Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: Drew Peterson: New Bid for Freedom?

Date: October 11, 2025
Host: Nancy Grace
Guests:

• Joel Brodski (Drew Peterson’s former defense attorney)
• Cheryl McCollum (Cold Case Research Institute Director)
• Dr. Chloe Carmichael (Psychologist)
• Robin Walensky (WSB Investigative Reporter)

Episode Overview

Nancy Grace and a panel of legal, investigative, and psychological experts dissect Drew Peterson's latest court bid to overturn his murder conviction and re-examine the chilling cases of both his missing fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, and his murdered third wife, Kathleen Savio. Through a critical analysis of Peterson's claims and new courtroom developments, the episode explores lingering questions of justice, psychological manipulation, and the failures that allowed Peterson to elude conviction for years.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Drew Peterson’s Latest Court Bid

• Main Issue: Peterson claims he needs a psychological evaluation as part of his attempt to overturn his murder conviction for Kathleen Savio.
  • “He was finally convicted in the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. She was found dead, covered in bruises, head to toe, drowned in a bone dry bathtub. And he skated on that for years until her body had to be exhumed to put his sorry rear end behind bars.” – Nancy Grace (00:05)
  • Peterson alleges ineffective assistance of counsel and prosecutorial misconduct.
• Nancy’s Take: Grace is highly skeptical, calling Peterson a "perv" and “not mentally ill,” and suggests his appeal is a distraction from his crimes (06:23).

2. Revisiting the Stacy Peterson Case

• Stacy, Peterson’s fourth wife, disappeared in 2007; her body has never been found.
• Peterson’s Narrative (from Dr. Phil interview): Stacy often asked for divorce, possibly tied to her menstrual cycle, and that they maintained a loving relationship till she vanished.
  • “She told me she wanted a divorce once a month.” – Drew Peterson (03:41)
  • “I have a lot of anger issues about it now that she took off like she did.” – Drew Peterson, on Stacy’s disappearance (04:57)
• Friend and Family Statements:
  • Stacy reportedly feared for her life and confided in family about Peterson’s threats.
  • Claims that Peterson was controlling, frequently checking up on Stacy.
• Contentious Allegations: Peterson denies any physical violence, dismisses claims by Stacy’s stepsister and brother-in-law as unreliable or fabricated (07:19–08:24).

3. Analysis of Peterson’s Abuse and Control

• Robin Walensky’s Investigative Summary: All four of Peterson’s wives sought escape; at least two allege abuse or threats.
  • “He’s got a very, very long history of four wives, all who really wanted away from him.” – Robin Walensky (10:00)
  • Highlights the significant age difference—Stacy was 19 when she married a then 49-year-old Peterson (10:52).
• Cheryl McCollum and Dr. Chloe Carmichael on Abuse Patterns:
  • McCollum: “Every time she’s on her period, all she asked for is a divorce… she just wants to get the hell away from you.” (09:16)
  • Dr. Carmichael: “It’s very unusual for someone whose spouse is missing to suddenly just say that they’re angry with the person for leaving... The fact that he’s jumping to anger... I think it’s very unusual and somewhat suspicious.” (11:21)

4. Spotlight on Evidence, Alibis, and Lies

• Blue Barrel Theory:
  • Peterson’s brother-in-law claims he helped move a heavy, warm blue barrel—suspected to contain Stacy’s body—on the night she disappeared.
  • Peterson denies this, calling the brother-in-law unreliable.
• Counterevidence: Video places Peterson and his brother-in-law together at Starbucks on the night of the disappearance, contradicting Peterson’s account (17:15–17:58).
• Plane Theory:
  • Investigators considered Peterson may have disposed of Stacy’s body by flying a barrel out to remote forested land (19:09).
  • Repeated searches never recovered Stacy’s remains.

5. Legal Defense and Public Perception

• Joel Brodski (Defense Attorney):
  • Insists Peterson’s position was that he never committed domestic violence due to his police career risks.
  • Admits Peterson was controlling and trained in tactics that could inflict harm without leaving marks.
  • When confronted with contradictory evidence, Brodski concedes Peterson lied because he was unaware of certain evidence at the time (13:53–18:12).
  • “He was very controlling… he would monitor them electronically, follow them.” – Joel Brodski (16:38)
• Nancy Grace’s Response:
  • “He may be a two time stone cold killer, maybe more for all I know. But he is not mentally ill. The only illness he has is in his underwear.” (12:36)
  • Strongly challenges Brodski’s rationalizations and underscores patterns of abuse and manipulation.

6. Ongoing Search for Stacy

• Funding for the search has run dry. Stacy's sister has launched a GoFundMe campaign to continue the effort.
• “She disappeared and has never been seen again. FYI, right now we know that money has run dry and Stacy’s sister has actually launched an effort to raise money on a GoFundMe site to continue the search for Stacy Peterson’s body.” (19:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nancy Grace (On Peterson’s behavior in the courtroom):
  • “Peterson was wheeled into the courtroom… wearing glasses, trying to look pitiful, claiming he needs a psychological evaluation. I could have told you that on day one.” (00:05)
• Cheryl McCollum (On patterns of abuse):
  • “The devil takes many forms. And…the reality is a 19 year old girl was married to a 49 year old man and that was nothing about but control… There’s no doubt that every one of his four wives was abused in some way.” (15:59)
• Robin Walensky (On the barrel theory):
  • “She was super petite and could have fit in that barrel very easily… He had access to a small plane… one theory…he could have dropped the barrel into a forest area.” (19:09)
• Dr. Chloe Carmichael (On Peterson’s anger):
  • “It’s very unusual for someone whose spouse is missing to suddenly just say that they’re angry with the person for leaving…” (11:21)
• Nancy Grace (Observing the defense’s tactics):
  • “He’s basically saying, look over here at my defense attorney and the prosecutor. Don’t look at me and the two wives I’ve murdered. Yeah, don’t look there. Look here. Okay?” (06:23)
• Joel Brodski (Admitting to Peterson’s controlling nature):
  • “Drew was very controlling, very control. I mean, there’s no question.” (16:38)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:05: Nancy Grace opener; background on the Peterson murders and missing persons cases.
• 03:14–06:12: Drew Peterson’s Dr. Phil interview excerpts: denials, explanations, and demeanor.
• 09:16: Cheryl McCollum’s analysis of divorce pattern and abuse.
• 10:00: Robin Walensky details Peterson’s four wives and history of abuse.
• 11:21: Dr. Chloe Carmichael discusses psychological red flags and domestic violence.
• 13:53–18:12: Heated debate with defense attorney Joel Brodski over evidence, lies, and tactics.
• 19:09: Walensky summarizes theories and investigation details around Stacy’s disappearance.
• 21:06: Nancy Grace critiques Peterson’s latest court filing and psychological claims.

Final Thoughts

Nancy Grace and her expert panel forcefully challenge Drew Peterson’s latest legal maneuvers and shine a light on the consistent patterns of abuse, control, and evasion in Peterson’s history. While Peterson attempts to refocus blame and cast doubt on the judicial process, the panel's consensus underscores both the overwhelming circumstantial evidence and the enduring pain of the victims’ families. The urgent call to continue the search for Stacy Peterson is a powerful reminder that justice, for some, is still unfinished.