Evidence not gathered in bathtub drowning

JOLIET, Ill., Feb. 5 (UPI) -- An Illinois State Police investigator says he failed to gather evidence after finding Drew Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio, dead in her bathtub.

Robert Deel testified at a pretrial hearing he had only been handling crime scene investigations for about a year when he was sent to Savio's suburban Chicago home, the Joliet (Ill.) Herald News reports.

Deal said he did not test for the presence of blood in the bathroom, dust for fingerprints or take a glass of orange juice into evidence.

He also said he failed to collect a bottle of cleaning fluid that was on Savio's dresser.

Deel said Will County prosecutors asked him never again to process a crime scene in their county after the 2007 disappearance of Peterson's fourth wife Stacy.

The pretrial hearing is being held to determine whether hearsay statements will be allowed at Peterson's murder trial.