages
5. Cheated on all the wives:crazy:
6. Stacys age & little children left behind
7. DP's constant TV appearances & lack of emotion for his wife (similar to Scotter Peterson):doh:
8. Third wifes death :liar:

Just some I can think of off the top of my head!

 

[dee10134]

This is a really great question, I used to ask myself this all the time during the other Peterson trial, why?

To me I think it is simply that it is a young innocent woman and her young innocent kids that have been so very wronged but such a monster that looks just like anyone else. I actually always try to find the reason behind these monster that look just like everyone else.

I don't think for one bit she's innocent... she's purportedly an adulteress. LE even thinks so... No innocence in adultery, is there now? :slap:

 

[dee10134]

The reason I'm so drawn into this case is because it's very local to me. Bolingbrook is 3 miles from my home. I prefer the local cases (there are so many in Chicago alone...) Also, the domestic violence issues hit very close to home for me. My father abused my mother physically and my brother and I verbally for many years. When he was on his deathbed, he and I came to terms with the years of abuse, but the emotional scars are still there. If DP was a drinker and did have DV issues with his wives, it hits home for me because I watched my mother go through YEARS of DV with my father.

 

[curiositycat]

Been thinking the same thing. She wasn't a blushing rose on the vine, even before she met Drew...by all accounts.

Still...no reason to kill her.

I don't think for one bit she's innocent... she's purportedly an adulteress. LE even thinks so... No innocence in adultery, is there now? :slap:

 

[willow]

I think what catches my attention about certain cases is the original story the spouse tells about the missing person involved. Usually, my intuition spots the BS and I'm hooked. I don't know exactly why, but I can just feel it.

The more they talk afterward, the more firmly I believe my gut feeling. I ALWAYS trust my intuition. I'm just funny that way.

 

[Camper]

How did Stacy missing rise to the surface of massive media attention?

Was it the sameness of the Scott and Laci Peterson case - same name similarity that caused its quick coverage and continued coverage?

Was it because the husband of the missing person is a long established Law Enforcement officer with a colorful 'marriage' background 4 wives?

Was it because of wife number three dying?

Where did the seed of massive coverage begin inabling it to take front stage?

Was it Greta ?, Nancy Grace was busy having babies.

So who was it and why was it, that caused this case to take flight quickly when so many many young mothers and women in general make the news by being murdered, or just plain GO missing?

Many children of the missing moms are doomed to spend their lifetimes with dads that are never found guilty, who just may in fact have disposed of their mommies.

.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Personally, I believe Cassandra was the reason this became national news so quickly (with the help of Greta and Mark). Her fast action, her decidedly upfront approach to there being foul play involved, and her willingness to go oncam to say it. She didn't apologize for her instincts and would gladly be the first to say she was wrong, if Stacy had come home voluntarily. I have seen too many of these cases where the victim's family through desire to "not give up hope" have allowed LE to take driver's seat and have a difficult time later bringing the case to the forefront. Cassandra didn't allow it to begin with and neither did Sharon B. They both held a united front speaking out against DP, in spite of what LE would have preferred them to do. I feel this was the key to the story growing like wildfire. The stories which came out of this initial response kept fanning the flames. Mother of two young children, adopted mother of another two from wife who died mysteriously, their May/December relationship, DP being a career officer, DP's attitude from the beginning, and various other factors then surfaced.

 

[Vegas Bride]

IMO it was the combination of everything already stated, along with the behavior of DrewP, things like him covering his face with the bandana also caused people the think "what's he trying to hide"
Things just kept getting more bizarre the more he opened his mouth.

VB

 

[kpass]

IMO it was the combination of everything already stated, along with the behavior of DrewP, things like him covering his face with the bandana also caused people the think "what's he trying to hide"
Things just kept getting more bizarre the more he opened his mouth.

VB

I agree...it's all of the above. ESPECIALLY him running his dumb mouth off. To me it seems like he must have hid her body so good that he's so confident she'll never surface. God will get him!

 

[fran]

I agree with all, it's everything. Each day we got up there was a 'new' development in this case. It went from a young 'missing mom,' to this may not be his first...... ehhhhh........murder,.........previous domestic violence calls covered up, Cassandra's quick response, the bizarre behavior of the main suspect, and it snowballed.:woohoo:

JMHO
fran

 

[Pharlap]

A cop involved.
One wife dead another missing(think she's dead too...pout) That stands out.
What are the odds 2 wifes not around anymore.
How he treated women in the past.


:twocents:

 

[mysteriew]

I also think it is all of the above + DrewP's talking. He talks about being a 'celebrity' and he has become so. But not for the usual reasons. It is because every utterance he makes is viewed with an "I can't believe he said that let alone that he believes that" thought.

Somewhere I read advice for families of missing persons. I believe it may have been from Natalee Holoway's mother (I can't remember her name.)

Some of what I remember is that no matter how private the family may want to be, they should appoint a spokesman for the media and make time to meet with them. They should read the articles and see who they feel has done the best job, and include them on as much of the search as possible. They should also be as open with those individuals as possible, but still protect the info that LE says should be protected.

They should establish a relationship with the media and try to get to know them as individuals- call them by name, maybe hug the ones they feel close to, show some of their emotions. Make the person an individual by talking to media about them and things they had done, showing family photos and talking about how they feel about the person who is missing and how much they are loved and missed. They shouldn't outright accuse the suspect of anything that they themselves didn't see or hear from the victim.

They should keep the case in the public eye by making sure that there is something to report. If things get slow, then hold a vigil or other activities to make sure there is something to report.

And all of this during a time when they feel vulnerable, and often want to be private. A time when all they want to do is search, but they do have to realize that their interaction with the media is a part of that search.

All of Stacy's family and Kathleen's family have done this and they are doing a great job.