Credit: AP

UPDATE: JOLIET, Ill. (AP) -- A judge has sentenced Drew Peterson to 38 years in prison for murdering his third wife.

Will County Judge Edward Burmila imposed the sentence Thursday. The 59-year-old Peterson faced a maximum 60-year prison term.

Jurors convicted Peterson in September in the 2004 death of Kathleen Savio. Neighbors found her body in a dry bathtub at her home with a gash on her head.

Peterson is also a suspect in the 2007 disappearance of his 23-year-old fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, but hasn't been charged. Her disappearance is what led authorities to take another look at Savio's death and reclassify it from an accident to a homicide.

Fascination nationwide with Peterson arose from speculation he sought to use his law enforcement expertise to get away with murder.

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) -- A judge has refused to grant Drew Peterson a new murder trial in the death of the former suburban Chicago police officer's third wife.

The ruling came Thursday after Peterson's current legal team argued for a new trial on grounds his former lead attorney botched the case.

After the ruling, Judge Edward Burmila moved on to Peterson's sentencing hearing.

Jurors convicted Peterson in September in the 2004 death of Kathleen Savio. Her body was found in a dry bathtub.

The 59-year-old Peterson faces up to 60 years in prison for Savio's murder.

Peterson is also a suspect in the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, but hasn't been charged.