Peggy Dianovsky Featured on Intimate Partner Homicide Investigations

By Sheryl McCollum, Holly Hughes, Susan Murphy Milano
Tonight IPHI and Websleuths.com features the cold case Peggy Dianovsky
Peggy Dianovsky disappeared on September 12, 1982. Early reports suggest she left after an argument with her estranged husband, taking only a few things in a plastic bag and walked out on her 3 sons, her home, and her job. She was about to divorce Robert Dianovsky, stood to get approximately $20,000 from the sale of their home, and according to a quote from her brother, Gus Gollias, “She was about to get everything she wanted.” Her elderly father in law was also stated as being puzzled as to why she would leave everything.
Peggy Dianovsky has never been found, foul play is suspected in her disappearance.

Your hosts Holly Hughes former Atlanta Prosecutor turned defense attorney, Sheryl McCollum, Director of Cold Case Investigative Research Institute and Susan Murphy-Milano, Violence Expert and Author of the new book "Time's Up" have joined forces to bring new eyes to cases of intimate partner homicide. Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation gives these cases a front and center seat instead of a back door crime occurring behind closed doors.
The show is sponsored by the interactive crime and news site Websleuths.com

To listen to the show live for Monday August 23, 2010, and participate in the chat room, the direct link for the show is HERE
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The Choice, Divorce or Murder?

When I followed the Scott Peterson case I was drawn to the fact that this man showed no emotion before and after his trial. His eyes were "dead" and hollow and he kept that blank look that was there from the beginning when Laci Peterson and her unborn child, Conor, first went missing. What was he thinking? What was behind that blank facade? How could he just go on living like nothing happened and start another relationship? After reading the book authored by Marilee Strong, "Erased", I came away with a clearer picture of the psychology involved in why men can "erase" their partners and sometimes even get away with it.

Lately it seems we have many more names to put on the list of cases covered in Marilee's book. Since I live in the Carolinas, those cases stand out in my mind, Janet Arbaroa, Michelle Young, Kelly Currin Morris, Carol Batten Dowless, and I'm sure there are more. Some of these spouses will get away with murder based on past cases, such as Peggy Dianovsky and Toni Bachman. Some of these spouses have confessed, some haven't been charged, but in each case there is a pattern that presents itself.

*Charm turns to manipulation and deceit.
*A pattern of control issues
*Escalation of domestic violence.
*The beginning of the end of the relationship.
*Woman goes missing.

As a follower of true crime for many years on several online forums and blogs, it's almost too easy to follow this pattern and accuse the spouse. My fellow sleuthers are not often wrong and follow these cases with diligence. The inconvenience of a divorce with the possibility of child support payments, the loss of control of the relationship, and an escalation of violence, moves these men into the realm of murder. It's also clear, in several cases, that he moves on with his life, remarries, has more children, and the missing woman is no longer spoken about, she has been "erased" for all intents and purposes, from the lives of her children and her family.

While Marilee Strong goes into great detail about every psychological aspect of these men, my concern is for the children that have been left behind. Their mothers have been literally erased from their lives, but the bond will always be there somewhere. The children left behind will always be searching, always carry the burden, and sometimes be brainwashed by the murdering spouse to forget and move on. What are the long term affects for these children, who many times witness acts of violence in the household? How can the cycle of violence ever be broken?

The words emotionally spoken by Sharon Rocha at the trial of her son-in-law Scott Peterson ring so true now as they did then. "Divorce is always an option, you didn't have to murder her!"

To this type of man, divorce is not an option. He will murder before he gives up any control, any money, and anything of his own. Mothers vanish every day, some we hear about and some we don't. Someone is getting away with murder in this country right now and there is no remorse, no empathy, no mourning, no signs whatsoever of an emotional loss. Most importantly, there are children who have questions, who have lost a mother, and will never see her again, she has vanished.

Chicagoland Missing Mothers

There is more than one missing mother in the Chicagoland area and probably more than the ones pictured here. We will not forget them and will continue to carry their messages until they are found. Someone is getting away with murder in Chicago!

Almost a year has passed since Stacy Cales Peterson whispered to her sister Cassandra Cales that if she disappeared it was not an accident that "He killed her", almost a year since she went missing without a trace leaving behind her babies, her home, her family, her friends, and almost a year since the body of Kathleen Savio was exhumed and her once called accidental death declared a homicide. These women, one now a victim of homicide who left behind a haunting plea for help to the state begging for help before he killed her, and one who begged her sister to find her if she disappeared because she feared for her life, as different as their cases are today -do have common ground. Both women were married to Drew Peterson, both women feared for their lives, both women tried to get help and get away, and both women were too late.

We, who gathered together to remember these women, who heard their voices only after they were gone, have vowed to make sure they are never forgotten, and that their names and stories live on. We are determined to see justice served.

Both of these mothers cried for help to a combination of their communities; family, friends, clergy, the police, the state, complete strangers, and in the end there was no one who could, or would protect tthem. The only voice they have been given is the media who has made them headline news. And so they have become the faces and the stories of thousands of women the media has passed over, a reminder that this can happen to any of us, or someone we know.


Domestic violence is unacceptable in our society, a plague which haunts behind closed doors, sunglasses and long sleeve shirts, often a well known dirty secret that no one talks about. We are determined to let victims know that there are options, there are ways to get out safely, there is help. But we have to reach them before it is too late.

Had someone helped Kathleen Savio or Stacy Peterson, had they heard their cries for help instead of turning their heads and pretending not to see- had someone listened and believed- taken the time to find out what could be done, or to change what could be done- we might not ever have known their names. They would be here today and four beautiful children would still have their moms.

These children deserve the truth, they deserve justice and the knowledge and comfort of knowing their mothers loved them very much and would be here with them if they could be. These children deserve to hear their mother's voice. They deserve the truth. They deserve our help. They deserve your help.

Speak out for those who can no longer speak for themselves!

Please take the time to become involved in your community. Contact your elected officials, make your voice heard, make your vote count on election day. Find out what you can do to help these women and others like them. Find out what you can do to prevent these crimes. Find out what you can do to demand justice. Take action.

But most importantly find out what your politicians and officials are doing to protect you and your loved ones, and to seek justice for these women. Make sure your voice is one they cannot ignore, it could happen to you or someone you love.

There will be a search for Stacy Peterson this Saturday, October 25.

BRING STACY HOME!
Searchers needed Sat October 25, 2008 Stacy Peterson Hello again all! We are currently in need of volunteers to aid us in a search on Oct 25, 2008. We will once again be search for Stacy Peterson, it is not too late and it is not time to give up. We must push forward and bring this beautiful young woman home.If you are available please email me here or at fuzzbuttmom@comcast.net. We will be meeting at 9am, meeting location to be announced. Please feel free to repost this as often as you would like. Thanks again to all who have been helping in the searches and for any further help you may be able to provide.

Stacy Peterson
Lisa Stebic
Jeri Lynn Duvall
Peggy Dianovsky

You Are Missed

A simple photo tribute to some Missing Mothers...........You are Missed.

I understand the family leaving it in the hands of God.
If He calls the stars by name, I know He knows
every name of every missing person ! And, will one day call their names.  ~Seeker~
... See my Tabblo>

Peggy Dianovsky

Peggy Dianovsky is the mother of three beautiful sons, Andrew, Bobby, and John, who were still quite young in 1982 and living in Schaumberg, Illinois. They lived the rest of their childhood without a mother in a home with a man who later would go on trial for her murder.
It is stated that the boys were not allowed to talk about Peggy after she was gone, the unspoken rule from Robert Dianovsky, their father. Robert married another Peggy who also had 3 boys, so it was a blended family with no trace of the original Peggy Dianovsky. The boys say when they asked about their mother Robert would reply that he couldn't remember, and that as they were growing up they didn't even know when her birthday was. She was erased from their lives.
At age 31 Andrew was a middle school teacher, and apparently started remembering things from the night of September 12, 1982. After intense therapy he was able to recall a violent fight that night, seeing his father holding a butcher knife to his mother's throat. This was a mere 24 hours before Peggy Dianovsky would disappear for good.
Very close to finalizing a settlement on their divorce, the boys recalled a few louder than normal fights between the couple, who had their share of them over the course of the marriage. The last one being the worst, the loudest and most violent.
Robert Dianovsky reported Peggy missing 5 days after the night of the last fight. Reported her missing, but, as Robert states, leaving voluntarily, taking a few clothes, and leaving behind her 3 boys, her car, and her last paycheck.
Where did all their memories go? Hidden in the minds of three little boys was a mother who made a ritual of tucking them in and kissing them every night. But that night they were told she was too tired. What other lies were they fed in that home over the course of 20 years?
Finally, Robert Dianovsky was arrested for Peggy's murder after his 3 sons urged authorities to reopen the case, feeling safe that they could now share their most secret memories. There was no body and no other physical evidence, a circumstantial case.
Robert received an aquittal in a 2004 bench trial, the judge ruling that she was probably murdered, but there was insufficient evidence to prove that Robert did it. Although Peggy has never been found, foul play is suspected in her disappearance.
How can a man live with himself, his sons, and a new family after completely obliterating the mother of his children?
I guess some do get away with murder, don't they?

Listen to the following radio show. Intimate Partner Homicide Investigates with hosts, Sheryl McCollum, Holly Hughes, and Susan Murphy-Milano. Just push PLAY to hear the discussion about Peggy's case with her brother, Gus and sister, Anne.

Listen to internet radio with Susan Murphy Milano on Blog Talk Radio