Crime & Safety

Area News: Drew Peterson Pours His Heart Out in Letters Written to Girl Half His Age

"In all my relationships, I treated my partners like gold and spoiled them, which was probably a big mistake on my part," Peterson wrote in one.

Apparently, you can lock Drew Peterson up for years, but you can’t stop him from sweet-talking the ladies on the outside.

charged with murdering one wife and suspected by the Illinois State Police of having a hand in another's disappearance, sent love letters from jail to a 26-year-old DuPage County woman throughout the spring of 2010.

“Hello my love,” Peterson wrote to the young woman in one of the letters recently given to Patch. “I really miss you and keep dreaming about holding you …

Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“You still got my heart and I hope you still (have) mine.”

The lovestruck Peterson’s letters, all written in pencil on lined notebook paper, depict visions of romance, freedom from the bars that prevent him from dreaming, and a relationship in which he would spoil the object of his affections.

Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But it’s not clear if Peterson, locked up in for the last three years pending trial, ever actually met the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

When contacted, the woman denied the letters were sent to her, but then demanded no story be written about them.

She said a story about the letters would be “detrimental to character.”

Peterson, whose trial on charges he murdered , starts today (Tuesday, July 31), predicted in one letter that he would be released from jail.

“You’ll see when I get out that I am a lot of fun,” he wrote. “You’ll always be laughing.”

He also told his young love what a great guy he was to his past romantic “partners.”

“In all my relationships I treated my partners like gold and spoiled them, which was probably a big mistake on my part,” Peterson lamented. “I was good to them and their families and ended up being taken advantage of. It’s sad all the people I have helped in my life have now turned their backs on me. Good—when I get out they won’t have me to use anymore.”

And even though Peterson was charged with killing one of his wives and was by the State Police, he let his latest love know she didn’t have to worry about him doing anything to hurt her.

“I’ll never hurt you but don’t hurt me either,” Peterson said. “You already broke my heart once. But I do understand.”

The four-times married and thrice-divorced Peterson went on to write of how all his loves have disappointed him.

“I have always spoiled all my partners and was let down by all of them.”

He also writes: “I need to be the most important thing in my partner’s life and my partner needs to be the most important thing in my life. No matter what. Please tell me what you want from me. I still love you but I’m gonna be cautious. I don’t want to jump in with both feet and get hurt again.”

Just in case the young woman was being a little too cautious, maybe because she heard or read or saw stuff about what Peterson allegedly did to get himself locked up—drowning one ex-wife, not to mention the mystery surrounding the one who disappeared—he didn’t hesitate to set her straight.

“Let me try to clear some things up for you,” he wrote. “ trying to sensationalize my situation and make a quick buck.”

And with all that cleared up, Peterson let his young love know what she must do to make him hers.

“So if you want me, be good to me,” he wrote. "Make me happy. Just love me and be faithful to me and I’ll give you the same and live to make yours happy. Be my best friend. Love me unconditionally.”

And it’s not all take and no give with Peterson. In fact, he had some tips for the woman as she pursued a career as a police officer.

“As for being a cop, you don’t have to disclose your relationship with me,” he told her. “And if you get hired, don’t say anything until you’re off probation to anyone.”

Predictions for the length of Peterson’s murder trial have ranged from as brief as a week to as long as five. At the end of that time, the accused wife-killer will find out if he will realize his dream of the recipient of his letters being “all in love and planning a lifetime with (him) in Michigan.”

“I do love you and am hoping for a future with us. Hang on to that sweetie. Take care of yourself for me. I’m really trying to get to you,” Peterson swooned.

“Give us something to hang onto and dream about,” he pleaded. “I want to build a new life for me and the kids. Please be in it.

“I haven’t dreamed since I have been in here,” Peterson wrote. “I now know why some animals die in captivity. It kills your spirit and will to live if you let it.

“Again I love you. Don’t break my heart again.”

 

Read More: Drew Peterson Coverage on Patch


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.