Ex-cop whose wife vanished seeks donations

updated 12:38 p.m. ET Dec. 12, 2007

CHICAGO - A former Chicago-area police officer suspected in his wife's disappearance has set up a Web site to ask for financial help with his legal defense.

Drew Peterson's site says he wants to collect money from people who believe he deserves a defense without going broke.

The site says: "For the cost of a few cups of your morning coffee, you can help to ensure that Drew can afford to support his ongoing legal defense, find his missing wife, and divert any remaining funds into a trust for his children."

Peterson's attorney says any money collected on DefendDrew.com will go into a trust account over which Peterson will have no control.

Peterson has denied any involvement in Stacy Peterson's disappearance. He has said he believes his wife left him for another man and is alive.

A spokeswoman for the missing woman's family says she was shocked to learn about the plea for money. She said the funding priorities should be rearranged to hire a private investigator first.

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