Savio's Sister Testifies Peterson Said He Was Going To Kill His Wife
UPDATED 08/03/12 12:13 p.m.
JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) -- The sister of Kathleen Savio – the third wife of Drew Peterson – testified Friday that Peterson told Savio he was going to kill her.
Testimony for Peterson's murder trial in Will County concluded around noon Friday because a juror got sick. The trial will resume on Tuesday.
But on Friday morning, Anna Doman testified at Peterson's murder trial in Will County Court Friday that her sister had "said Drew had told her he was going to kill her she was not going to make it to the divorce settlement."
Peterson also told Savio, "You are not going to get my pension or my kids," Doman testified.
The following day, Doman testified that she saw Peterson "leaning over the bath tub rubbing. I asked him what he was doing. He said he didn't want the kids to see the blood. I didn't know there was blood. I was thinking why would there be blood if she drowned."
Savio's body was found in a dry bathtub on March 1, 2004.
Initially, Savio's death was ruled an accidental drowning, but her body was exhumed after Stacy Peterson, Drew Peterson's third wife, vanished in October 2007. After a new autopsy, officials concluded that Savio's death was a homicide.
Prosecutors and Illinois State Police believe Stacy Peterson is dead, and Drew Peterson has been named a person of interest in her disappearance. But he has not been charged in that case.
Doman's testimony comes the day after Will County Judge Edward Burmila denied a defense motion for a mistrial, following testimony from Thomas Pontarelli, a neighbor of Savio's. Pontarelli talked about finding a bullet in his driveway -- which he believed Peterson had placed there to intimidate him.
But prosecutors had admitted they have no proof Peterson put the bullet there. The defense moved for a mistrial, and Burmila said he was close to granting a mistrial. However, in the end, he chose not to take such a drastic step.
It was the second time defense attorneys for Peterson have requested a mistrial since the case started Tuesday.
