Return to Transcripts main page

Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace Delivers Twins/Missing Mom`s E-mail Cites Troubles With Husband

Aired November 05, 2007 - 20:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

PAT LALAMA, GUEST HOST: Tonight: A young mom of two, the fourth wife of a veteran police sergeant, vanishes into thin air in the Chicago suburbs. Family and friends say no way would 23-year-old Stacy Peterson leave her children behind. After police execute search warrants at the Peterson home, taking two vehicles from the family`s driveway, the search goes on all across the wetlands and wooded areas for any sign of Stacy Peterson.
Tonight, we learn just days before the young mom goes missing, she sends a desperate e-mail to a friend, hinting at a troubled and abusive marriage. And reports emerge Peterson wanted a divorce and feared for her life. This while the state investigates the mysterious death of the same police sergeant`s third wife. Tonight, where is Stacy Peterson?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Twenty-three-year-old Stacy Peterson reveals a troubled marriage to her police sergeant husband, and it`s just days before she goes missing in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Peterson`s friend receives an e-mail from the young mom October 17. In that e-mail, Peterson says, "I`ve been arguing quite a bit with my husband. As I mature with age, I`m finding that the relationship I am in is controlling, manipulative and somewhat abusive. Tomorrow is our four-year anniversary, and I`m not as excited as the years that have passed. If you can keep me in your prayers, I could use some wisdom, protection and strength."

Then on October 28, on her way to meet up with family, Peterson is never seen again, her two young children left behind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LALAMA: Good evening. I`m Pat Lalama, in for Nancy Grace. Tonight, the search for young mom of two Stacy Peterson, vanishing in the Chicago suburbs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A chilling e-mail from a missing Illinois mother suggests there may have been trouble in her marriage to a local police sergeant. Stacy Peterson`s e-mail to friends reads, "I have been arguing quite a bit with my husband. I`m finding that the relationship I am in is controlling, manipulative and somewhat abusive." The 23-year-old mother of two disappeared last week. Stacy Peterson`s husband did not join in the search for her this weekend. He says he believes she left him for another man.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stacy`s next-door neighbors spoke out this morning to report their friend`s marriage has long been on the rocks. Sharon Bichowsky (ph) says she often witnessed the young woman and her 53- year-old police sergeant husband, Drew, fighting in the driveway. She says Stacy was planning a safe exit from her marriage but never got the chance to execute that plan. Today, prior conversations are weighing heavily on neighbors` minds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She did say to many of us -- not just me in confidence, but many of us -- that if anything happened to her, it was not an accident, he killed her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LALAMA: Before we take you to the Chicago suburbs and the search for Stacy Peterson, we have a very special announcement tonight. I`m honored to tell you about it, exciting news. Nancy and her husband, David, welcomed their twin bundles of joy this weekend. Yes, it`s true. John David born at 1:54 PM on Sunday, his sister, Lucy Elizabeth, born right after that at 1:55 PM, baby John weighing 5 pounds and 1 ounce, his sister, baby Lucy, weighing 2 pounds and 15 ounces.

Mom and Dad say they are both doing great. John David, of course, named after his father and John the Revelator, while Lucy Elizabeth named after her maternal grandmother, who helped raise her, and Nancy`s mom, Elizabeth. The twins` quick and surprising delivery came after Nancy recently developed dangerous pulmonary edema. Now, that`s fluid accumulation in the lungs, and her doctor thought it was best for Nancy and the babies` health. But they`re all doing well and resting comfortably tonight. A heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to proud parents Nancy and David and their new twins, Lucy Elizabeth and John David.

And coming up, Nancy takes us inside the twins` new nursery. But first -- first -- a surprise guest. Guess what? Proud papa David Linch joins us live to talk about the birth of Lucy Elizabeth and John David. Such big congratulations to you, David. How is everybody?

DAVID LINCH, NANCY GRACE`S HUSBAND: Thank you, Pat. Everyone`s doing well. Nancy`s resting and the twins are doing fine and in the comfort of this great hospital here in Atlanta. And thanks for the congratulations. And Nancy wanted to send her wishes, too. And thanks for the many prayers, thoughts and e-mails.

LALAMA: Oh, I got tears in my eyes! Now, the babies did come sooner. Could you just expound a little bit about why that had to happen?

LINCH: Yes. We were expecting the twins in mid to late July (SIC), and Nancy got rather ill Sunday morning, started undergoing some -- you know, got very ill and severe cramping and shortness of breath and went to the hospital. And the doctors almost immediately recognized the shortness of breath being a gathering of fluid in the lungs. And while it was way ahead of time for the twins, they thought it was much healthier for her to go ahead and deliver the twins at that point in time and ensure her health, too.

LALAMA: God bless all of you. It`s so wonderful. Tell us about the names. I think people are curious about John the Revelator, if I can say it properly.

(LAUGHTER)

LALAMA: Go ahead and tell us about the history of these two names.

LINCH: Well, Nancy has always been very close to her mother and her grandmother, and Lucy Stokes (ph) had helped raise her when she was growing up and her mother was working, and she`d always wanted to name one of her children after her grandmother and her mother. So that`s where Lucy Elizabeth comes from. John is -- as you know, is one of the disciples of Jesus, and Nancy`s always had a real affinity for him and what the trials and travails he went through. And it just sort of came out at the last minute here that those were the names we settled on.

LALAMA: You know, so many viewers have been following along and are so crazy about Nancy. What would you say to those viewers tonight? What would Nancy say, too?

LINCH: Nancy would say, Thank goodness they`re here.

(LAUGHTER)

LINCH: It`s about time. I know it was early, but it`s been a blessing to us and the rest of our families and all our friends.

LALAMA: Can you tell us just a little something about each little one? We`re just dying to know.

LINCH: Sure. You know, while Lucy Elizabeth was quite small, she came into the world screaming and yelling, and she`s going to give Nancy a real run for her money.

LALAMA: Uh-oh. Uh-oh!

LINCH: John David seems extremely happy and at peace, doesn`t much rile -- doesn`t much let anything rattle or rile him at this point, and he seems to be a very happy child.

LALAMA: We`re so thrilled for you. Please, please, hugs, kisses and lots of love to your entire family. And congratulations.

LINCH: Thank you, Pat.

LALAMA: Our pleasure. Wow!

Unfortunately, now we have to shift gears to something that`s not so happy, and that`s the story of Stacy Peterson, who`s been missing in the Chicago suburbs. And the revelations tonight are e-mails. These e-mails show some real signs of distress in her marriage. And these are going to be a hot point, I`m sure, for investigators.

Jennifer Golz, reporter with "The Naperville Sun," can you tell us about these e-mails? And are police taking them seriously?

JENNIFER GOLZ, "NAPERVILLE SUN": Police aren`t commenting on the e- mails. I do know that the friend who received them did forward them to investigators. But it was interesting to read them, nonetheless, because family this whole time has been saying Stacy wanted a divorce, Stacy was afraid. But to actually read her written word, it definitely put a different perspective on the search for her.

LALAMA: Now, you know what? Let`s hear this written word. I`m going to read it to you, and I think you`re going to see it on the screen. It goes like this. And this is to her friend, Steve Cesare. "I`ve been arguing quite a bit with my husband. As I mature with age, I`m finding that the relationship I am in is quite controlling, manipulative and somewhat abusive. As I try to help make changes to this, he has become argumentative. Tomorrow is our four-year anniversary, and I am not as excited as the years that have passed. I don`t know. We`ll see what happens, I guess. If you could keep me in your prayers, I could use some wisdom, protection and strength."

Kathy Chaney, from "Chicago Defender," "protection and strength"? They got to be taking this seriously.

KATHY CHANEY, "CHICAGO DEFENDER": Yes. Her family just wants her found. Drew Peterson`s been flip-flopping, waffling back and forth, Well, no, we were a happy couple. I don`t know what`s wrong. And now you read this, and then he comes back and says, Well, we have been having problems. His story is just changing constantly, and her family just wants her found.

LALAMA: Steve Cesare, you`re the friend of Stacy. In fact, I believe you dated her sister for quite a while. Did you take this e-mail seriously when you read it, or did you think maybe she was just being a little dramatic?

STEVE CESARE, FRIEND OF STACY PETERSON: I was very concerned. I didn`t know exactly what to do because, of course, Drew is involved with the Bolingbrook police, and if I called attention to it, I figured it would fall on deaf ears. But it did concern me. She never wrote anything like that before.

LALAMA: Heather from Missouri, you have a call. Hello, Heather.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi. I was wondering, maybe -- did she know something, maybe, about the third wife`s death and her husband, and she wanted a divorce, and maybe her husband doesn`t want her to leak any information out that could be criminal for him?

LALAMA: Mike Brooks, you want to weigh in on that, former D.C. policeman and also former member of the FBI task force?

MIKE BROOKS, FORMER D.C. POLICE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, Pat, we haven`t heard anything at all about what information she knew, anything at all about the third wife. What we do know, the Will County prosecutor`s office is kind of revisiting the investigation into the third wife`s death. We know that it was ruled accidental. She apparently hit her head and drowned in the tub. But you know, it`s just -- you know, is this guy the most unlucky guy in the world, or did he have something to do with his third wife`s death? That`s the big question.

LALAMA: Jennifer, though, we understand that she actually had told family members she was looking for a divorce. That is serious stuff. What do you know about it?

GOLZ: We know that she was looking for a divorce, according to family and friends. But there`s no history, at least with the police department, that she had called for any type of domestics, and there was nothing filed in the Will County courthouse, or even in DuPage County courthouse that I could find (INAUDIBLE) records for order or protection or divorce filing.

LALAMA: Steve, though, did she tell you anything about wanting out of the marriage specifically?

CESARE: No, just what was in the e-mail. What was bothering me was our limited access. She couldn`t call me often. I couldn`t call her. It was difficult to stay close.

LALAMA: You know, Steve, that`s really important stuff because we`ve been finding out that, apparently, allegedly, he was very controlling, didn`t want her to see her dying sister, followed her with a GPS tracking system.

Robi Ludwig, you wrote the book, "Till Death Do Us Part." You`re the expert. What kind of a picture is emerging?

ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: This is not a comforting picture at all. I mean, this is a man who probably killed his third wife -- is it third or second, who can keep count -- and that he`s very controlling. And I would sense that he chose to marry someone so young because he needed to feel that he could control her. And once she started to not want to be controlled, that`s when the danger started to emerge.

LALAMA: But defense attorney Anne Bremner, you know, we don`t know. They said it was an accident, that third death. What do you -- do you want to weigh in here on this?

ANNE BREMNER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, and I think Robi`s right, it was his second wife. But she had pruning in her fingers and wet hair, and it seems consistent with the drowning. People say, you know, lightning doesn`t strike twice, Pat, and this couldn`t be another accident, it would have to be a murder. But you know, lightning strikes the Empire State Building hundreds of times a year, and the Space Needle. Fact is, is it always the husband? If it`s always the husband, all women that are murdered are killed by their husbands, and we don`t even know if she`s dead.

LALAMA: But Susan Moss, family law attorney, I mean, this is a woman with two children of her own, two stepchildren. How many women get up and walk away, no matter how in distress they are? A lot of women in distress stay and take it, unfortunately.

SUSAN MOSS, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: Unfortunately, that`s exactly right. The third wife drowned in a bathtub with no water. The fourth wife is now missing. Houston, we have a problem. We are now learning how controlling this husband is and that the third wife also threatened -- feared for her life and sought an order of protection. There are so many needles that need to be looked at, and when you connect the dots, I think they`re going to find some evidence and this guy is going to be arrested.

LALAMA: Joey Jackson (ph), defense attorney, are we piling on this guy?

JOEY JACKSON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Let me address the issue first of the third wife. Now, we have -- we are blessed in this country to have a very competent, responsible and able law enforcement community. The fact of the matter is, as it relates to the third wife, that matter was investigated. It was determined to be accidental.

What I`m interested in knowing is what new revelations, what new facts other than the most unfortunate missing person`s case -- let`s address that, missing person`s case -- beyond a missing person`s case that has evolved, what new facts point to that being other than accidental? That`s one.

LALAMA: All right...

JACKSON: Number two -- let me just say this briefly.

LALAMA: All right.

JACKSON: The fact of the matter is, there are a lot of people in this country who have marital discord. There are many people in this country who send e-mails expressing, you know, issues in terms of their relationships...

LALAMA: All right. OK, so...

JACKSON: ... and their marriages? Does that make them murderers?

LALAMA: We get the point. But I want to go to Sue Dorman, who is the sister of Kathleen Savio, who was his third wife. Did you notice this jealous streak when you knew him, when you met him?

SUE DORMAN, SISTER OF SGT. PETERSON`S THIRD WIFE: Yes, I did.

LALAMA: Could you tell us about that?

DORMAN: Well, actually, in the beginning, everything was fine. And then after a few years, it did start up. He would always ask, Who are you on the phone with? And she would say, Just, you know, a friend or a family member. And then he would just smirk and laugh and he said, Who are you on the phone with?

LALAMA: But Sue, let me ask you, did she ever express a fear? Did she ever say, This guy scares me?

DORMAN: Oh, definitely. She said it many times. She said -- many times, she told family, friends, anybody she could tell, I`m scared to death of him. He`s going to kill me. It`s going to look like an accident, and he`s going to get away with it.

LALAMA: Lawrence Kobilinsky, forensic you know, scientist, when we look at that coroner`s report, it talks about some trauma to the head and some bruising and scratches, yet it was ruled an accident and we have to go with that word at this point. But are you dubious?

LARRY KOBILINSKY, FORENSIC SCIENTIST: Well, I`m very dubious. First of all, there`s no question that she died of drowning. That`s a non-issue. The issue is whether it was accidental or it was deliberate. And if you do look at the other trauma to the body, you find not just one or two abrasions and contusions, but you find many, and all over her body. And it is now questionable as to whether the laceration to the head happened as a result of a fall and then drowning.

LALAMA: I`m sorry, just let me move on just one second. I`ll get right back to you. Anne Bremner, you know, a lot of people are implying that perhaps it was politics, that this guy`s a cop and they just said, Oh, you know, it`s just an accident, too bad, end of story, and that it smells. What do you think?

BREMNER: The thing is, I represent police officers out here, including the Seattle police, and police officers are now harder on police officers in investigations. So I think that that doesn`t wash when you say, Oh, it`s just politics, it`s a cover-up. It was a serious case, if, indeed, it was murder. But it was ruled not to be.

LALAMA: OK, we`re going to talk more in a minute.

To tonight`s "Case Alert." Talk show queen and media mogul Oprah Winfrey speaks out for the very first time since allegations of abuse at her multi-million-dollar school for South African girls, a 27-year-old female dorm parent arrested, charged with 13 counts of abuse and assault on seven girls at that school, the scandal uncovered after 15 girls bravely report the abuse to the school`s CEO.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: Knowing what I know now, the screening process was inadequate, although I do know that for every person that is hired at the school, there is both a criminal and a civil background check. But I was not directly responsible or in charge, although the buck always stops with me, of hiring the dorm parent. But we are going to redefine what that position should mean and what the qualifications for that position should be for the future. It is one of my goals in life to put child abusers, whether they be in my home, whether they be in my workplace, or in this case, in the academy, to put them where they belong, and that is behind bars.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They`re gathering once again to search for missing Bolingbrook mother of two 23-year-old Stacy Peterson. The absence of her husband, 53-year-old Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson, is bothering her family and friends.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think everyone is scared. I think, obviously, he has something to hide, if he took off, and you know, he`s not helping. If he didn`t do anything wrong, why isn`t he helping find his wife?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LALAMA: I`m Pat Lalama, in for Nancy Grace. You know, one of the latest allegations against Drew Peterson is that he`s simply not participating in searching for his wife. We would all assume he`d be out there. Is it fair, Susan Moss, to say, Oh, you`re a bad guy, just because he`s -- you know, people grieve differently.

MOSS: He`s got -- this is the mother of two of his children. He should be out there. Anyone with a moral compass would want to find her, even if it`s just to find the remains. This guy has four children and they have no mommies. You do the math.

LALAMA: Robi, go ahead.

LUDWIG: I agree. I mean, that`s a real problem. Now, maybe he`s just not smart enough to fake it. So he knows she`s dead, so there`s nobody to look for. And that`s one very real possibility here.

LALAMA: Kathy Chaney, what are they saying about him in that town?

CHANEY: Well, they`re outraged. He won`t help. He hasn`t been out there. If he says that she left on her own, or in the next breath, he says, OK, well, why are you focused on me when you should be looking for her, why isn`t he out there helping?

LALAMA: Mike Brooks...

CHANEY: And that`s what they`re...

LALAMA: I`m sorry, Mike Brooks, you know, he went out on a motorcycle ride, had to get away. I mean, I suppose you can argue that`s his right. He doesn`t want to be in the midst of all the pain and suffering.

BROOKS: You know, that could be his coping mechanism, Pat. But you know, I see a lot of similarities -- if you remember back to the Laci Peterson case, when her husband, Scott, he was out playing golf while everybody else was searching for her. You know, being a cop, having me been a cop and this guy a sergeant, if I was -- this was my wife, I`d be out there looking for her. I`d be at the command post. I`d be wanting to know what is going on every minute of every day while they were searching for her.

LALAMA: Joey Jackson, would you tell -- if he were your client, would you say, Get out there and at least put on a good show, even if you didn`t do it?

JACKSON: Not at all because I don`t think it so much is a show. The fact is, is you hit it right on had head. People grieve differently. That`s very important to understand. And the fact that he`s not looking for her does not indicate that he`s a criminal at all. That`s the bottom line.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One group of searchers methodically made their way through a forest preserve near Plainfield. Dozens more checked Wayland (ph) Lake Dog Park in Bolingbrook, fanning out and looking under every crevice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to stay up (INAUDIBLE) for Stacy. I mean, we`re fighting. That means we`re her face right now, and if we don`t do it (INAUDIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LALAMA: I`m Pat Lalama, in for Nancy Grace. Steve Cesare, friend of Stacy Peterson, I got a question for you. Did I hear you say that you wanted to take Stacy to see her very ill sister and that Drew was against all that?

CESARE: Yes. I was really disappointed. Her sister, Tina (ph), who was my girlfriend back about 10 years ago, was diagnosed with cancer. And she was having an operation in Peoria, which is about two-and-a-half hours south of here. And I wanted to bring her sister down there to visit because it`s a long ride for a young girl like Stacy, and it wasn`t allowed. He wouldn`t let her go and...

LALAMA: What was he afraid of, in your mind?

CESARE: You know, I don`t know. I`m no threat. I wasn`t going to take his wife.

LALAMA: It was just...

CESARE: I just wanted to go...

LALAMA: It was just his controlling nature, is that what you`re trying to say, that you thought it was his controlling nature?

CESARE: I believe so.

LALAMA: You know, Sue Dorman...

CESARE: Yes. I mean...

LALAMA: Sue Dorman, sister of Kathleen Savio, you know, I`m looking here and I`m finding out now that there was a life insurance policy, that they owned a bar together, for which she got some funds, a house together. Were you suspicious at the time, when he was able to generate all that income in the wake of your sister`s death?

DORMAN: Yes, I was.

LALAMA: OK. Tell us about it.

DORMAN: Well, there was all kinds of money all over. I mean, he would always be out of the house. And back at forth in the house, he would scream and yell at my sister. He has a lot of secrets, a lot of secrets.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The sister of a missing Chicago-area woman doesn`t believe that she`s going to be found alive. Stacy Peterson has been missing since last week, as you know. Well, her family says it`s focused on finding out what happened and who is responsible. Her husband, a Bolingbrook, Illinois, police officer, claims his wife left him for another man, but not everyone is convinced of that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that he`s running scared, and I think, obviously, he has something to hide. If he took off, you know, and he`s not helping, and if he didn`t do anything wrong, why isn`t he helping find his wife?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Police have searched the Peterson home, and they say the husband, Drew Peterson, is not a suspect in her disappearance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LALAMA: I`m Pat Lalama, in for Nancy Grace. And don`t forget the newest revelation of this, this e-mail where she talks about her marriage being in trouble and basically was asking for protection. I want to go to Donna in Rhode Island.

Donna, what`s your question, my dear?

CALLER: Hello, Pat. Very nice speaking with you.

LALAMA: Hi. Thank you.

CALLER: And congratulations to Nancy on her birth of the twins.

LALAMA: Isn`t that something?

CALLER: That`s wonderful.

LALAMA: What a mama she`s going to be.

CALLER: That`s wonderful. I`m very happy for her.

LALAMA: What`s your question, my dear?

CALLER: My question is, did anyone ever question wife number one or two before, you know, after the third wife died?

LALAMA: Let`s go to Jennifer Golz on that. I`ve been so curious from the start. What about wives one and two? Where are they? Are they talking?

JENNIFER GOLZ, REPORTER: Not yet. We`re working on tracking them down right now. We have a few leads on where they may have been, but, don`t forget, these wives were divorced in the `80s and even, I believe, the early `90s. They could be remarried. They could have different names. We do have their maiden names, so we do have a few leads that we`re trying to track them down on. As far as investigators tracking them down, I`m not aware that they`ve spoken with them, either.

LALAMA: Very quickly, I just want to go over this e-mail with you again, because it is important. "I have been arguing quite a bit with my husband. As I mature" -- remember, she was only 17 when she met the guy, and she`s perhaps seeing, as she`s getting older, as she even says, "I`m finding that the relationship I am in is controlling, manipulative and somewhat abusive. He`s become argumentative," she says. "Tomorrow is our four-year anniversary." She`s not excited.

Robi Ludwig, come on. It`s hard not to paint the picture. But at the same time, I`ve got to ask her, she, herself, is not the picture of stability, am I right? I mean, it`s fair to say both of them have their issues.

DR. ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Well, OK. I mean, so this could have been a young girl who wanted to escape her family and perhaps she made a choice without thinking it through. What do you know at 17 anyway? So perhaps she was attracted to a man who was older, who seemed stable to her, when, in fact, he was a very dangerous man and she didn`t have a chance to get to know that until it was too late. But very often when women are married to murderous guys on some level, they know they`re in danger, and they let out that information to people close to them.

LALAMA: Let`s go to New Jersey and see what Greta has to say. Hi, Greta.

CALLER: Hi, Pat, how are you? Good evening. Congratulations to Nancy and her new arrival.

LALAMA: I`m sure she`s happy you said that. Go ahead.

CALLER: Yes, OK, this guy doesn`t even seem to be concerned at all about his wife missing. Has anyone questioned the guy that he claims she might have left with?

LALAMA: Well, that`s a good question, Mike Brooks. I mean, you know, he`s worried about some boyfriend, but no one has the name of a boyfriend. You want to weigh in on that?

BROOKS: Well, investigators, one of the things they did take out during the search warrant, we heard, were computers and cell phones. So what they would want to do, Pat, is create a timeline and go back and see who she was in contact with. If she was having this affair that he claims, then she would have had contacted this person via phone or via e-mail. So they can go back and take a look at that to see if that adds up, to see if there really was someone else.

LALAMA: Sue Doman, you know, you`re the sister of his third wife who we know died officially of a drowning. And, very quickly, I was looking over the coroner`s report, and I`m finding out that her hair was soaked with blood, that she had a couple lacerations and some bruising. Were you just absolutely shocked when you heard "accident"?

SUE DOMAN, SISTER OF DREW PETERSON`S THIRD WIFE: Yes. Well, my first reaction was, did he kill her?

LALAMA: That`s the first thing that came to your mind?

DOMAN: Yes, I said it, "Did he kill her?" That was the first thing.

LALAMA: Lawrence Kobilinsky, forensic scientist, I mean, that`s important stuff, right? You can`t deny that.

LAWRENCE KOBILINSKY, FORENSIC SCIENTIST: I`ll tell you something. After looking at the autopsy report and seeing that there weren`t just a couple of abrasions and contusions, but there were eight documented items of trauma. And what they need to do now is go back, look at the photographs, the autopsy photographs, and determine when this bruising, when the abrasions took place. Was it perimortem or was it much prior?

That`s very important. And this thing looks suspicious because the evidence can be equally explained by an accident or a homicide.

LALAMA: Bonnie from Pennsylvania, hello. What`s your question?

CALLER: Hi. I`d like to know how much Mr. Peterson`s training as a police officer and his experience as a police officer could have aided him in being able to get away with...

LALAMA: You know, a lot of us have discussed that, because the word is, well, he would know all the tricks. I mean, we have to give him the benefit of the doubt right now because he is not a suspect. But, you know, Joey Jackson, a lot of people are talking about, "He`s a cop. He knows exactly what to do." What do you say?

JOEY JACKSON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I think that, certainly, you have police and you have law enforcement and you have certain training and everything else. But I think we`re jumping far afield to say that would have contributed in any way to his wife`s disappearance.

The fact of the matter is that there`s an investigation. That investigation is ongoing. The police will find whatever evidence and clues there are, and they`ll make a decision based on that. But I don`t think it would be fair to say simply because he has prior training as a police officer, he could have concealed it. Should we say doctors have prior training, so therefore they can kill their wives? Athletes are stronger, so they can -- I mean, the list can go on and on and on.

LALAMA: Let`s see what Susan Moss, family law expert, has to say about that.

SUSAN MOSS, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: You cannot ignore the fact that, after 29 years working in law enforcement, he knows the tricks of the trade and he might have been able to stage the perfect crime twice. That is why every stone needs to be unturned and every dot needs to be looked at, because when you look at the entirety of this picture, I mean, look at those e-mails. Read those e-mails. Read the order of protection application that the third wife made.

LALAMA: OK, OK, let`s see -- Anne, go on, jump in there. I want to hear what you have to say.

ANNE BREMNER, TRIAL ATTORNEY: I mean, we don`t even know -- we don`t know if he`s been a homicide detective. It`s a quantum leap to say, just because he`s been a cop, that somehow he could pull off the perfect crime. I mean, cops get prosecuted in certain types of cases, many cases.

The other fact of this is, if you want to look at patterns in a case, look at the fact that Stacy Peterson`s mom apparently went missing some nine years ago, and a mother of six. Is that a pattern? Is that a pattern?

(CROSSTALK)

LALAMA: Her mom went missing, and she has suffered the trauma of having three siblings die. And so that`s the point I`m making, that if you look at the pictures of mental stability, I mean...

BREMNER: Or patterns, Pat. I mean, is that pattern, that she might do the same thing?

LALAMA: Lynn from Indiana. Hi, Lynn, what have you got for us?

CALLER: Hi, I was just wondering. I have a question. And, first, I want to say congratulations to Nancy Grace and her husband.

LALAMA: Absolutely.

CALLER: I am married with five kids, and I`ve been in relationships where there was a man that was real controlling to me. And if this woman was really leaving for that reason, wouldn`t she have taken her children? I mean, it doesn`t sound normal that she would have left her children behind if she thought danger was there.

LALAMA: You want to weigh in on that one?

LUDWIG: Well, yes, I think that`s a really good point. And very often, women who are fearful of their husbands, they really need to plot and plan out an escape. And that`s usually when they are at their most -- they`re in the most danger.

So I think you`re absolutely right. It`s a good point. Does it make sense that she would leave just on her own? It doesn`t sound like she would.

LALAMA: Let`s ask Mike Brooks, who`s probably had a lot of experiences, you know, in these kinds of criminal cases. What`s your take on that?

BROOKS: Well, it`s one of these things you really can`t say for sure in this particular case, but we`re hearing from her family that she`s the kind of woman that would not have left her kids behind. And if she had gone away, if she had run off, I think she would have let her friends and other people know that she was OK and that she had to escape this alleged abusive relationship.

LALAMA: What about that, Joey Jackson? Wouldn`t she have done that, if she was so scared?

JACKSON: Let`s look at this, Pat. Let`s analyze this. First of all, we know, as you point out very fairly, that there`s some level of depression here. We have a person who is going through marital discord. She`s upset because her sister died of cancer. She has an anniversary coming up. There are things weighing heavily on her mind. And at the time when things are weighing heavily on people`s mind, they may not act logical. They may not act rational.

LALAMA: Let me interrupt you. Let`s go right to Steve Cesare, who`s her friend. And is she the kind of woman who would say, "I can`t take this. I`ve got two step kids. I`ve got this husband who`s always jealous. I`m out of here"?

STEVE CESARE, FRIEND OF STACY PETERSON: No.

LALAMA: No, no, categorically she wouldn`t have done that?

CESARE: No, she wouldn`t have left her kids, period. I know for a fact she was depressed over the summer. She was very close with her sister, Tina. And I was hurting, too. I mean, Tina was a very special girl. But she wouldn`t have left her kids.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NANCY GRACE, CNN HOST: When I lost my fiance to violent crime so many years ago, wife, much less mother, did not seem part of God`s plan for me. My life for 20 years has been representing crime victims in and out of court. I`m happy to report the plan for my life has made a U-turn. This past April, I married David and, tonight, announced that we are expecting twins. So to all of you who think there may be no light at the end of the tunnel, there is.

The sexes of the twins have been confirmed by ultrasound, think pink and blue, a boy and a girl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LALAMA: Wow, is she blessed? And as we celebrate the births of Nancy and David`s newborn twins, Lucy Elizabeth and John David, a very special treat for you tonight. Now, here`s Nancy with an inside look at the twins` brand-new nursery. And tonight we welcome Lucy Elizabeth and John David.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRACE: I want to thank you all for all your letters and your e-mails and your gifts for the twins. And, as you`re about to see, I have used every one of them, and they`re in the babies` nursery right now. So welcome to the babies` room.

I have big, white doors that open wide into their room. If you`ve ever been to New York, you know there`s not a whole lot of space, so the room is tiny, although I`ve enlarged it already by about four feet.

The theme is very, very plain. I painted the walls cream with white trim, bright, white trim, with a big window for them to look out. I didn`t want to go with pink or blue, since there`s a boy and girl. The floors are hardwood, rosewood floors. Just in case they have allergies, no carpet. And I just thought these floors were so warm and inviting. It makes you just want to come in and sit down.

As you see, I have two bassies, and they`re made like Moses baskets. I don`t know if you`re familiar with the story out of the Bible or the Torah of one of our greatest leaders in the world, Moses, being put in a basket. So their bassies are like Moses baskets.

I have a whole shelf full of books. I hope they like to read one day. All of the classics, corduroy, "Good Night Moon," "The Purple Crayon," a lot of Beatrix Potter, who was one of my all-time favorites. Growing up, my mom gave me a Beatrix Potter figurine every year at Easter. So I have a lot of Beatrix Potter, and I hope they love her as much as I do.

Can you believe that people all over the country sent me cowboy boots when they found out that I wear cowboy boots all the time? I`ve got cowboy boots galore for both the boy and the girl, and I love every single one of them. I can`t wait to dress them up.

And a special thank you to Goldie at New York`s California Closets. Before she came and built these closets, there was nothing but a big hole here.

I`ve got a little white CD player, plastic, because I`m sure they`re going to break it, to play lullabies for them when they get tired of hearing me sing. And right there is a figurine that my executive producer, Dean, gave me, a woman about to have her first child, dreaming.

Of course, I have baby monitors everywhere. Safety first. If you`ve seen the show, you know we`re very big on child safety. So my director, Brett, gave me a set of baby monitors, which I plan to use all the time. And, of course, there`s my baby bath fold out. P.S., I have a couple of them, because we`ve covered so many stories where children go underwater in the bathtub or the sink, and I am just so concerned about that. The good thing about these is they actually have a seat belt, so the baby can`t get out.

I chose these blankets for their bassinets. They were given to me by a wonderful family in Mesa, Arizona, who have twins. And if you look at the blankets, you will see that, while they look identical, they are unique, just like the twins.

A Turner employee who does my hair sometimes, I worked with her at Court TV forever, Anita, actually made me baskets out of diapers. And if you had seen them, you would never know, so I have plenty of diapers now.

My senior producer that you always hear me talking to in my ear, Elizabeth, gave me these beautiful frames, pink and blue. And I can`t wait for the first baby pictures to fill them up and put them on the wall.

My dear friend from Court TV, Jean Casarez, gave me beautiful lullaby prints for the wall. And this rug I got in my hometown, Macon, Georgia. I think it`s magical. When I first saw it, I thought I could sit on it and it would take me and the twins away to a magical land. I think it`s beautiful. And it remind me of the hook rugs we had on our floor when we were growing up. So I wanted that for them.

Now, this rocking chair means a lot to me. This is my great, great- grandmother`s chair that I had brought up to New York from Georgia. And as you can see, the pillow says, "Dreams do come true."

Now, these blankets mean a lot to me. These are a gift from one of our guest hosts. You all know Lisa Pinto. And they`re the American flag. And I cannot wait to wrap the twins up -- I`m knocking on wood -- on July the 4th in their American flags.

Now, I know the view out the window is not that great. You just look onto the roof of another building, but what you can`t see is, in the distance at night, somebody far away, on the top of their building, a resident, flies an American flag with a light shining on it. And that`s why I love this view. I hope you like the nursery.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LALAMA: And now over to Headline Prime`s Glenn Beck. Hey, Glenn.

GLENN BECK, HOST: Well, if you watch this program, you know that one of our main themes is the evil that is radical Islam. Tonight, yet more proof of that evil. I`m going to show you some videotape of the Dr. Phil, if you will, of Saudi Arabia. He`s a marriage counselor who teaches men the best way to beat their wives.

Then, who`s the real Dog? Is he the bounty hunter who`s helped take hundreds of scum bags off the street or is he a racist?

And Hillary Clinton is playing the victim card after her terrible performance at the debates. Is this what we want in the White House? Don`t miss tonight`s program.

LALAMA: And, once again, we`re very excited to announce the weekend births of Nancy and David`s twins, il bambini, Lucy Elizabeth and John David.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LINCH, HUSBAND OF NANCY GRACE: Everyone is doing well. Nancy`s resting, and the twins are doing fine. Thanks for the congratulations, and Nancy wanted to send her wishes, too. And thanks for the many prayers, thoughts and e-mails.

Nancy got rather ill Sunday morning, severe cramping and shortness of breath, and went to the hospital. And the doctors almost immediately recognized the shortness of breath being a gathering of fluid in the lungs. And while it was way ahead of time for the twins, they thought it was much healthier for her to go ahead and deliver the twins at that point in time and ensure her health, too.

While Lucy Elizabeth was quite small, she came into the world screaming and yelling, and she`s give Nancy a real run for her money.

LALAMA: Uh-oh. Uh-oh.

LINCH: John David seems extremely happy and at peace, doesn`t much anything rattle him or rile him at this point, and he seems to be a very happy child.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LALAMA: God bless you all.

Tonight, let`s stop to remember Army Specialist Todd Motley. Only 23 from Clare, Michigan, killed in Iraq. On the first tour of duty, awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, always wearing a smile, remembered as athletic, artistic, and a top-notch soldiers who his fellow soldiers nicknamed the Beast because of his stature. He loved playing soccer and giving out candy to Iraqi children. He leaves behind grieving widow, Karen, and two daughters, Hannah, just 2, and Kailey, only nine months old. Todd Motley, an American hero.

Thank you to all of our guests and you at home for being with us. Nancy, thanks so much for the honor. I`m Pat Lalama in for Nancy. See you tomorrow, 9:00 p.m. sharp Eastern. Until then, have a wonderful evening. And to you, Nancy and David, a special message tonight from the stars of your show.

END