Drew Peterson Moved To State Prison In Pontiac To Begin Sentence
Updated 2/22/2013 at 6:00 p.m.
JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) -- Less than a day after declaring his innocence at the top of his lungs during his sentencing hearing, former Bolingbrook cop Drew Peterson was transferred from the Will County Jail to a state prison in Pontiac to begin serving his 38-year sentence for murder.
The Will County Sheriff's office said Peterson was transferred from the jail to the Stateville Correctional Center in nearby Crest Hill at 9:22 a.m. on Friday, about 18 hours after his sentence was handed down. He was later sent to the maximum-security state prison at downstate Pontiac, a state official told CBS 2.
Peterson was convicted of first-degree murder last September in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He's also been declared a suspect in the disappearance of his missing fourth wife, Stacy Peterson.
During an angry, rambling, and emotional plea to the judge on Thursday, Peterson screamed "I did not kill Kathleen!" as he asked for lenience in sentencing.
Peterson also lashed out at Savio's family, the evidence against him, investigators and prosecutors involved in his case, and the court itself. He cried at times and said all of his rights were violated and no one cares.
One seat in the courtroom was saved for Carl Dobrich, a retired Illinois State Police commanding officer.
For three years, he led his agency's investigation of Savio's death and Stacy Peterson's disappearance.
"Every day we came to work there were two pictures on our wall, in the war room. One was of Stacy and one was of Kathleen Savio," he tells CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli.
After Peterson was arrested, Dobrich made him an offer.
"I looked at him and I said, 'Drew, now is the time to cooperate if you want to cooperate.' He looked at me. I could tell he was thinking, and he shook his head no."
Dobrich said Peterson's loud declaration of his innocence only served to show the explosive rage of a killer.
"That's what both Kathleen and Stacy saw before they died," he says.
Dobrich says he's hopeful Stacy Peterson's body will be found and that Drew Peterson will be charged with her murder.
Peterson has been in jail for nearly four years, after his arrest in May 2009, and will receive credit for the time he's already been incarcerated. He won't be eligible for release until 2047, when he'll be 93 years old.
