10 aa a2 a3 14 15 “he 7 18 as 20 21 22 un 12 13 24a 1s 16 1? 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 10 al 12 13 1a 16 17 18 19 20 a. 22 23 24 10 aan 12 13 1a 1s 19 20 ai 22 23 24 10 14 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 an 22 23 a4 14 15 16 17 a8 as 20 aa 22 23 24 MR. O'NEIL: Ladies and gentlemen, this is an inquest into the mannar of death of the late Kathleen Savio, a 40-year-old female, who, on Monday, March 1st, 2004, was found to be deceased. Thies ia# neither a civil nor a criminal hearing, but mezely an inquest to determine the manner of death of the late Kathleen Savio. We have available Susan Savio. Susan, can you step forward, please? {Witness sworn.) SUSAN SAVIO, having been firct duly eworn, wae examined and testified as follows DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. O'NBIL: a. Please state your full name and spell your last mame for the record. A. Susan Savio, S-A-V-I-o. @. Your current address, ma'am? ae @. What is your relationship to the late Kathleen Savio? A. Sister. @. We have your sister's age listed as 40 1 » IL (815) 727-4363 George B. Rydman & Aseoc.,Jolie ie that correct? AL Yes. Q. We have her date of birth listed as June 13, 1963, in Oak Lawn, Illinoie? aA, Yes. , . ‘ . a. Was your sister employed? — A. She actually was a student, so she was actually working, too, yeah, part time. Q. Okay. We have for the death certificate, we do have her occupation listed as a student. A. Yea. Q. We have her marital status listed as legally divorced. Ae Yes. o. Did she ever serve in the military? AL Mo. @. And we have your sister, Kathleen’s, Social Security number listed as A, ‘I would believe eo. @. This is the number that was provided to your funeral director. She completed three years of college? A. Yeo. Q. And we have her residence listed as 392 2 George 2. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (a15) 727-4363 Pheasant Chase Drive, Bolingbrook, 69490? A. Yes. a. We have hex father listed as Henry J Savio? a. ¥ a And her mother’s maiden name is Mary Sepak? A. Yes. Q. $-Z-P-A-K? aA. Yes. Q. Was your sister in good health? A. Yeo. Q. Was ghe seeing a doctor for any condition that youre aware of? A. No. Q. Taking any medications that you may have been aware of? AL No. @. When was the last time that you or someone in your family had talked to Kathleen prioz to her being found deceased? aA. I actually talked to her Thursday. She called me Saturday and left a message. I believe her boyfriend epoke to her at midnight. 3 George E. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (815) 727-4363 Q. What day would that have been? She was found on Monday? A Saturday. a And you talked to her Saturday, which would have been carly, taybe Sunday, right? AUDIENCE MEMBER: Correct BY MR, O/NEIL: Q. Okay. And when did you learn of your sister's death, ma‘am? aA. 1:00 ofclock in the morning on -- it would have been Friday, is that correct? AUDIENCE MEMBER: No, Monday night. BY THE WITNESS: A. Sorry, Monday aight, Tuesday morning. BY MR. Of NEIL: a Tuesday morning? AL Actually would have been -- right @. she wag found en Monday, March 1st, in her residence, in her bathtub, is that what you were told? A. yee Q. And you got the call maybe a few hours after that on Tuesday, the 2nd, at about 1:00 in the morning? 4 George E. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (815) 727-4363 aA. Yes, Q. What were you told? A. I was told that my sister was dead. I asked her if her x-husband killed her, and she told me she didn’t know And the reason I ask that is because of -- they haven't eettled -- they were divorced, but they did not settle anything, and that actually was coming up. And she was terrified of that -- him and him threatening her. Q And what was his occupation? Ae A police officer. Q In that same town? A. Yes. Q.- Have you been to the residence since your sister's death? A. Yes Q. Anything unusual, find anything unusual? A. Yes, everything was cleaned out. Before my sistey was even put in the grave everything was cleaned out of the house, everything, pictures, everything. a. And her and her X-husband were legally diverce Yes. 5 George E. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (815) 727-4363 a. ++ at the time? He had since remarried? AL Yes, to an 18-year-old Q. Te there anything else you'd like to add, Ratan? A. Yes, I just -- it's very difficult for my family because of my sister telling us all the time, and I can figure, everyone, everything -- one that she has seen that if she would die, it may look like an accident, but it waan‘t She just told me last weak, and ghe wae just terrified of him. He always threatened her. He had her in the basement one time. He did, many, many things to her. He wished only for her to go away. And it's just very hard for me to accept that, what had happened. His reactions after this were a laughing matter. Cleaning everything out, ready to get rid of the house. It’s very hard @ They still owned the house together? A. Yes. Actually he requested for the divorce because he wanted to marry this young girl. When he -- and what had happened was he said he wanted -- to sattle after. and the settlement actually was coming up in April. 6 George B. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (815) 727-4363AUDIENCE MEMBER: About four weeks 2 RY THE WITNESS: 3 BR. Four weeka it would have beer coming up. 4a And what the settlement was going to ke was she was 5 going te be getring the house, and he didn't want 6 her to get the house. He absolutely did nop want 7 it. And she was going to get the house, seil che & house and move away. 8 BY MR. Of NBIL: 0 a. Anything else you'd like to add? an AL I don’t think so. 212 MR. O'NEILL: Okay, J have ao further 13 questions. You may be seated with your family 14 (Witness excused.) 15 MR. O'NEIL: We have Special Agent Hardy 16 the state police 7 (Witness sworn.) 18 HERBERT B. HARDY, 19 having been firse duly sworn, was examined and 20 testified as follows: aa BIR3CT EXAMINATION 22 BY MR, O'NEIL: 23 Q. state your full name and spell your last 24 name for the record 3 George E. Rydman & Assec,,Joliat, IL (815) 727-4363 1 A. Herbert B, Hardy, H-A-R-D-¥. 2 Q. Business or occupation, sir? 3 aL Illinois State Police. 4 Q. Business address and identification 5 number, please? 6 aL 16648 South Broadway, Lockport, 7 Illinois. My ID number is 3874. 8 a. Did you investigate the incident of 9 Monday, March lat, 2004, where Kathleen Savio was 10 found to be deceased? an A. I was part of the investigative team, 12 yes. 13 Q Are these phetocopies cf some of the a4 police reports that were filed as a result of her 15 death, sir? 16 AL Yes, they are. aT °. You may use those copies as a reference 28 if you'd like, sir. 19 Six, can you tell us approximately 20 what time your department was notified and who 2. called your department, sir? 22 aL we were notified approximately midnight 23 of March 2nd, and we were notified by the a4 Bolingbrook Police Department 8 George E. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (815) 727-4363 1 a. any indication why the Illinoig State 2 Police would intervene on a death investigation in 3 Bolingbrook, sir? 4 AR Well, in this particular case, it 5 invelved a young lady and her husband was a sergeant 6 on the Bolingbrook Police Department, her x-husband. 7 Qo. So Illineis State Police handled all of the witness questioning and crime scene processing 3 and everything along these lines? zo R Yes, oir, we did. aa @. Any indication what the initial call was 12 in ence to maybe when you got your call? 23 R Well, I wasn't called, The Master La Sergeant Covey (phonetic) was called, and they 15 related to him that it was -- they had an individual 16 deceased in her home in the bathroom, the master n7 bathroom. 28 Q. And you never went to the death scene, 29 six? 20 aR. No, I was never present at the death ai scene. 22 Q. You're familiar with the entire 23 investigation, is that correct? 24 A. Yes, sir, I am. 3 oe o = ~ Soces ss gg a Q. And can you tell us whe found her and 2 what the circumstances surrounding her discevery 3 were, sir? 4 A. Her X-husband was trying to locate her in 5 order to return the children after his visitations. 6 He had talked to the néighbors and asked have they 7 seen her, and he was trying to locate her without 8 being able to do so. Finally, her X-husband and the 9 neighbors went to the house. Her X-husband called a 10 locksmith who opened the home, and at which time a an couple of neighbors entered the home while the 12 X-husband and locksmith stayed outside. 33 They entered the home, went upstairs, 14 they found Kathleen in the master bedroom in the 15 bathtub. At that time to them she appeared to be 16 deceased. The one lady screamed, and at that time 17 the X-husband entered the house, 18 Q. Any indication why they had to call a 19 lockemith? Wouldn't the X-husband have had a key to 20 the residence? 21 A. He did not have one. 22 a. So the locks were changed at some point? 23 A. They may have been, I don’t know that. 24 a. Okay, And he was -- was he there in George B. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (815) 727-4363 1 uniform and with the kids with him or -- 2 A. I don’t know if he was there in uniform 3 oy if the children were there at the time. 4 Q. Was there any water in the tub? 5 aA. No, there was not. 6 a. Was the -- I guess you call it the 7 plunger, was that -- 8 aL Yes, it was down. 3 Q. -> closed? 10 AL Closed. an a. Ckay. Any indication from the reports 12 who last seen ox spoken to her, Agent -- 13 A, From what I gather from the reports, her 14 boyfriend was the last one to talk to her a5 Q Six, do you believe that you were the 16 last person that she spoke to? 17 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Yeah. ae BY MR. 0’ NEIL 19 o. And the state police had the oppervunity 20 to speak with many people, maybe to some neighbors 21 and that Did you head up that part of the 22 investigation? 23 A. I didn‘t talk to the ones that were 2 really close to her. Myself and Agent Girten did an George &. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (815) 727-4363 a what we call a neighborhood canvass, and we did 2 speak to quite a few of the neighbors in the general 3 area of the residence. 4 Q. Okay. Did anyone hear or see anything s unusual, see any squad cars or anything, any 6 suspicious activity in that area? 7 A. No, they did not. 8 Q. Did anyone speak with -- is his name Drew 3 Peterson? 10 A. Yes, I believe. ai Q. That would be the X-husband? 12 A. Right, 13 Q. And what did he relate to the department 14 about some of his activities in the days prior ¢ 15 her death? 16 A. Well, prior to that, he had the children, 17 they got up that weekend, they went to the Shedd is Aquarium, I believe it was. His -- his whereabouts 13 were totally accounted for that whole weekend. 290 Q. Ckay. You checked with his work? an a Yes, all that was checked. 22 Q. And you spoke with your department, had 23 the opportunity to speak with Kathleen’s boyfriend? 24 A. Yee, they aid. 1 Q. And what did he relate to the state 2 police? 3 aA He stated that he was with some friends, 4 they had some drinks. He spoke with Kathleen on a 5 coupie of times during the weekend. 6 get him to come over. She called him, I believe, at 7 midnight right before that. She again tried to 8 persuade to come to her house. He said no, he was a too tired, he was going to stay home. At which time 190 they got in a conversation about getting married. aa e. Okay. Is your department aware of any 12 domestic disturbances between Kathleen and Drew 13 while they were still married? 15 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 20 in 12 13 a4 1s 16 a7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16 at 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 A. Yes, according to the reports from Bolingbrook there were many instances of where the police had to shew up. Q. Physical altercations and things? A. Iodon't know if s6 much physical. It was move he’s late in bringing the children, he won't leave, that kind of thing. Q. Any domestic disturbances with the boyfriend? AL None that I'm aware of. Q. what wag your first name again, sir? AUDIENCE MEMBE Steve. BY MR, QO‘ NETL: Q. Steve. And what the family related about the divorce, is that what you learned or there was another woman involved? A. Yes, he married another young lady, which they now have a child together. Q And for Susan, how long had they been divorced? AUDIENCE MEMBER: My sister and Drew? MR, O'NEIL: Yeah, AUDIENCE MEMBER: Approximately two years. AUDIENCE MEMBER: No, no, the divorce actually happened in December AUDIENCE MEMBER: Right. Their divorce would have been in December. MR. O'NEIL: Of 20037 AUDIENCE MEMBER: Uh-huh. MR. O'NEIL: Okay. But it had been going on for two years? AUDIENCE MEMBER: Correct. BY MR, O/ NEIL: Q. And no water in the tub, can you explain? A. There was no water at the tub when our agents arrived, It must have drained out after setting for such a long period of time. Q. ok Was she wet? aA. Her hair was. Qe Her hair was wet? A. Yes. a. Any pruning of the skin at all? A. Qn the finger tips. I understand that there was wrinkling of the skin Q. So there was water in that tub at one time it's believed, correct? A. Yes. a. And there was an autopsy performed on Kathleen? A. Yes, there was. Q. pid you go to the autopsy? A. No, I did not. Q And do you recall what the cause of death is going to be listed as on her death certificate? A. I believe it was listed ag drowning. Q. Any injury noted to the decedent? A. Yes, she had a laceration to the back of her head. 1510 aa 12 13 14 15 16 a? 1s 19 20 21 22 a3 24 10 an 12 13 a4 15 16 17 138 a3 20 21 22 22 24 10 a. le 13 14 as a6 17 1a 19 20 al 22 23 24 10 1. 12 13 14 is 16 1? ug 20 a1 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 24 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 a. Okay. Any sighs of a struggle noted at the scene that you're aware of? A. No, there was not ng cf a struggle or defense vounds Any noted to the decedent? AL No, thare wae not. qa And there was a little bit of bleed in the tub from that laceration of the back of her head, right? AY That's correct, a. And a toxicclogy report was prepared for the decedent, Kathleen Savio? A Yes, there was. ¢ De you know what the results were? AL All negative a. Are you aware of perhaps any medications that ghe may have bean taking or seeing a dector for any particular condition? a. From the reports, there was indications that She took some type of antidapressant. MR. O/NBIL: kay, Steve, dia you ever see chose medications? AUDIENCE MEMBER: Yeah, she also took a little ancianxiety, xanax, a generic form of xanax also, Im (815) 727-4363 George E. Rydman & Assoc.,Joli MR, O'NEIL: Was she seeing a doctar for that condition, Steve? AUDIENCE MEMBER: I don's believe so KR, O°NEIL: They're prescription medications, she probably would nave had to go somewhern? AUDIENCE MEMBER; At one time, I believe, but I believe, you know, you make a phone call, they renew it. 1 believe. BY MR. O'NEIL: 2 Any insurance, big insurance policies that Trew would nave been able to protiz by that you're aware of? A. None that I'm aware of MR, O'NEIL: Any financial gain, any insurance policy? AUDIENCE MEMBER: Yes, there was actually a very large, it was a hundred -- Drew tock out a hundred thousand dollar policy. She also had a one million dollar policy that I'm not sure if he knew that ahe hac changed. He was the original beneficiary. she did change it co -- down che road to put hey boya, piuo hey equity in the house, which wag worth a little ever 360,060. Tr was paid for. But he wae trying te claim the whole house on joint a7 George E. Rydman & Asgoc.,Joliet, Th (15) 727-4363 tenancy, which should have been here, It waa pretty much a deal that was cut between them. Yeah, so there was a lot of financial gain MR. O'NEIL: So the boys, thay stand to inherit a million dollars on a life insurance policy? AUDIENCE MEMB Well, if they get everything that she should have gotten in the diverce, probably close to 1.5. MR. O‘NEITL: The boys? AUDIENCE MEMBER: Well, right now, but we don’t know. I took him to court because he tried to claim everything, and I wanted everything frozen until this was done and wanted the divorce to proceed and everything. All proceeds from the divorce I wanted put in trust for the boys, but he's fighting ma. He's trying to claim it, so that’s undetermined yet. MR. O'NEIL: What did he right now -+ what does he have to gain as a result of her death? AUDIENCE MEMBER: He wants the whele house, wanted to be named executor of rhe assets, which meana he would have controlled the one miilion @oliar policy, and plus he also took out a separate policy himself on her, the one hundred thousand, He said he wanted to sell her house, pay hie off, and open a bar, That’s what he said at the wake anyway. MR. O/NEIL: You eaw thig insurance policy? AUDIENCE MEMBER: I talked to the company. 1 talked ta the agent MR. O'NEIL: Did you tell the police about that policy? AUDIENCE MEMBER: Called and left messages, nobody ever called me back. It’s Old Republic Insurance. AUDIENCE MEMBER: We were never questioned by the state police. MR, O'NEIL; I saw a report in the coroner's that you called and we had asked you to contact them Yes. AUDIENCE MEMBER MR. O' NEIL: Did you talk to them? AUDIENCE MEMBER: No, I didn‘r. Well, actually I called them myself te tind out what wae happening as far as the investigation, what was going on, and they would just, you know, you know, talk to me, MR. G'NBIL: You did talk to them? AUDIENCE MEMBER: Yes. BY MR. O' NEIL: Q. Were there any signs of any break-in or anything? A, No, there was not. Q. Any weapons discovered, blunt force-type weapons, anything found? AL No, there was not. Q. Any signs of a struggle in the residence, in other parts of the house? I know she had this laceration on the back cf her head. Does it appear ag though her death occurred right in the tub? A. Yes, it did. q. Right there? Even where the laceration occurred, dt would have bled if it occurred in another part of the house? A. Yes, it would have. @. Did you find any signs of fcul play during the course of your investigation? A. No, sir, we did not. a. Special Agent Hardy, I'm going to ask you to summarize the police investigation, you could, please, and what revealed as to hew Kathleen Savio came to her death. You may need to repeat some of your prior testimony or you may need to add some 20 George E. Rydman & Assoc.,Joliet, IL (815) 727-4363 portions that you felt perhaps I failed to ask you. T£ you could summarize it for the jury, please. A. Okay. On March 2nd, approximately re notified by the Bolingbrook Police midnight, wa Department of a death investigation of a death that occurred at 392 Pheasant Chase Drive. we were also told that the person, the deceased individual, her husband was a sergeant on the Bolingbreok Police Department, and they asked us for our assistance in this investigation, at which time we did respond. A couple of cur agents responded initially co it, did their investigation, at which time they called out crime scene techs who processed the scene, And after that was completed, Kathleen was removed from the residence and transported to the -- te the county morgue. At that time our investigation continued, at which time we spoke to all the neighbors in the general vicinity. We spoke to the boyfriend, we talked to the X-husband. Q. You spoke to the X-husband’s wife, too, correct, his new wife? A. Yes, one of our agents did, yes. I