Drew Peterson's mother, stepfather testify before grand jury

Panel investigating death of Kathleen Savio, disappearance of Stacy Peterson

By Matthew Walberg

Tribune reporter
10:50 PM CDT, March 20, 2008

The mother and stepfather of Drew Peterson appeared Thursday before the Will County special grand jury investigating the death of their son's ex-wife and the disappearance of his current wife.

Albert and Betty Morphey, of Burr Ridge, would not discuss what, if anything, they told the grand jury.

"You guys are vultures," Al Morphey told reporters as he and his wife headed to their car.State police have named Peterson, 54, a suspect in the Oct. 28 disappearance of his wife, Stacy, then 23, from their Bolingbrook home. Authorities also are investigating as a homicide the 2004 death of Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio, who was found drowned in her bathtub just weeks before the couple's divorce settlement was to be finalized.

Peterson has not been charged with any crime and denies any wrongdoing in either case. From the beginning, he has said Stacy left him for another man.

His mother and stepfather said that they have not talked with Peterson about the case and that they hope Stacy will return. But while they were reluctant to comment on their grand jury experience, they displayed some of the showmanship their son has exhibited throughout the investigations.

As they were being photographed driving away from the courthouse parking garage, Albert Morphey waved sarcastically for the camera, and Betty Morphey asked for prints of the photos."We want 10 copies of each [picture]," she said to the photographer. "We didn't do nothing wrong."