http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=8171136
Inside the Peterson and Savio investigations
Posted: April 15, 2008 04:22 PM CDT
Updated: April 15, 2008 11:31 PM CDT
by
Kristy Mergenthal
EAST MOLINE, Illinois -- It's the case that's hit airwaves across the nation since October. The disappearance of Drew Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy and every little detail of the case is locked behind doors in East Moline.
It's the black folder every media outlet would love to get their hands on.
"This has literally the entire timeline in it which is huge."
Illinois State Police Sergeant Tom Burek is normally stationed at police headquarters in East Moline, but these days he's taking on the case of a lifetime, overseeing public information for both the Kathleen Savio and Stacy Peterson investigations.
"I pretty much lived the Savio and Peterson investigation" said Sgt. Burek.
Sergeant Burek says in the early stages of the investigation, the timeline was only the size of a flag posted on a wall. Now, after four months it's more like a book.
"Within weeks they would take it down. The sheet would get longer and longer, just massive" said Sgt. Burek.
In December, Burek was assigned to handle the growing media interest in the highly publicized case.
"It's very dynamic as soon as something seemed to calm down something new would come up."
Until three weeks ago, Sgt. Burek lived out of a hotel in Chicago working at least fourteen hour days, learning intimate details of both cases.
"I would attend briefing at eight in the morning for Peterson investigation which was long, soon as that concluded I would walk to another building and sit in on briefing for Savio investigation."
For hours, even from his desk at district seven State police headquarters, Burek constantly turns to the news, monitoring stations for wrong information.
"I try to watch best I can."
Burek says investigators try to stay objective but it isn't always easy.
"Part of team is to formulate opinion based on information, no doubt I have opinion on what I know" said Sgt. Burek.
On April sixth, a key piece of evidence washed up on Long Beach. In a matter of minutes news crews were on scene wanting the inside story.
"As soon as people hear a blue barrel they think Stacy Peterson and it was my decision to refer them to jurisdiction rather than us make a statement."
With little evidence made public recently, most media have pushed this case to the back burner.
But Sergeant Burek says that hasn't stopped leads from coming in and police from investigating.
"From all over the world we get tips from psychic and people who hear stuff, they literally follow up on everything."
Sergeant calls this the biggest challenge of his 21 year career and says the details he carries with him makes him feel as though he lived the two weeks prior to Stacy's disappearance.
"It was unbelievable amount of information that was gathered on this case, mindboggling what we know, how found out and amounts of data sorted out, he went on to say, "I definitely think this investigation team is going to bring to conclusion very confident arrest made some day."
Sergeant Burek has to have his bags packed, ready to head to Chicago at anytime and says he's a part of this case until it goes from investigation to prosecution.
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