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Tuesday, Jul 31, 2012 7:15 AM UTC

Jurors to hear openings in Peterson trial

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Jurors to hear openings in Peterson trialFILE - In this May 7, 2009 file booking photo provided by the Will County Sheriff's office in Joliet, Ill., former Bolingbrook, Ill., police sergeant Drew Peterson is shown. Opening statements are slated for Tuesday, July 31, 2012, in the much-anticipated trial of the 58-year-old Peterson, who was charged with the 2004 murder of his 40-year-old fourth wife, Kathleen Savio, only after his 23-year-old fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, vanished without a trace in 2007. The trial's focus is determining if Peterson killed Kathleen Savio. Drew Peterson has never been charged in the disappearance or death of Stacy Peterson, whose body has never been found. But her family hopes a conviction at the current murder trial could eventually lead to a trial for Peterson in Stacy's death. (AP Photo/Will County Sheriff's Office, File)(Credit: AP)

CHICAGO (AP) — The saga of Drew Peterson and his ill-fated wives has drawn a lot of attention outside the courtroom.

Now, the case finally goes to trial. Opening statements are Tuesday in Joliet, followed by testimony from the first witnesses.

The former suburban Chicago police officer’s day in court comes nearly a decade after his third wife was found dead in a bathtub. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in her 2004 death.

A botched initial investigation into the death of 40-year-old Kathleen Savio leaves prosecutors with scant physical evidence. They’ll rely on circumstantial and normally barred hearsay evidence to convince jurors of Peterson’s guilt.

Peterson was only charged after his 23-year-old fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, went missing in 2007.

The 58-year-old Peterson has never been charged in her disappearance.

More Michael Tarm.

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