IL IL - Peggy Dianovsky, 28, Schaumberg, 12 Sept 1982

Dianovsky disappeared on September 12, 1982. Early reports suggest she left after an argument with her estranged husband, taking only a few things in a plastic bag and walked out on her 3 sons, her home, and her job. She was about to divorce Robert Dianovsky, stood to get approximately $20,000 from the sale of their home, and according to a quote from her brother, Gus Gollias, “She was about to get everything she wanted.” Her elderly father in law was also stated as being puzzled as to why she would leave everything.

Peggy Dianovsky has never been found, foul play is suspected in her disappearance." "snip"

http://murphymilanojournal.blogspot.com/2010/08/by-sheryl-mccollum-holly-hughes-susan.html

Please join us on Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation tonight at 9:00 PM Eastern. Listen Here!

After the show come back to Websleuths and this thread to continue the discussion.

Look, I know we are all busy, overwhelmed with life, and have little time, but I am imploring you to take a moment and come back to this thread after the show and post about Peggy's case. It would mean so much to her family. If you can do more and help sleuth that would be great too.

A little effort will be so greatly appreciated I can't even tell you.

Thanks Everyone.

Tricia

Peggy Dianovsky is the mother of three beautiful sons, Andrew, Bobby, and John, who were still quite young in 1982 and living in Schaumberg, Illinois. They lived the rest of their childhood without a mother in a home with a man who later would go on trial for her murder.

It is stated that the boys were not allowed to talk about Peggy after she was gone, the unspoken rule from Robert Dianovsky, their father. Robert married another Peggy who also had 3 boys, so it was a blended family with no trace of the original Peggy Dianovsky. The boys say when they asked about their mother Robert would reply that he couldn't remember, and that as they were growing up they didn't even know when her birthday was. She was erased from their lives.

At age 31 Andrew was a middle school teacher, and apparently started remembering things from the night of September 12, 1982. After intense therapy he was able to recall a violent fight that night, seeing his father holding a butcher knife to his mother's throat. This was a mere 24 hours before Peggy Dianovsky would disappear for good.

Very close to finalizing a settlement on their divorce, the boys recalled a few louder than normal fights between the couple, who had their share of them over the course of the marriage. The last one being the worst, the loudest and most violent.

Robert Dianovsky reported Peggy missing 5 days after the night of the last fight. Reported her missing, but, as Robert states, leaving voluntarily, taking a few clothes, and leaving behind her 3 boys, her car, and her last paycheck.

Where did all their memories go? Hidden in the minds of three little boys was a mother who made a ritual of tucking them in and kissing them every night. But that night they were told she was too tired. What other lies were they fed in that home over the course of 20 years?

Finally, Robert Dianovsky was arrested for Peggy's murder after his 3 sons urged authorities to reopen the case, feeling safe that they could now share their most secret memories. There was no body and no other physical evidence, a circumstantial case.

Robert received an aquittal in a 2004 bench trial, the judge ruling that she was probably murdered, but there was insufficient evidence to prove that Robert did it. Although Peggy has never been found, foul play is suspected in her disappearance.

How can a man live with himself, his sons, and a new family after completely obliterating the mother of his children?

I guess some do get away with murder, don't they?

Mothers Are Vanishing

Murder Charge Stemmed From Sons Taping Dad


More than 20 years ago, 7-year-old Robert Dianovsky Jr. was playing outside his Schaumburg house when he heard a scream. He ran inside to find his father beating his mother to death, a Cook County prosecutor said Thursday.

Last year, two decades after his mother disappeared, Dianovsky Jr. and one of his brothers wore concealed audio recording devices during a visit with their father. Cook County Assistant State's Atty. Kevin Byrne said the family reunion was actually a successful attempt to record Robert Dianovsky Sr. making self-incriminating statements.

Dianovsky Jr., 27, sat grimly during a bond hearing Thursday at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building as Byrne detailed the evidence that led prosecutors to charge his father in February with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Peggy, 28.

In two recordings, Byrne said, the father made incriminating statements, though they fell short of an explicit confession. At a Phoenix restaurant near the father's home, Dianovsky Jr. asked his father what future grandchildren should know about the fate of Peggy Dianovsky.

"You can say your dad did something to her," Byrne quoted the father as saying on the recording.

Byrne said the father told another son, Andy, that he would "do the right thing" and turn himself in to police. Though prosecutors did not say what Dianovsky Sr. was referring to, they presented the statement as evidence of his guilt.

After Peggy Dianovsky's disappearance on Sept. 12, 1982, and again before his arrest, Dianovsky Sr. admitted to police that he had struck her, Byrne said. Dianovsky Sr. said his wife left their home in the 200 block of Kingsport Drive with a plastic bag full of clothes, never to return.

However, prosecutors said Dianovsky Sr.'s best friend at the time, identified only as "Witness A," told a Cook County grand jury in December that the father had asked for help getting a gun to kill his wife in the weeks before she disappeared.

When the friend said he could not find the gun, Dianovsky Sr. allegedly said he planned to fake his wife's suicide.

The Dianovskys were in the midst of a bitter divorce at the time of her disappearance. Byrne said Dianovsky Sr. was so jealous that he tore up his wife's tennis racket and tennis outfit in the mistaken belief she was having an affair with her tennis instructor.

In a divorce document Peggy Dianovsky signed--but that her lawyer did not file until after her disappearance--she said her husband continually accused her of having an affair. He called her names in front of their children and once physically abused her, banging her head against a headboard, she contended.

She asked the judge for temporary custody of the children and sole possession of their Schaumburg house. She also sought an injunction to prevent her husband from entering the house without her permission.

Byrne said Dianovsky Sr. told his best friend that "he didn't want to lose his home and his kids and wanted to get rid of Peggy."

Authorities did not say why the friend came forward only recently. Dianovsky's three sons went to police last year after they began comparing memories about their mother's disappearance, officials said.

Byrne said Dianovsky Jr. kept silent after his mother vanished because his father told him not to say anything. Three years later, after his father remarried, Dianovsky Jr. confided in his stepmother, but she told him "it must have been a bad dream," Byrne said.

Thursday's hearing ended with Circuit Judge Dennis Porter ordering Dianovsky Sr., 51, held on $300,000 bond. But the judge said he could return to Arizona if he made bail.

About 30 family members came from Arizona and the Chicago area to support Dianovsky Sr. One of his attorneys, Sam Adam Sr., noted that no body has been found and said there is no proof Peggy Dianovsky is dead.

Dianovsky Sr. lived in Schaumburg for 12 years after his wife's disappearance and has made no attempt to disguise his identity, his attorneys said. He moved to Higley, Ariz., after receiving a job offer.

Dianovsky Sr.'s stepson, Jeff Falconer, testified at the bond hearing that his stepfather denied killing his wife after his arrest.

"We believe absolutely in Bob's innocence, and he has the love and support of his entire family behind him," Falconer said outside court.

Dianovsky Jr. has given prosecutors a different picture. Byrne said he still recalls seeing his father walk into the kitchen after the alleged beating.

"[Dianovsky Sr.] was weeping, and he was looking out the window as he washed the blood off his hands," Byrne said.

How would the step-son know? He wasn't even there! :banghead:

I bought Susans book TIMES UP and it came from Amazon today. I can;t believe how many of my ex husbands traits she describes. Its like she knew him. Had I been caught with her book in the house I would have been beaten to a pulp though. While its an invaluable tool to help a woman leave and save her and her childrens lives, to get caught with this book in the house would nto be a good outcome.
Anyway, I definately recommend the book to anyone who is trying to get out, or anyone who has a friend who is trying to get out, and to Womens Shelters as well. Very good info, excellent book.

excuse typos, glasses in another room.

abbie

Here's the direct link to the show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/susanm...mccollum-holly-hughes-and-susan-murphy-milani

They are talking about the things happening at the time that halted Peggy's investigation. There was a serial killer on the loose at the time. Sometimes we forget there can be factors outside the case that can hurt an investigation.

The kids didn't say anything, but you could tell they were under stress.

I feel so bad for those boys, especially the one that was practically an eye witness to his mothers murder. Its to their credit that they grew up into fine young men. Its beyond appalling that man was acquitted.

Thank you so much for your kind words about the book. It is also available in E book format and we are working on getting the books on flash drives so a person is able to go to a safe location, read and follow the prescription to safety.

Special Special Series on the Peggy Divanosky Case and Stacy Peterson case

http://murphymilanojournal.blogspot.com/2010/08/special-series-is-it-where-they-wanna.html

Kimster said:

How would the step-son know? He wasn't even there! :banghead:

Click to expand...

No, read it again. I did the same thing.

I has a quote from stepson Jeff, something about Dianovsky Sr being innocent....

Next paragraph says that Dianovsky JR (Peggy's son) had the memory of seeing his father stand weeping as he washed the blood off his hands at the kitchen sink.


abbie

SusanM said:

Thank you so much for your kind words about the book. It is also available in E book format and we are working on getting the books on flash drives so a person is able to go to a safe location, read and follow the prescription to safety.

Click to expand...

Good idea Some parts are hard for me to read cos I am reliving as I am reading, but its excellent so far. I am glad you wrote it, you will never know how many lives you may have saved....

What "magic" did Peggy's husband possess that he could go around being a bada$$ around town, yet he gets help cutting up that trailer and dumping it in the river later on? Or gets a "pass" when its widely known that accelerants were used in the fire? Were people in tow afraid of him, was he a big shot, what was his story? Was everyone afraid of him?

Peggy has been missing and presumed murdered since 1992. A complete case history has been made available by Susan Milano and is available at the links below. Susan is a Violence Expert and Strategist who does advocacy and media consulting. As she publishes new installments and updates, I'll link to them here. If any of you have links to add, questions to ask about the case or information to add, please do so!!

From the first installment http://http://murphymilanojournal.blogspot.com/2010/08/special-series-is-it-where-they-wanna.html Full text at link-

"In 1982, Peggy Dianovsky, who lived in Schaumburg, IL, and a mother of 3 young boys, was very close with her husband Robert to finalizing a settlement on their divorce after a 10-year violent and controlling marriage. Her husband stated when he was questioned by authorities said she just "yea she wanted to go and took off." For 28 years, Robert Dianvosky has repeated the same story "she left voluntarily, taking a few clothes, leaving behind her 3 boys, her car, and her last paycheck."

Although Peggy vanished so many years ago, her unsolved case, is relevant, today in 2010, for several reasons. Including how it weave's into the Stacy Peterson, and Kathleen Savio case(s) and other missing mothers it is a direct connection to intimate partner homicide."

From the second installment- http://murphymilanojournal.blogspot.com/2010/08/special-series-is-it-where-they-wanna.html

'The children of Peggy Dianovsky were outside playing as their parents fought inside the house. Bobby, age 7 heard his mother sreaming for help, he ran in from outside up the stairs his mother was on the landing Robert held Peggy down as he beat her. Immediately, Bobby ran down the basement stairs with his hands covering his face trying to forget the images he had just seen.'
Full text at link

From the third installment-

"Robert Dianovsky maintained that his wife Peggy left their home voluntarily and took a bag of clothing with her when she vanished in September of 1982. Peggy Dianovsky left her yellow Chevrolet Nova behind, and never picked up her last paycheck from her employer, Dominick's. Blood was found spattered at the top of the stairway in the Dianovsky home, but none of it was ever collected for analysis."

Full text at link

And reported her missing on a Friday, five days later.
I wonder if he was off work that week.
Or called in sick couple of days etc.
IF he didn't intend to kill her on that day, that would explain the five day waiting period. And he had to come up with a plan on where to take her to.
If he planned on that day, he could have called after 24 hours to report her missing, which means he would have done something with her that Sunday night.
Do the kids remember at all, what happened the rest of that day or evening after the one witness the beating? Did they go somewhere, or did he call and have someone come and get the kids etc?
I am just speculating out-loud here. He killed his wife, she is laying in the house, the kids are home.....Time to think fast, since it probably was not planned for that time.
TIA for your replies.