11/30/2007 (video.nbc5.com) “Today” Interviews “Walter Martineck”

“New Voice Heard In Peterson Case”

http://www.acandyrose.com/2007-11-30-TodayShowWalterMartineck.htm

TRANSCRIBED BY: www.acandyrose.com (It's word for word).

http://video.nbc5.com/player/?id=190421

New Voice Heard In Peterson Case
November 30, 2007

 
A new voice is heard from as a friend of Drew Peterson's relative appears on the Today Show.

Transcipt: NBC Today Show 11/30/2007 (transcribed by www.acandryrose.com):

WALTER MARTINECK JR (Friend and Neighbor of Tom Morphey): I went to school with him, Jr high, 19 years ago so what happened in between that, you know, that happened, that's his past, we're in the present now and our present is our future.

Meredith Viera (Today HOST): How would you describe Tom?

MARTINECK: He's layback you know, plays with his kids out in the yard, we play, you know, well not me and him but we're all like a very close knit community.

MEREDITH: Is he the kind of guy Walter that would make up a wild story?

MARTINECK: No, not one bit. He's a down to earth person, he'd give you the shirt off his back, I guess there's really nothing else, I can't say nothing bad about him, you know, like I said his past is his past and from when I moved into the neighborhood six years ago I've never seen no problems whatsoever with him.

MEREDITH: On October 28th the day Stacy disappeared, Tom showed up at your home, right?"

MARTINECK: That's correct.

MEREDITH: What time was that?

MARTINECK: Roughly around quarter to ten.

MEREDITH: So it was a surprise, you didn't expect him first?

MARTINECK: He called me first and asked me if he could talk to me,

MEREDITH: And when he came over to you, what did he say?

MARTINECK: His eyes were sunken in the back of his head. He took me by my shoulders, told me I can't say anything and he just told me that he thinks he disposed of Stacy's body.

MEREDITH: Why did he think he had done that?

MARTINECK: Because when he helped Drew, that's what he told me, he had helped Drew take something out of the house, it was warm to the touch.

MEREDITH: Did he tell you what he helped Drew do, what kind of object he took out of the house, where it was?

MARTINECK: It was a blue container, a sealed blue container.

MEREDITH: We keep hearing this description a barrol, did he use the word barrol?

MARTINECK: He didn't use the word barrol.

MEREDITH: Blue container?

MARTINECK: Blue sealed container.

MEREDITH: And where was the container?

MARTINECK: I believe it was upstairs.

MEREDITH: Did Drew Peterson say to Tom or did Tom say Drew told him anyting about what was in that container, why...?

MARTINECK: Not to my knowledge, no.

MEREDITH: So Tom didn't say anyting to you about that?

MARTINECK: No.

MEREDITH: So where did Tom take the barrol with Drew, where did they take it?

MARTINECK: To my knowledge Drew had dropped Tom back off at his house and that's when Tom came right to me.

MEREDITH: So Tom was badly shaken up?

MARTINECK: Yes he was.

MEREDITH: Why do you think he helped Drew Peterson, Drew Peterson is his step brother, why do you think he helped him given the fact that he was so shaken up almost immediately afterwards?

MARTINECK: He didn't have anything to worry about. I don't know drew, I rarely, I've met him once or twice but just like brother and sister, they ask you to do something, you're going to do it, regardless.

MEREDITH: But still something said to him, something went off in his head that said I think I might have done something bad, was it the warmth of the container, was that..?

MARTINECK: Well that was after the fact but I can't speak for him.

MEREDITH: Did he describe Drew Peterson's demeaner at all?

MARTINECK: No he did not.

MEREDITH: He didn't say anything about that?

MARTINECK: No.

MEREDITH: Why do yo think Peterson would have used him as an accomplist?

MARTINECK: Down on his luck I guess. I've been laid off a work, he's been got fired from his job I guess and times are tight, it's all over the midwest where times are tight and he probably just used that to Drews advantage.

MEREDITH: You mean Drew said I'll give you a little extra cash if you help me out is that what you mean?

MARTINECK: It's possible.

MEREDITH: Do you have any reason to doubt your friend?

MARTINECK: No.

MEREDITH: You totally believe his story?

MARTINECK: I stake my life on it.

MEREDITH: There are reports that he tried to kill himself a couple days after Stacy Peterson disappeared. Did tom try to take his own life and if so why?

MARTINECK: For fear of his family.

MEREDITH: For fear of his family?

MARTINECK: Yes.

MEREDITH: Did he tell you that?

MARTINECK: Yes he did.

MEREDITH: What exactly did he say to you?

MARTINECK: Drews a very powerful person and he could do, he could do anything from what I was told and with him, with Tom out of the way, he doesn't have to worry about his family.

MEREDITH: So you think if Tom thought if he took his own life his family would be safe. Was Tom worried that Drew would do him some sort of harm?

MARTINECK: Yes

MEREDITH: Did he say that to you?

MARTINECK: Not so many words
.

MEREDITH: What exactly did he say to you? Try to remember what he said.

MARTINECK: It's pretty difficult to remember everything but he was just afraid of his own, you know, of his families life so he made that decision to try and do something and I told him not to do it, don't be a coward, which he's not, he's actually the hero.

MEREDITH: Are you worried about his well being right now?

MARTINECK: I'm worried about everybody's well being in the neighborhood.

MEREDITH: Because?

MARTINECK: It's frightening, it's like our community, our neighborhood is very well knit and I don't want to put this in too high up like 911 but it's almost like 911 with Tom gone. Our neighborhood is quiet, the kids arn't playing outside like they use to.

MEREDITH: I know you stuggled to be here Walter to sum this up. Why did you make the final decision to come here?

MARTINECK: Because Tom is a decent human being, he's, I would do anything for him, he would do anything for me. you could ask anybody in the neighborhood what he's like and they'll tell you what he's like. He's a down to earth guy.