- PHOTOS: Drew Peterson Murder Trial Timeline
- PHOTOS: Key Players in Drew Peterson Murder Trial
- I-TEAM: Peterson prosecutors: 'One down, one to go'
- VIDEO: Watch as verdict announced on ABC7
- VIDEO: Savio family talks to media after guilty verdict
- VIDEO: Stacy's sister talks to media after Peterson guilty verdict
- VIDEO: Drew Peterson's defense attorneys promise appeal
- VIDEO: Peterson prosecutor James Glasgow talks to media
- VIDEO: Pam Bosco, Stacy Peterson family spokesperson, reacts
- VIDEO: ABC7 Exclusive: Full Interview with 'holdout' Peterson juror
"We will not tolerate this kind of bullying, tormenting of women and indiscriminate murder. This man murdered her because he was larger than she was. He is basically a coward," said James Glasgow, Will County state's attorney. "I was very confident in just watching the jury when they took notes, when they didn't, the looks on their faces, when certain types of evidence was coming in."
Despite his political gamble and some admitted low points in the trial, Glasgow says he was confident that the jury would find Peterson guilty of murdering Savio. Glasgow gave an interview WJOL 1340 AM's Scott Slocum, slamming Peterson and thanking supporters who were at the courthouse.
"I think what they were cheering is the suppression of this misogyny that Drew Peterson had been promoting. When he's arrested for the murder of his wife, he says, 'Oh, my library book's overdue.' When he comes to court, he says, 'Look at my bling.'
Glasgow said after nine weeks of working 14-hour days, he was relieved when jurors reached their long-awaited verdict.
"Drew Peterson went on worldwide television and mocked the death of his third wife and made fun of the disappearance of his fourth wife. And that was just something that I felt we had to change. And, you know, not necessarily make an example of him because he's irrelevant, but just the philosophy that he was, you know, promoting," Glasgow said.
Glasgow says next his office will focus on charging Peterson with the disappearance of his fourth wife with what he calls unique evidence and electronic transformation which the jury won't have to guess on. Glasgow also says assistant state's attorney Mike Fitzgerald is pursuing a separate high-profile missing woman mystery with another suspect, the case of Lisa Stebic.
It took the Peterson jurors a day and a half to find the former Bolingbrook police sergeant guilty of the 2004 death of his third wife Kathleen Savio. The jurors were apparently grappling with the circumstantial and hearsay evidence. The outcome hinged on a lone juror.
"They had come to the point where they were beyond a reasonable doubt. The hearsay evidence was big. It just seemed like all the evidence was pointing towards the defendant being guilty," said holdout juror Ron Supalo.
"It was a stacked deck. Hearsay evidence allowed in in unprecedented amounts," said Peterson attorney Joel Brodsky.
"It is a dark day in America when you can convict somebody on hearsay evidence," said Peterson attorney Joe Lopez.
The defense is vowing to appeal. The family of Peterson's missing fourth wife Stacy hopes this verdict will lead to charges against Peterson in her case.
"Maybe someone will come forward that maybe knows something about my sister and they feel safe now and they can come forward and talk now that Drew is put away," said Cassandra Cales, Stacy Peterson's sister.
The verdict brought justice to the Savio family. They say they have never accepted that Savio died accidentally and always blamed Drew Peterson for her bathtub death.
"Fantastic, they couldn't have done a better job. Finally somebody heard Kathleen's cry. Twelve people did the right thing, thank God," said stepmother Marcia Savio.
"I knew all the time he killed her and I wasn't ever going to let go. I was there at the beginning for my sister and am here until the end," said sister Susan Doman.
"We thank everyone for the strong support. I just have to say thank you," said father Henry savio.
Drew Peterson woke up Friday in the same 5'x8' cell where he will be until sentencing in November, where he has been held since his 2009 arrest. Because of the publicity surrounding his case and the fact he is a former police sergeant, he has been kept in isolation. Guards allow him out of his cell for an hour or two each day but only to an adjoining day room. Once he is sentenced, he will be sent to a state prison.
Peterson will be sentenced November 26. He faces a maximum 60-year prison term.
