CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
The Will County Courthouse drama keeps developing, as jury selection began Monday, August 13th in the Christopher Vaughn trial.
The Drew Peterson case picks up August 14th in its third week, which means two high-profile cases will happen at the same time in the same courthouse right next to each other.
Here's a breakdown of both cases:
The Peterson case: Peterson, a former police sergeant, is accused of killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio, whose body was found in a dry bathtub in her home in Bowlingbrook in 2004.
Peterson was also the only suspect in the mysterious disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. When she went missing in 2007, police exhumed Savio's body and reopened the case, calling her death a homicide.
The charges: Peterson is facing two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly killing his third wife. He has pleaded not guilty and has been in jail on $20 million bail since his May 7, 2009 arrest.
The timeline: In 2009, Peterson was accused and arrested for the murder of Kathleen Savio. His case was supposed to go to trial two years ago, but legal squabbling over statements delayed it. Jury selection started on June 14th, 2012, and his trial started on July 31st. It is expected to last a month.
The Vaughn case: Vaughn is charged with murdering his wife and three children, ages 8, 11, and 12, inside the family's Ford Expedition on a drive to a water park in Oswego in 2007.
Prosecutors allege that Vaughn pulled over on I-55, grabbed a hand gun from a roof rank on top of the vehicle, wrapped it in his jacket, and shot his wife in the head before shooting his three children.
The charges: Christopher Vaughn is charged with first-degree murder. After his arrest, prosecutors had vowed to seek the death penalty, which Illinois abolished last year.
The timeline: After five years of legal proceedings, jury selection began today and opening statements are slated for August 20th. The trial is expected to last four to six weeks.
Related stories:
Jury selection in Christopher Vaughn trial starts Monday
Crime scene investigators testify in Drew Peterson murder trial
Friend: Savio said Drew Peterson held a knife to her throat
Sister: Savio was 'terrified' of Peterson
