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Drew Peterson gets extra 40 years in prison for plotting to kill prosecutor

Peterson, also a suspect in the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy, plotted the murder as revenge for his prosecution.

By Doug G. Ware
Drew Peterson, a former Illinois police officer convicted in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, was sentenced Friday to an additional 40 years in prison for attempting to hire at hit man to kill Will County prosecutor James Glasgow, the man who helped send him to prison for Savio's murder. The additional prison time assures that Peterson, now 62, will die in prison. Photo courtesy Will County Sheriff's Department/UPI
Drew Peterson, a former Illinois police officer convicted in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, was sentenced Friday to an additional 40 years in prison for attempting to hire at hit man to kill Will County prosecutor James Glasgow, the man who helped send him to prison for Savio's murder. The additional prison time assures that Peterson, now 62, will die in prison. Photo courtesy Will County Sheriff's Department/UPI | License Photo

CHESTER, Ill., July 29 (UPI) -- A former Chicago area police officer who killed his wife more than a decade ago -- and remains the chief suspect in the disappearance of his wife after that -- will now die in prison for trying to exact revenge against the prosecutor who put him away, a judge ruled Friday.

Drew Peterson was sentenced to 40 additional years in prison for trying to arrange the $10,000 contract killing of Will County, Ill., prosecutor James Glasgow two years ago -- a plot that was exposed by a prison cellmate Peterson recruited to carry out the hit.

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During Friday's sentencing, Peterson spoke for 25 minutes while addressing Randolph County Judge Richard Brown and, at one point, the prosecutor he tried to have killed.

RELATED May: Drew Peterson guilty in murder-for-hire plot to kill Illinois prosecutor

"Jim Glasgow, there was never any intent to have you killed," he said, which was immediately met by an objection from prosecutors.

"That's alright, I'm done," Peterson answered.

Outside the courtroom, Glasgow dismissed Peterson's words and called him a "patronizing con man."

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"He is deluded," he added.

Peterson, 62, has claimed that his discussions with the prison cellmate, which were tape-recorded by the inmate, were not serious attempts to have Glasgow killed.

According to Peterson, he was only trying to help shave time off his cellmate's jail term by giving him something to report to authorities. None of the prosecutors, trial jurors or the judge bought it, however, and he was convicted in May of solicitation of murder for hire.

ARCHIVE February 2015: Drew Peterson accused of trying to hire hitman to kill prosecutor

Peterson has never admitted responsibility for the drowning death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2004 or the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy, three years later -- whose remains are still yet to be found.

In 2012, Peterson was sentenced to 38 years for Savio's death.

Before Friday, Peterson was scheduled to be released from prison in 2047 at the age of 93. The additional 40 years tacked onto the end of his term, though, assures he will die in prison.

Peterson was a 30-year member of the Bolingbrook Police Department, near Chicago, and was once named the department's "Police Officer of the Year."

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