Taped Confession: Marino Murder Investigation

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Reporter: Dana Brueck
Email Address: dbrueck@nbc15.com

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UPDATED Friday, July 18, 2008 -- 9:15 pm

"I stabbed him out of nowhere."

An accused killer is caught on tape while in jail.

The 20-year-old suspect -- charged with the murder of a Madison man in January -- will stand trial.

One person testified at the preliminary hearing for Adam Peterson.

He's charged with 1st degree intentional homicide in the death of Joel Marino. But prosecutors also played clips from a couple of recorded phone conversations between Peterson and his parents.

Peterson's Mother: "How could this have happened, honey?"
Adam: "I don't know."
Peterson's Mother: " ... They didn't talk you into this? You did this?"
Adam: "I was just so hopeless."

Hopeless is how Adam Peterson describes himself to his mother during a phone conversation recorded last month. The clip was taped at the Washington County Jail in Minnesota after Madison Police arrested the former UW Madison student for murder.

Peterson's Mother: "You actually did this?"
Adam: "I actually did this."
Peterson's Mother: "How? Why?"
Adam: "I thought, I thought if I could like, I could like rob him (ok) for money."

It was an emotional hearing for Lou Marino, Joel's father. He listened as another conversation was played between Peterson and his own father the day of his arrest. During the call, Peterson refers to Marino as a working man, a stranger. The suspect tells his father he was not on drugs at the time.

Peterson's Father: "Number one, you were not in your right frame of mind."
Adam: "I know."
Peterson's Father: "I'm not going to judge you on this."
Adam: "Alright."
Peterson's Father: "You clearly you had mental health issues and you, I'm guessing, it began before that happened."
Adam: "Yeah."

But, Madison police say, Peterson also confessed to detectives at his mother's home in Minnesota.

"He said I know I committed this.
Prosecutor: and what else?
"When asked why, he said no reason."

Detective Alix Olson says that's when Peterson was arrested and taken to the local jail. Detectives originally went to Peterson's mother's home to serve a search warrant for DNA. The crime lab has since linked Peterson's DNA to the knife police say was used to kill Marino.

"We plead not guilty."

Peterson's family offered no comments after the hearing. Lou Marino said it was incredibly difficult to be in the same room as the suspect. Peterson's defense attorney began to inquire about his client's mental condition at the time of the phone calls but was stopped short by the judge.

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UPDATED Friday, July 18 --- 4:25pm

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A former University of Wisconsin-Madison student has been bound over for trial in connection with a January stabbing death.

Twenty-year-old Adam Peterson faces one count of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Joel Marino.

Assistant district attorney Corey Stephan on Friday played tapes of calls Peterson made from jail to his parents in which he confesses to killing Marino in a robbery.

Peterson's father, Melvin Peterson, can be heard telling his son he was not in his right mind.

Defense attorney Dennis E. Burke didn't challenge the content of the calls and entered a not-guilty plea on Peterson's behalf.

Peterson sat in court but showed no emotion.

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UPDATED Friday, July 18 --- 4:00pm

A preliminary hearing for the former UW Madison student accused of killing Joel Marino is underway right now.

Marino was stabbed to death at his downtown Madison home in January.

Police say DNA from the knife found at the scene matched DNA from Adam Peterson.

He was arrested at his mother's home in Minnesota last month.

A judge will likely determine today if Peterson should stand trial on first degree intentional homicide charges.

NBC15's Dana Brueck is in court right now.

She tells us just moments ago tapes between Peterson and his parents where he allegedly confessed were played in court.

________________________________________________________

UPDATE: Thursday, July 3, 2008 --- 7:45 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The defense attorney for the suspect in the high-profile January stabbing death of Joel Marino says his client gave Madison police an incriminating statement.

Adam Peterson's defense attorney, Dennis Burke, says he doesn't know what Peterson told police when they contacted him and arrested him in his mother's Minnesota home on June 26th.

Burke says he believes Peterson made an admission that's not in the complaint.

Police have reported they served a search warrant for Peterson's DNA, which ended up matching DNA from the Marino crime scene.

But they arrested the 20-year-old Peterson before the DNA results were back.

The former University of Wisconsin-Madison dropout is in jail on $1 million bail on a charge of first-degree intentional homicide.

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UPDATE: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 --- 2:25 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A suspect in a high-profile stabbing death that frightened Madison residents has been ordered jailed on a $1 million bail.

University of Wisconsin-Madison dropout Adam Peterson showed no emotion and said nothing during his initial appearance Tuesday in Dane County Circuit Court.

Instead of the traditional jumpsuit, he wore a sleeveless one-piece black garment given to Dane County inmates considered at risk of committing suicide.

Court Commissioner Todd Meurer accepted a prosecutor's recommendation to impose the $1 million cash bail on the 20-year-old Peterson. Peterson's Public Defender Dennis Burke did not challenge the motion.

Meurer scheduled a status hearing for the case on July 9.

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UPDATE: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 --- 11:20 a.m.

Adam Peterson will make his initial appearance today at 1:30 p.m. in the Public Safety Building.

Tune in to NBC 15 and nbc15.com for continuing coverage and immediate updates.

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UPDATE: Monday, June 30, 2008 --- 6:05 p.m.

Statement from Adam's twin - Eric Peterson.

"Adam is my best friend and I love him more than anything. He did a terrible thing that has caused the victim's family pain that I can't imagine, and can't begin to condole. But I have always known him as a very gentle and sensitive person, and though I don't understand why he did this, I want what's best for him."

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UPDATE: Monday, June 30, 2008 --- 2:20 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A college dropout charged with murdering a Wisconsin man is being transported from Minnesota to Madison.

The Washington County jail in Stillwater, Minnesota, confirmed that Adam Peterson left its custody on Monday.

His father, Melvin Peterson, says his son is being transported to the Dane County Jail in Madison. He is expected to make his initial court appearance on the first-degree intentional homicide charge within days.

Police say the 20-year-old Peterson fatally stabbed Joel Marino in his home on Jan. 28. He was arrested at his mother's home last week in Grant, near Stillwater. Peterson declined to challenge his extradition.

Melvin Peterson says he believes his son is suffering from mental illness.

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UPDATE: Sunday, June 29, 2008 --- 12:30 p.m.

Click HERE for interview with father of suspect published in the Star Tribune

Father of Adam Peterson was interviewed by a reporter for the Star Tribune, in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

He says it is very unlikely that his son is tied to the unsolved murders in Madison. Melvin Peterson said Brittany Zimmermann was killed in April, a month after his son, Adam Peterson, 20, had returned to Minnesota, where he underwent treatment for depression. Another woman, Kelly Nolan, was killed last summer, when Adam and his twin brother, Eric, were working at Wisconsin Dells.

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UPDATED Friday, June 27 --- 6:45pm
By: Evrod Cassimy
ecassimy@nbc15.com

Eric Brown lives right next door to where Adam Peterson used to live, the major suspect in the high profile Joel Marino murder case.

"We've had him over I mean once or twice just for random get togethers little parties and stuff," says Brown. "It's eye opening. I mean, I had no idea. I never would have guessed. It's kind of a shock actually."

This shock is felt by almost all neighbors here on South Bassett Street (one of the many places Peterson had stayed), including his own roommates. We tried to speak with them this afternoon about the case but they declined to comment only stating he moved out early this past school year. However, his name is still clearly visible on the mailbox. Across the street, neighbors that ran in to Adam at parties are upset by the news.

"I'm like really sad," says one neighbor. "I hope everything's okay with their like family I guess. That's intense."

"It is kind of weird that it's right next door," says Brown.

Still hard to believe none of his neighbors would suspect the 20 year old former UW student was capable of murder. Neighbors say Peterson worked at the Capital Center Market on Broom street but was fired from that job. The store owner wouldn't confirm this and declined to comment about him.

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Friday, June 27, 2008 --- 12:55 p.m.
By: Abby Riese
ariese@nbc15.com

Twenty-year-old Adam Peterson has been formally charged with First Degree Intentional Homicide in the January 28 murder of 31-year-old Joel Marino. The arrest was announced this morning by Madison Police Chief Noble Wray in a press conference.

According to police, this arrest culminates an exhaustive five month investigation which included contact with more than 800 witnesses and involved more than 200 potential suspects.

Adam Peterson was a sophomore at UW-Madison until he dropped out last October. Melvin Peterson, Peterson's father, said in an interview this morning with WIBA that his son Adam appeared “troubled” when he moved back home to his mother’s house near Stillwater, Minnesota this past March. He refused to elaborate further.

Adam Peterson has a twin brother Eric who is a junior at UW Madison. NBC 15 spoke with a student who lived on the same floor as Eric Peterson his freshman year. "(Adam was) a cool guy, he seemed like his brother. He seemed like a nice guy, a little quiet, quieter than Eric. They were both very similar,” the student says. “(Adam) was a little weird, but not crazy. He’s not crazy or anything.”

Adam Peterson attended UW-La Crosse his freshman year. Cody Pearce lived next to Adam Peterson during their freshman year at La Crosse. “He seemed very nice, always smiling, kind of quiet, though.”

Stephen Linzmeier was Adam's roommate at La Crosse. “He’d always stay up really late and listen to music. He was a little weird, kept to himself, didn’t talk too much.” But Linzmeier never could have predicted this. “I didn’t think he would do anything that crazy."

Melvin Peterson said he cannot believe his son would do this, and added that he is innocent until proven guilty. But he says if Adam did murder Joel Marino, he’s convinced it was a purely random act.

Melvin says he did talk briefly with his son yesterday when Adam called from jail. He said Adam only told him he’s okay, and Melvin told him not to say anymore due to the fact that jail calls are recorded, and Adam did not yet have an attorney.

Melvin did not believe that Adam used alcohol or drugs, but noted that Adam could have kept that from him. He said Adam was a solitary person who enjoyed music and electronics.

Adam had no girlfriend, and few friends, Melvin said.

When asked if Adam would have attacked Marino if it could have been for money, drugs or crime of passion, Melvin said he had no idea.

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Posted by: mike on Jul 30, 2008 at 03:08 PM
alrite....this is just something that was bothering me as i read this blog..it is completely unrelated but two morons keep arguing about tv ratings...whoever isnt anonymous sorry i forgot ur name and am not taking the time to check it....you're an idiot...the reason news companies post websites is to gain more loyalty and more customers..if you find a good news website and read it every day are you not more likely to watch their television show?? yes you are...and you are also 100 percent wrong about "sweeps weeks". again you try to blast this anonymous person for being ignorant but then you try to talk about neilsen tv ratings like you have any clue what they do and even say "i know about nielsen", obviously you dont because i have been part of nielsen tv ratings and it is used through the entire year...you're an idiot...argue pertaining to the subject and quit bashing the same guy over and over again for one comment he made about ratings

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 25, 2008 at 07:17 PM
Sheila, I'm not the former EMT Joel was. I said, "As a former EMT I am sure he did the best...". I just wanted to clear that up. Yes, I'm not sure if they released the gory detail the way I described it, but at his funeral and memorial and in talking with his gf that is what happened. The amount of force with a 4" knife is incredible. He had such a heart and that is how he died, but being stabbed in it. As for the phone, it's my guess based on my understanding. I obviously wasn't there. As for when he crawled out, that I don't know either. I don't think anyone does. Also, to touch back on the "calmness" of his voice..."I've gotta go! I've gotta go!" is not necessarily calm. That was not a very happy 75th bday for his grandma.

Posted by: annonymous 2day2 Location: Madison on Jul 25, 2008 at 02:59 PM
Anonymous on 7/25: Did he leave the house when the killer was still there, or did the killer leave and he tried to go to the hospital after the killer left? Seems I heard he crawled out into the alley after the killer left. it would seem to me, and I am totally guessing here, that if the killer saw him still moving, he would have finished the job in order not to be identified if the guy lived. but, I saw that in a movie, or Law&Order or something, so maybe that isn't how it works in the real world.

Posted by: Sheila on Jul 25, 2008 at 02:54 PM
Hey Anonymous former EMT- Me Too! I just didn't know (or take time to read?) the extent of the stab wounds other than they were vicious in nature and application to the victim. Thanks for the heads up on the phone though! Sheila

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 24, 2008 at 06:42 PM
Sheila, I believe it was a land line. I know someone earlier said it was a cellphone, yet they can't say where they got that info. I believe it was a land line and of course not having a cell on you is a problem when you have to get out of your house to avoid getting stabbed again. He was stabbed with such force that it went through bone and right into his heart. As a former EMT I am sure he did the best he could to try and save his life.

Posted by: Sheila Location: Madison on Jul 24, 2008 at 04:00 PM
Does anyone know what kind of phone Joel was using? Cellular? Cordless home landline? Hardwired landline? Just curious. Roger, go contradict yourself somewhere else. you tell people to quit posting because no one cares- then you say keep posting? OK Roger Favre, off the field until you can make up your mind what the hell you mean! your statements, by the way, are not only contradictory, they're incoherent too! don't use words you don't understand rah, rah, rogie! makes you sound, how did you put it?... oh yes, pathetic! At least you're smarter than the toilet paper you should be using to clean your ears out, but that is only because you didn't misspell anything.

Posted by: Krita Location: Cross Plains on Jul 24, 2008 at 03:46 PM
Roger: incoherent, as ref to jumbled expression of thought or communication, is a big word, but I think you should have read the entire dictionary passage, or read one at all, instead of using big words you once heard someone else use! you are saying no one cares, yet here you are, caring to tell us no one cares, and telling us we are babbling, therefore caring about stuff no one cares about, which is incoherent. 2nd, at least the postings center on people's interpretation of facts, theories, guesses, fantasies, etc. related to the news item, yet you incoherently (lacking clear expression definition) come here to tell us no one cares, but you say nothing about the story itself, just that you find the posts humorous. you say to stop b/c no one cares, yet you tell us to keep going to amuse you? Time for meds and a nap Rog old boy- you're babbling incoherently again! If grams could hear the killer, why didn't she call back when he didn't to see if all was well? I know I would to be safe.

Posted by: Rodger Location: madison on Jul 24, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Wow. Reading through this forum is amazing. A little suggestion to you all GET A LIFE. You are pathetic, no one cares. Stop arguing over things you have no idea about on a local news forum. (but please continue because I find your incoherent babbling and idiotic arguments fully satisfying)

Posted by: Yeah OK on Jul 24, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Go back and read the articles about grandma. From channel3000.com: " Parman said her grandson was calling to wish her a happy 75th birthday when she heard what sounded like a Halloween prank. "Like someone came in and there was a scary 'Wooo,' and it was a man in a deep voice. And I heard it two or three times and I was just going to say, 'What is that, Joel? Is that a friend playing a trick on you?' and he said, 'I got to go.'" That's a lot more than a "noise". In other media reports grandma is sure she heard the murderer. If grandma heard it over the phone, then the guy is already in the house and Joel's reaction is just plain odd.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Madison on Jul 24, 2008 at 11:01 AM
I'm just wondering if some of you jump and call the police every time you hear a noise? Joel heard a noise and said he had to go....I wonder why? Hum? To see what the noise was...where it was coming from?? Obviously most people don't assume someone has broken into their house every time they hear a noise. I heard a noise last night. You know what I did? I stopped what I was doing and I checked it out. As for you Ryan I see you use the expression "the brother of the accused" instead of the brother of the murderer. I know this is all rough on you, but he confessed. It's time you acknowledge that your friend is a murderer and maybe it's time you start to move on and heal. I know you are hurt by all this, but attacking others won't help. I know that hurting people hurt people, but I think Joel's friend's are a lot more hurt than you are.

Posted by: geek Location: madison on Jul 24, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Ryan, Im a student too, and the people I hang out with are students and we don't do drugs either. perhaps the reason people are jumping on you is because you appear to some people as socially apathetic- meaning you're willing to let it be if it is illegal because you dont want to work to change it. the street will never get cleaned up unless people take action Ryan. besides, if you call the police- well, the dispatchers, the officers, the commanders, all have a good idea what the current call volume is, and if the call for a drug user on state st. is more or less important than anything else they're doing. do your civic duty, report illegal behavior, and let law enforcement determine if they are too busy to care, ok? Im sure you're a good guy Ryan, and I don't know what the heck I'd do if one of my friends committed murder. but I do know, personally, that I like living downtown, but I like to be safe too, and so does my blind, terrified sister who I walk home from her job every night.

Posted by: Daphne Location: Milton on Jul 24, 2008 at 04:09 AM
Someone should tell 'mel' that WI dells is only 48 miles from Madison, and his son, who abused cocaine, could have very easily drove down here on a weeknight, killed Kelly Nolan, then drove back to WI dells in time for a shower, breakfast, and work the next morning. Of course, he's the dad of the year nominee anyway, didn't know his son needed money, didn't know his son was using drugs, was having mental illness problems (which, I got to tell you, is pretty apparent when you're a parent talking to a child away from home- if you listen). Yes, his son is a loner wrapped up in music and electronics. perhaps he is dealing with a sexual identity crisis in his little mind, trying to decide if the gay lifestyle is for him or not, trying to decide if he is ready to openly admit he has an attraction to men? Yep, sounds like 'mel' is a pretty cold fish to his son. Mom calls him "Honey", but does dad even say "son" in the phone call, nope, just says "I'm not going to judge you on this" Nice mel.

Posted by: Ryan on Jul 23, 2008 at 08:18 PM
You're all ignorant, and I'm sick of it. No I didn't turn him in for drug use, why would I? Since he was always a withdrawn kid, we didn't notice depression. We did call authorities for help when it was clear something was mentally wrong with him. Yes, I live on a street with a bunch of drug users- try walking down State street without seeing any. I'd say at least 50% of the student population here smokes weed, and I can actually say I'm not one of them. Its amazing how I can get jumped on for just relaying what I know... Now there's people suggesting I'm gay or a drug user or even partly responsible for what happened. You don't know me, If you did, you'd probably like me. Just because my friend killed someone doesn't mean I'm not a good person. Fools.

Posted by: Taylor Location: Madison on Jul 23, 2008 at 06:36 PM
Hey Ryan and MM! Did ya see it? Huh, huh, did ya? TWO ladies called in a prowler complaint, more than one officer responded, and caught him, took him, booked him, charged him with lewd and lacivious behavior, even though they didn't see his wanger flopping around, they took the word of a witness! OMG! And Ryan! No "Complex crimes" happened while they were doing it! No murders by 20 year old former grocery store clerks who snort coke occurred while they booked a guy for peeping and showing his wee wee! Now, if that didn't take up police time, more than 2 cops looking in the dark for 1 guy, I think you could nail at least 12 drug users on your overflowing street in broad daylight ! You know, the MPD has paddy wagons, so they can take more than one at a time too, drop them, and send out the team again, in case you didn't know, but since you know everything about the madison drug trade and police ops, I feel silly having to tell you! gutless!

Posted by: Rita Location: Janesville on Jul 23, 2008 at 03:48 PM
Megan- I've my facts straight. 1. if he was present when drugs were being used he could have called, police would have shown up, done field sobriety, seen he was under/ influence, taken him to a hospital for a blood draw, and held him until the drugs passed thru his system. 2. it is called "tough love", a program famous in the 80s before DARE, and it was very successful in providing incentive to first, or casual users to get help. 3. anyone who watches a friend sink from a productive member of society into a drug using party going depression case is certainly no friend if they don't get that friend some help, even if it was his own family to start. perhaps if someone had cared, he would have been "right" before the murder occured as his father put it. it's called intervention for a reason Megan, think about it- to intervene in this context means to take steps to change things, not to wait until after they hit bottom and complex crimes occur decide they need help !

Posted by: Thelma Lou on Jul 23, 2008 at 03:27 PM
Thank you so much Kristi for posting. I'm glad I'm not the only one (though I think there is someone else too, farther down in this "conversation") wondering about the phone call with grandma. There was such media hype about it at the time, and now no follow-up whatsoever.

Posted by: Kristi Location: somewhere on Jul 23, 2008 at 02:09 PM
I don't get it either. I think when "grandma" got on the news, and told the story of the phone call, she left out a detail or two. I sincerely have a hard time believing that Joel saw Adam breaking/ entering into the house, heard it, just casual as you please said "I'll call you back" while "Grandma" could hear "Growling" in the background- sorry Granny, that just don't add up, and has bothered me since I first saw her on TV month(s) ago! I understand some people can be mellow during stressful times, since my husband is a police officer, and a soldier, but oh lord, you would have to be stoned, or drunk, to just be like "OK Grandma, I'll have to call you back"! BTW: shock to the human body can cause you to forget the phone and hurry out to get help, but it will not let you walk away towards the hosp yet keep you from screaming bloody murder! you can't be too much in shock to scream, but not so much that you remember where the hosp is, doesn't work that way kids.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 23, 2008 at 01:11 PM
Kori- Adam was a student, but dropped out, and Lynette- Adam didn't have a gf.

Posted by: Megan Location: Madison on Jul 23, 2008 at 12:59 PM
rita... YOUR A CRAZY PERSON! WOW. I cannot beleive that you'd even for one moment try and tell someone that b/c they didn't turn a friend into the cops for drugs, and HE LET the friend sink into a depression, and ended up killing a person, that they weren't a real friend. HOW DISRESPECTFUL ARE YOU? Obviously you've never, ever hand anyone remotely close to you have to deal with a drug problem. && If they have, then they must not have told you everything. When it comes to hard drugs, you cannot just turn a person in. They police have to 1- catch them in the act, with the paraphernalia and drugs actually on them to do anything about it, 2- the person doing the hard drugs have to want to change for themselves. It's along hard process that they have to go through, and sitting in jail isn't going to help. it might make a small different for a little while, but they can either one, get the drugs in jail/prision, or when they get out, continue to do the drugs. Get your facts straight.

Posted by: Lynette Location: Portage on Jul 23, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Ryan- does Adam have a girlfriend? I was thinking maybe he would like a pen pal when he goes wherever he is going, but I don't want to get him in trouble if he has a boyfriend or girlfriend. Can you help with that? Thank you. Lynette

Posted by: Kori Location: Madison on Jul 23, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Does anyone know, if Adam was a student, why was he in that neighborhood to begin with? Seems awfully strange to go that far just to pick a victim you didn't know, when there were certainly more victims closer than that. I know a bunch of elderly people live near park street and olin ave... and they would have been guaranteed pickings. so why did he go to the neighborhood? has anyone heard?

Posted by: Ginger Location: Tomah on Jul 23, 2008 at 11:49 AM
OMG! How FUNNY!! Benjamin, from Dover, conn... Ben dover! But buddies! But buddies to stand behind him in court! sticking up for your friend!! I get it! sticking up Oh, a slammer is a slammer! Excellent "Benjamin"! I haven't laughed that hard in days! yep, I bet Adam is going to be facing some "stiff" penalties when he gets to prison! and it probably WILL be "but painful" at first! Oh, that totally rocked! How funny, and the picture of itty bitty Adam in with "the gang"! cheers to whoever came up with that one! even better that it intimated that Ryan was his "but buddy is priceless"!

Posted by: Thelma Lou on Jul 22, 2008 at 11:06 PM
All you know-it-alls: still not reading your knowledge of why someone would not tell grandma that someone is breaking into his house, while on the phone with grandma while the break in is taking place. I'm glad Ryan that we're all idiots, but when you're staring at your computer screen you're the picture of intelligence.

Posted by: Benjamin Location: Dover, CT. on Jul 22, 2008 at 05:43 PM
Ryan, I think it is great how you are sticking up for Adam! Everybody should have a friend like that!!Of course, you sound like you are pretty close to the whole family. that is just awesome!Friends like that are hard to come by, but buddies like that are priceless! don't let them get you down Ryan... Adam needs all the buddies he can get to stand behind him as he faces the upcoming hardships this trial will undoubtedly throw him into. I'm not familiar with Wisconsin law, and haven't seen... what kind of stiff penalties is he going to receive? Will he be in Wisconsin, where the crime happened, or Minnesota where his family can visit? Are the penalties any stiffer in Minnesota, do you know? Oh well, I am sure the prisons are the same no matter where you go- I guess a slammer is a slammer no matter who pays the guards. Ryan, you're doing a great thing for your friend and his family... keep it up! these horrible comments here must certainly be not only degrading but painful too!

Posted by: Deb Location: Arlington on Jul 22, 2008 at 05:19 PM
OK, thanks for clearing that up everyone! Madison has a street full of drug users, so many you can't look at a single person without seeing one, which included Adam, the little druggie! I wonder how many times Ryan looked his reflection in a glass window and forgot to count himself as one of those useless druggies on the street. Hmmm? Adam was a murdering druggie looking for money, and Ryan knows where there is a street fool of druggies, who probably need money, as far as his eyes can see, and he brazenly walks down it, complete in his little bubble of smarts because he knows that murders only happen to strangers, and since he is a druggie, right Ryan?, on the same street as the other druggies, then he will be safe, because all them druggie types know each other, and adam was one of them too! your little dirt bag friend is a drug using murderer Ryan, get that part straight at least. no one here would ever have given a crap about your little freaky friend if he hadn't flipped out!

Posted by: Taylor Location: Madison on Jul 22, 2008 at 03:38 PM
"Taylor is awesome": Thanks! I'm glad you approve! You know, I really thought it hit home. I mean, if one of my friends was doing drugs, I'd certainly want to help, or at least let them know their secret was out, and people knew they were using. Ryan seems mad at me. Sorry Ryan, I just say what I think, instead of being a mindless drone that mills along with the rest of the herd, doing everything everyone else does, because it is easier to let someone do the work than to give a darnabout the community I live in, or my friends, or their families, or stuff like that. But, it is nice to see that at least someone here agrees with me that you should have done something! Thank you "Taylor is awesome"! you're pretty awesome too, and you're obviously smart enough to realize I was making a good point, so I think you're as smart as I am! Ryan, by not reporting a crime, you are just as guilty as if you commited the crime yourself. that street won't clean up until you invest in your own community.

Posted by: Rick Location: Mazo on Jul 22, 2008 at 03:09 PM
Ryan- yes, the cops would be busy, but then again, if someone would have stepped in and offered a drug intervention or a psychiatric respite because people who knew him let someone know he was having problems, this sort of "complex crime" perhaps could have been avoided. your unwillingness to intervene where your friend was concerned makes you just as guilty, because had you opened your mouth, maybe your friend could have got help, but instead you just stood there and watched as your friend lost his grip and killed someone, and you still refuse to admit you could have taken steps to keep crime off madison streets. instead of saying "yes, drugs are illegal, and I could have said something but I didn't", you say, in effect, that drugs are everywhere, and since no one else cares, neither should you. Ryan, ignoring the problem does not fix the problem, and the problem will not go away. too bad your friend had to suffer like this because you never cared enough to act when he needed a friend

Posted by: Rita Location: Janesville on Jul 22, 2008 at 02:49 PM
Ryan, actually I did expect you to answer all those questions, so you were wrong, and shame on you for thinking you knew what I was thinking. my point was how it doesn't matter if you heard from his brother, or I heard from someone on the street, it doesn't make it any more true. sorry I confused you, next time I'll use smaller words, if it will help. I am glad to see someone else agrees with me, Taylor has a great point. Why didn't you report your friend for abusing illegal drugs, or let his family know. you seem to know him so well that you should have seen he was becoming depressed, as his father points out, he wasn't right before this, so why didn't a grand best friend like you notice your friend was having a meltdown and call someone to help him, like his loving, but obviously detached and distant parents? why not let his brother know, so he could call mom and dad in Minnesota? you let your friend sink into a depression that drove him to murder, and you did nothing? What a friend!

Posted by: Dave Location: S.P. on Jul 22, 2008 at 02:36 PM
Redneck? Is that the best you can do? did my comment strike a nerve cRyan? are you upset your little friend confessed to killing someone, and the only thing left is the details on how many years he is going to spend worrying about who is behind him in the showers at Portage? it's simpleRyan- Adam Peterson is a murderer, he confessed. your friend is a social deviant that can't follow the rules of decent society, he used illegal drugs, he killed someone, he has displayed absolutely no redeeming human qualities, especially since he ran home to hide under mommy's apron, and didn't step up and admit it until the cops were there closing in! your minutes of fame are soon to be over, because this case is about adam, not ryan, and soon people will just ignore you no matter what you say. just a little fyi- your friend is going to the same place where jeffrey dahlmer was beaten to death in a weight training room. I'm sure he'lllove it there, there are other murdering flakes just like him.

Posted by: mm Location: madison on Jul 22, 2008 at 02:34 PM
All of you are being ridiculous, making speculations that none of you can fill. The only one that isn't is Ryan. Anyone in the right mind if they knew something awful like a murder was going to take place or did take place, would call the police. But b/c no one, not even ryan knew about it, there was nothing that was done or could be done. To taylor is awesome: If you even walked down the middle of state street, there are people doing drugs all the time. So why arn't the police dealing with all of them? Because there are way to many of them, and the paperwork for booking someone for drugs is crazy long. Police don't just bust a drug user every time he smokes or does that, if he did we would have to have 2 cops per drug user... wanna an increase in taxes? Taylor- coke/crack is one of the drug of choice in Madison, you cannot just bust every single person for drugs... you just cannot

Posted by: Taylor Location: Madison on Jul 22, 2008 at 02:18 PM
Ryan, what street do you walk down? you see so many open drug uses that no other crimes would get solved? what I am saying, Ryan, is that if you knew Adam was using, and he was your friend, you should have intervened. coke is illegal, but obviously founding members of the upstanding members of society association like yourself think laws only apply to people who aren't your friends, huh? your statement proves it even further! no one is asking you to report every drug use, but I would think you would care enough about a friend to help. guess not. perhaps it is only in cyberspace where you are the greatest friend in the whole big world, or maybe you were using too, and didn't want to get your own butt busted, and that is why you try so hard to debunk the drug theory! or were you adam's dealer.see, if the cops worked the drug case backwards they might take adealer off the streets in madison, further reducing the number of drug users interrupting your walks, but that would be too logical!

Posted by: Ryan on Jul 22, 2008 at 01:27 PM
Susan, What I'm doing is relaying what I was told by the brother of the accused. To me, that seems like more important information than what some idiot thought up when they were staring at their computer screen. Yes, there is some degree of assumption involved, but the reporters at NBC15 made the same assumption- that they were being told the truth- when they reported the story above... Rita, your paragraph there is pretty jumbled, but obviously you don't expect me to answer all those questions. You're proving MY point, there was a lot I didn't know. Dave, you're a redneck, sorry to break it to you. And Taylor, people use illegal drugs all the time in this town. If I called the police on every drug user I saw walking down the street, they'd be too busy filling out paperwork to ever even try to solve a crime as complex as this one.

Posted by: Taylor is awesome Location: madison on Jul 22, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Wow Ryan, you know, Taylor is so right. YOU should have reported adam petersons personal drug use to the police... ITS SO SIMPLE. That would have FIXED EVERYTHING. Shame on you this is all YOUR FAULT. Let us all stare in wonder of the wisdom of Taylor, the all-knowing guardian of righteousness. If only, one day, I could have that sort of intelligence...

Posted by: Taylor Location: Madison on Jul 22, 2008 at 01:17 AM
So, Ryan, you didn't know anything about the murder, but you knew he was a coke user? Why didn't you report him to the cops for using illegal drugs then?

Posted by: Dave Location: Sun Prairie on Jul 21, 2008 at 10:28 PM
I agree with Ryan- all you bozos should just back off the conspiracy theory gravy juice. After all, the little murdering freak admitted he killed the dude, and he wasn't in his right mind, so they should just take him out to the field and do like they did to the mad dog in "Old Yeller" ! Put a foot on the back of his spineless neck and pop a cap in his rabid brain! Justice served, expensive trial avoided, family gets justice.

Posted by: Rita Location: Janesville on Jul 21, 2008 at 09:39 PM
yeah Ryan? Well I talked to my neighbor who overheard 2 guys who got out of a car with MN tags at the truck stop where she is a waitress say that one of the guys was dating a woman whose ex husbands 2nd cousin once removed by marriage slept with a girl who worked at a salon and did a pedicure on a woman who was married to the brother of a janitor whose childhood neighbor's older half brother was a cop on the department that arrested Adam in MN, and HE said- who cares what you know! Were you with Adam every minute of every day he was in Madison? Nooo, probably not, so how could you possibly know who all he knew with such certainty? Do you really think people go around bragging about drug dealing jobs they picked up? How did he pay his rent at his apartment, if he wasn't working? for the back pack? where, exactly, did he go to wash the blood off his hands after the murder? if you knew him so well, why didn't you call the cops after the murder? just wondering.

Posted by: Susan on Jul 21, 2008 at 08:31 PM
That's exactly what you're doing Ryan - making an assumption based on something someone told you, and making an assumption that that conversation must have included all truths.

Posted by: TIM on Jul 21, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Ryan is obviously Adams friend who is deeply hurt by Adams choices. I hope Adam relizes how many people he has affected.

Posted by: Blake Location: Madison on Jul 21, 2008 at 04:54 PM
I think the reason people want there to be some kind of connection is that is horrifying to most people that someone would just randomly pick a door at 1 in the afternoon and walk in and stab someone. what scares me even more is the way that people who say they know him post like they are immune to the murdering violence that occurred. it seems to me that all that know him are bound and determined to keep saying " I know he didn't know him" like a meditation mantra that will protect them from the images that they could have been just as dead if Adam had been near them instead of Joel when he snapped, flipped, whatever.

Posted by: mm Location: Madison on Jul 21, 2008 at 04:18 PM
Sandi- if your a cocaine user or a drug user... robbing someone is the FASTEST way for them to get money. Even if adam used cocaine every once in a while, robbing someone is the fastest way to get money. So the idea that Joel was a drug dealer is a far reach..... Mickey- Talking on the phone and making your presents known when something isn't right, isn't the best thing, you don't want to have to be doing 100 things when something isn't right, you stop what your doing and then proceed... so "Grandma, I gotta go" makes alot of sense. He gets stabbed, and doesn't call for help. He was in shock, pain, couldn't get himself to call for help. Your life is flashing right before your eyes. & with walking or trying to get to the hospital, that was the most logical thing that he was able to think of at the point. No connection/random crime, that's it. You cannot conntect the two individuals together, no matter how hard you try.

Posted by: Ryan on Jul 21, 2008 at 03:46 PM
You're asking me to explain details of the murder?... I don't know, and that's the point. You don't see me making assumptions or coming up with crazy theories because I have no idea what actually happened in that house. What I'm sure of is that Adam did not know Joel. I talked to Eric, who said Adam had told him it was a random crime. I can't think of a reason that he'd lie to him in a private, non-monitored conversation.

Posted by: A Location: Madison on Jul 21, 2008 at 03:14 PM
Ryan thank you for clearing that up. I don't know why everyone on here wants them to have know each other. Is it ok for someone to kill you if you know them? Just curious. It seems that many on here have that way of thinking. Also, as I continued to read it seems that most knew neither party yet the conversations continue to be negative on both sides with tons of speculation. Why? What will that change?

Posted by: Mickey on Jul 21, 2008 at 02:57 PM
Sorry, my last comment was for Ryan, not Sandi.

Posted by: Mickey on Jul 21, 2008 at 02:56 PM
Sandi, if you're so sure, explain the phone call with Grandma. She hears a terrible, horrible noise, and Joel says "Grandma I gotta go." He gets stabbed, and doesn't call for help, but drags himself out of the house and tries to walk or crawl to the hospital. Pretty odd for a random crime; I'd like to hear your explanation.

Posted by: Ryan on Jul 21, 2008 at 01:54 PM
Sandi, you're thinking too hard. Adam may have used cocaine, but he was not an addict and definitely not a dealer. It is a fact that Adam didn't know Joel. Everyone on here wants there to be some connection. There's not; it was a random crime.

Posted by: Alaina Location: Stoughton on Jul 21, 2008 at 01:28 PM
JJ; you say Madison will drive people nuts enough to kill, like Adam did because it drives them nuts, but how do you explain all those people who keep "tripping" into the Mississippi after living in LaCrosse, or are they just possibly jumping to get away from the whack jobs in LaCrosse? killing yourself is just as bad as adam killing joel, the only difference is that the prison population doesn't grow because the victim and the murderer are the same person- so don't think that "all" of the citzens of Madison are driving people nuts... there's something about LaCrosse that either drives people to jump in the river, or drink so much to numb the mental pain that they fall in!

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Sandi from Fort could be onto something.

Posted by: Karen Location: Baraboo on Jul 21, 2008 at 12:00 PM
J.J.: how many professors do you know? what are their names? I don't want to take any classes from any wacko profs! of course, I am wondering if you ever attended UW first hand to find a wacko professor, since you spell intellectual as "intellictual"so either you never attended college in Mad town, or you never learned to use spell checker, or both. using spelling errors to cut down someone's intelligence is pretty sad J. J. BTW, wack jobs don't just live in Mad town- in case you haven't noticed, there's a story about a teen from LaCrosse that deliberatly starved a 2 day old infant, kept the body, then threw it out in a cooler! please try not to preach about b.s. when Lacrosse is hip deep itself! Not everybody thinks marino's great, so careful with the "all" comments. if you hate the politics so much, run for office, or are you just opinion and no action.

Posted by: JJ Location: LaCrosse on Jul 21, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Typical Madison bs. You all are trying to be so intellictual and understanding of the greiving families. In truth you only care about Joel because he was "one of your own". I think the Madison "group think" can destroy anyone's capacity to make sound judgements. After a semester listening to the wacko professors, slobbering community leaders, and "all so understanding" liberals who populate Madison and the "burbs", anyone could go off their nut and loose their sense of right and wrong. Just read the previous comments and you will see what whiney, ignorant, crybabies flourish here. They don't call it "Mad Town" for nothing!

Posted by: Anon Location: Madison on Jul 21, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Sandi from Fort Jul21, Very interesting theory I have to agree with you here something is not making sense here, I dont think he is the BOY WONDER that everyone is saying he was and his parents are tryin to gain all the attention for themselves by making this big stink

Posted by: Sandi Location: Fort on Jul 21, 2008 at 09:02 AM
anon 7/19 7:54- the timeline in madison.com said that adam was a cocaine user. you say adam was looking for money from joel because he owned multiple houses & was a public figure... since you know joel so well, have you ever thought maybe joel could have had a sideline job dealing coke? I don't know if the police ever tested his places for coke dust, but maybe they should, or have a drug dog sniff the places once or twice. at least that way the doubt would be all cleared up for that motive of the crime, that adam was trying to score more dope on an unemployed former student's income. was joel maybe trying to "deal" himself into the college crowd by using adam as a mid level dealer, more near to the college age crowd, and less suspicious when seen hanging around campus parties? just a question to someone who supposedly knows joel so well. maybe we should all go on camera at the Atty. Gen's office and demand a drug investigation, like his parents do when they want the case to move fwd!

Posted by: Slater Location: Madison on Jul 21, 2008 at 08:48 AM
He was talking on his cell phone to granny, then gets stabbed... why didn't he use his cell phone to call 911? seems to me if a "stranger" enters my home, then stabs me, I would be, no pun intended, screaming bloody murder- using my phone to call 911 to say I had been stabbed by a stranger, going to my neighbors, or in the street, and shouting at the top of my lungs a stranger had just stabbed me... but he did none of these things? Kinds of leads me to think they knew each other, and/ or Marino didn't want to get Peterson in trouble, but thought he would make it instead of dying. just seems strange that a man gets stabbed by a "stranger" and never once calls anyone, granny, police, neighbors, just goes outside to die in broad daylight.

Posted by: Mickey on Jul 20, 2008 at 03:57 PM
We only have the media reports (so far) that say that Adam didn't know Joel. That phone call with Grandma continues to bother me; someone breaks into your house, you don't just say "Grandma, I gotta go". I think Adam was there for another reason, something went wrong, and Joel ended up dead. We'll probably never know though.

Posted by: Ryan on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Adam didn't know Joel. He wasn't watching him, or scheming about when would be a good time to act. That's why I don't buy the First Degree Murder charge... Murder in the 1st degree is supposed to be premeditated. If Adam had planned to kill randomly, and didn't know Joel until he walked into his house, how could you say the murder of Joel Marino specifically was premeditated? Adam's dad was not trying to set him up for an insanity defense. I believe he was just trying to figure out how his son could have killed someone. Sharon- They were doing much more than insinuating. They publicly scolded the MPD for months.

Posted by: Anna Location: WPB FLA on Jul 20, 2008 at 06:39 AM
Anon 7.19-8p... I dont understand- nothing anyone on here says will change what, exactly? The fact he was a great man, or the fact u have memories? well of course reading responses wont lead to alzheimer's, silly person! what a silly thing to say! If nothing anyone says will make a difference to u, your memories, b/c u know the truth, then y r u striking out @ people for saying "negative" things? that just seems a silly thing to say. I dont know either of them, but my grandson attends the UW, so I have kept track of this story. seems to me that people who knew Joel constantly beat posters over the head with their opinion when someone just offers a theory. perhaps later on u will c that u didnt know him as well as u thought? what would u do then? will the "new" truth bout your friend be the station's fault, or lies, ora ratings bid?

Posted by: Shorty Location: Madison on Jul 20, 2008 at 06:22 AM
Anonymous 7/19 @ 7:54 PM- you still just don't get it, do you. you keep digging & making the hole you dug yourself into bigger ! rating sweeps are only 4 times a year: Feb, May, Aug, & Nov. these responses, even if they are increasing viewership shares dont do crap for the ratings since Neilsen doesnt care what people in Madison are watching in June & July! I appreciate you agree w/ a point I made, but please stop w/ the ratings thing already- your logic was faulty. it seems you used emotional lashing out to blame someone for the bruising your mental memories of your friend were taking in the post so you blame ratings, the station, the responders- when in fact that has nothing to do w/ the fact you made an illogical comment, based on incomplete, or unexpressed information, which made you look foolish, & now you keep digging into that hole by saying there is more than I know. Perhaps but I know by your responses you dont know the neilsen system!

Posted by: anonymous too Location: here on Jul 19, 2008 at 09:53 PM
anon 7/19 802 pm, funny how you rip people for commenting on how they slam joels parents, but you sit and rip on adams parents? people have a right to express themselves, and if you don't like it, don't read what they wrote. just b/c you knew him doesnt mean we are less fortunate people in the community because we knew adam, his parents, or didn't know either of them until it hit the news, then kept hitting the news because joels parents kept doing stuff to put it there! K. nolan's family hasn't been heard from forever, and she died long before joel did, so the parents actions are, in fact, questionable.

Posted by: Sharon Location: Milwaukee on Jul 19, 2008 at 09:43 PM
It just amazes me that so many people during this story's history have "known Joel", have been better to know him, think hes great, etc; and so many of them never put their names when preaching about what a great guy he was (ex: anonymous 719 @802) I think before you berate people for expressing their thoughts, beliefs, theories, questions, opinions, or insights, you should either man or woman up and use your name, your real one, not ted thompson, brett farve, etc. like people have done on the favre story! I also think moderators should not post anonymous responses, since it makes it difficult to respond to direct comment when there are dozens of anonymous responses on the topic. the confessed killer has been caught, and the family has yet to apologize publicly for insinuating the MPD wasn't doing everything in their power to catch the killer! I'll believe his parents are so great when they publicly apologize for the media circus they created bad mouthing the officers working the case

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 19, 2008 at 08:02 PM
....& obviously seemed like a good target. This whole thing is sad and for people like anon (on 7/18) to think his parents are trying to get famous off is death obviously know nothing about Lou and Debbie. I am a better person for having known Joel and everyone that knows him understands how I feel. I believe anon (on 7/18) is the same anon who posted earlier that he couldn't be as great as everyone says, but I ask if you didn't know him, why does it matter? Why is there so much talk and speculation about someone you didn't know? Are your lives so empty that you have to talk in a negative way about someone whom you'll never know? He was a great person and I'll always have my memories nothing anyone says on this site will change that because I know the truth.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 19, 2008 at 07:54 PM
Shorty, Actually I do understand that and what I also understand is that people who are on this site blogging are also more apt to choose 15 New as their station of choice. Not only coming on here more, but actually watching the station as well. Before you insult my intelligence I thought you should get the rest of the story. Also, I do COMPLETELY AGREE with you on the father setting it up for a mental health case. He was directing the conversation. I believe that he knew what happened right after it happened and that is why the call was made that he "wasn't right" AFTER Joel was murdered. As for "ME" Joel did not know him, but even if he did why would it matter? Is it ok to be murdered by someone you know? Joel was an outstanding person and Adam was looking for money. Based on Adam's comments it seems a little more planned that he says. By his comments I think he was watching Joel trying to figure out when he could get into his house. Joel was a public figure, owned several houses

Posted by: Blake Location: Madison on Jul 19, 2008 at 03:43 PM
Sorry to "me"... it wasn't you that made the comment, it was Nicole at 1240 am that made the comment about taking this feature off the site. my apologies! Nicole, no one told you to visit this feature & read the comments other people write, let alone comment on the comments. if you don't like what other people say, change the channel, or just don't read what other people feel is their right in a free society to say in open forums.

Posted by: Blake Location: Madison on Jul 19, 2008 at 03:38 PM
me 7/19 1240 - no 1 said u have to visit the site & read what other people write either. suppression of expression/ speech is the 1st step to government destruction of basic human freedoms down the line! if you doubt me look at Germany around 1930-1945! it just shocks me that these people like this kid, daniel wright, samantha young have such little regard for life. perhaps we're doing it backwards- we shouldn't send upstanding normal citizens overseas to fight & kill- lets do a Castro boat lift & send all our criminals w/ homicidal convictions over give 'em guns knives cars alcohol cocaine crack heroin & set them loose on the enemy!If they get killed, they save the states money feeding them for the rest of their miserable lives, if they kill each other, see previous line, if they kill the "enemy"... well, that's what they're there for, right? to exercise these homicidal tendencies out of their souls! they'd be paying back society 4 the crimes they commit!

Posted by: me Location: madison on Jul 19, 2008 at 06:20 AM
I agree, I think there is more to this than what has been reported. I also have a feeling that these two knew each other.

Posted by: Nicole Location: Madison on Jul 19, 2008 at 12:40 AM
I agree with Sue from Madison!! I don't think NBC should have this comment feature on here anymore. The things people say on here sometimes is just terrible. Kind of like what anon from Madison on July 18th wrote.

Posted by: Mike Location: Madison on Jul 18, 2008 at 11:21 PM
this world is truly melting down. first adopted kids strangling their sister, this kid stabbing someone, a 19 year old mother starving her baby to death... all on 1 web site on the same day... society has begun to enter a phase of entropy.

Posted by: Shorty Location: Madison on Jul 18, 2008 at 11:17 PM
does it sound to anyone else like his father is trying to tell him to plead mental problems in his jail phone call? all this you weren't right before this happened stuff sure sounds like someone helping establish a defense for insanity.

Posted by: Shorty Location: Madison on Jul 18, 2008 at 11:14 PM
anon 7/3 639 pm- who turns your computer on for you? I mean, considering that anyone that visits this site and comments that article posts boost ratings definitely shows a lack of basic understanding of web influence on real world events! Perhaps if you had read the anchor blog by Chris P on this site, you would see that ratings are measured by what people view on tv, not what they blog about on a station site! become a little more educated before you embarrass yourself by posting on topics you appear to know so very little about next time!

Posted by: Teresa on Jul 18, 2008 at 09:30 PM
Really? You're sick of seeing "Marino's mug"? Good for you. I'm sick of not ever being able to see his face again. To have dinner with him. To talk to him on the phone. To visit him at his house. To get a Christmas card from him. To go to Summerfest with him. To get all of us together and go out with him. Sorry you have been inconvenienced, but I've been robbed of a great friend. Guess what? I win the pissing match.

Posted by: knowing anon 5:19 will rot in hell Location: dane county on Jul 18, 2008 at 08:27 PM
anon a 5:19 this is about finding a MURDERER nothing to do with a family gaining any attention, that I'm sure they would be glad to never have had! so maybe you are part of Peterson's family? I sincerely wish you the type of pain in your life that this family has felt and I truly hope that NO ONE COMES TO YOUR AID because you are a caustic souless b---.

Posted by: Anon Location: Madison on Jul 18, 2008 at 05:19 PM
God I hope this is about over i am so sick of seeing Morinos Mug and all the bs, we have to get real here people it was a tragic even but the way his family overexposed this case was pathetic, it was just for them to gain attention

Posted by: realist Location: St. Paul on Jul 5, 2008 at 04:35 PM
If I had my Grandmother or anybody on the phone and an intruder came into the house, I would not say bye bye I'll call you back or what ever he said. I would be saying call 911, help, and leave the phone off the hook so whoever it was could hear everything that went on maybe even try and give description. My gut tells me they knew each other if even only aquaintances. Was anything actually reported missing?

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Madison on Jul 3, 2008 at 06:39 PM
Sue why do you think they have this section? People fighting back and forth bring them back to the site often which has got to be good for ratings.

Posted by: Joe Location: Madison on Jul 3, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Well said Sue!

Posted by: sue Location: madison on Jul 2, 2008 at 06:19 PM
The people who respond on here are so easily angered. I think nbc 15 should eliminate this feature. All it does is give people a chance to be insulting to others.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Sorry, I read too many murder mysteries. I thought that they were identical twins. I did not mean to hurt anyones feelings. I am very interested in finding the people responsible for these terrible crimes.

Posted by: what? on Jul 2, 2008 at 12:56 PM
He will make a good "boy toy" in prison with his innocent and boyish appearance. Can someone please explain to me why people think a person is a coward if they do not post their name on here? To me it is rather silly as I can post any name at all and you nor anyone else would know the differance. Sara, please explain

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Don't insult people who knew the guy. That is ridiculous.

Posted by: Ryan on Jul 2, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Yes, identical twins have the same DNA. The Petersons are fraternal. "I believe you are about as crazy as Adam is."- I'm not.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Is the DNA of identical twins, identical as well? You know, it would be really strange if he and his brother were in this together. Maybe the other brother was involved in the Zimmerman or Noland murders.

Posted by: Ryan on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:33 AM
And Burt sounds like a puppet's name... If you're going to insult some one, at least be clever about it. Tim- I would call myself a "real friend" of Eric Peterson's. Because of that, I was around Adam often. I rarely just hung out with Adam alone though. The problem was that something was always "off" with Adam. I figured, like most of my other friends, that he was just a weird kid. He never seemed violent. We did seek treatment for him, after he had some sort of episode that made us think something was seriously wrong with him. This was after the crime like you said, Tim, but of course we didn't know that at the time. He does stand emotionless in that video, and looks a lot different than he did when he was here. His mugshots' not doing him any favors either. If I was on trial for murder though, I doubt I'd say a word. That doesn't necessarily mean he feels no remorse.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:26 AM
Ryan, given the fact that you know the petersons like you say, I believe you are about as crazy as Adam is. You bet, parents do not know their kids illegal activities, but Melvin seems to be in denial of the status of his own kids well being.

Posted by: Resident Location: Madison on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:17 AM
Anonymous at 7:08 p.m., you must be dumb. I am talking about the person who is posting their name Anon not Anonymous. DUH!! Yeah, I am really enabling the murderer.. your about as smart as Anon.

Posted by: Burt on Jul 2, 2008 at 07:30 AM
Ryan sounds like a baby.

Posted by: matt Location: Madison on Jul 2, 2008 at 01:15 AM
Tina... The fact that you even would say something like that is just ridiculous. I'm not talking in a disrespectful way of those suffering from mental illness in any way at all. Nor did I say that any person with a mental illness is crazy. I just put the label "mental illness" up because that's what Melvin Peterson referred to it as. You should contact Melvin Peterson about this and let him know about this label issue as well. By saying, "mental illness", I referred to any mental illness that affects his sanity. Another thing I want to clarify... I'm not saying that he should be let off just because he may have a mental illness that affects his sanity. In fact, I feel that he should in fact be punished justly for his actions. I'm just saying that this is something which should be considered before this young man is labeled as a "thug".

Posted by: Tim on Jul 2, 2008 at 12:28 AM
5:15 Ryan, you are correct. Adam is entitled to a fair trial. Although I'm interested in knowing if you are a friend or just an aquaintance. Have your parents bothered to mention to you , you may want to look for a new friend? I personally would think If I were a "real friend" I would be spending some time with him. And then being a friend, I would know weather or not something is "off" with Adam and maybe even suggest he talk to someone. Unlike Adams father to suggest he's going through growing pains or just normal growing up, just looking at the video this kid clearly has major issues. You see Ryan, to me these are very basic signals one would get if they are a friend with this kid. It will be interesting to find out what other information the police have because just from what they are reporting, it seems as though the only "treatment" Adam was getting, was after this crime was commited. Maybe thats called "feeling guilty" about something? There is just too much that was over looked.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 11:49 PM
I think If this kid did something like that he should be punished as well. Regarding Rt's statement at 3:48p.m. It would sound as though he knew the victim.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Ryan, Evidence suggests, but so does his brother in his statement and also in his own admittance of the crime and the DNA, etc. Yes he is pathetic and was as he stood mute with no emotion for what he has done. Your friend stands on trial, my friend is dead.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 07:27 PM
Sue, so you were there? How is it that you claim to know how Joel sounded? He didn't know his killer. He heard noises and rushed to get her off the phone. Joel was respected by thousands and you obviously weren't one of the thousands that knew him so shut your mouth. Why don't you only talk about what you really know about.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 05:20 PM
Yeah Scott, You know too much just to be typing and not talking to the cops! Do your civic duty Pal!!

Posted by: Ryan on Jul 1, 2008 at 05:15 PM
"RT"- Adam Peterson and his family are not pathetic. Your attempt to form a coherent statement is. I don't know how to respond to it really, because I'm not sure I even know what you're trying to say. I am a friend of the Peterson brothers, so I feel like it's addressing me. Evidence suggests Adam is guilty of this crime, and if he is, he did a terrible thing and deserves punishment. No one here is suggesting he's innocent, only that he's entitled to a trial by jury. It's hilarious how you discard any worth your opinion might carry by ending your little rant with the words of a lynch mob. A fair trial is the only thing that can satisfy both Adam's and Joel's family. Unfortunately for both, people like you are considered his "peers."

Posted by: Resident Location: Madison on Jul 1, 2008 at 03:51 PM
To Scott... it seems you have valuable descriptions of "Hank and Mitch". I sure hope you have contacted MPD to give the information you have about "Hank and Mitch". This could be significant information in the Brittany Zimmerman case.

Posted by: RT on Jul 1, 2008 at 03:48 PM
What a loser. And I really don't care weather or not Adam is someones friend. That is such a pathetic lame excuse. If this kid did not go and kill someone, he most certainly would be acting like he did in front of that attorney as well as the judge for his intial appearance. if I was in cuffs and being brought in like that and did not kill someone, I'd be shouting and hollering as loud as I could.I bet he's going to take the crazy route and his pathetic family is going to encourage him, ooohhhh, thats ok, we did all we could for him.It is my opinion, HANG HIM HIGH!!!

Posted by: gordy Location: mad on Jul 1, 2008 at 02:02 PM
I think they knew each other too. Things are just too strange with the entire situation. We may never know what the whole story is.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Mike: Most of our murderers are from Milwaukee and then Chicago.

Posted by: Tina Location: Windsor on Jun 30, 2008 at 10:29 PM
To Matt... please do not rip on other people's education when you show a definite tendency to confuse sanity with mental illness yourself. Dementia, Depression, Schizophrenia are mental illnesses... murdering someone is an act of insanity! Please try not to insult people with mental illnesses by comparing them to people who are insane... there is a clinical, and a truly real world difference you have chosen to ignore with your posting.

Posted by: Mike Location: Madison on Jun 30, 2008 at 10:19 PM
What is it with Madison being a freak magnet for Minnesota Mental Illness cases? First, Audrey Seiler comes to Madison, attends the UW, fakes her own abduction, costs the city thousands of dollars investigating the case, and gets a slap on the wrist. Now, this Minnesota man, comes to Madison, attends the UW, drops out, murders someone, runs to Minnesota, runs up a huge investigative bill, and is dragged back to Madison to face trial? Maybe instead of recipricol tuition, we should make sure MN students undergo a psyche exame before they enroll! Let's not bombat the brain drain with importing head cases! fight the drain by importing the sane!

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 30, 2008 at 07:08 PM
Resident moron from Madison,3:49p.m. exactly which anon are you babling about?One can easily scroll down the page and read a host of comments. Unless you're someone who is enabling the murderer.

Posted by: Sue Location: madison on Jun 30, 2008 at 04:51 PM
Does anyone else think that maybe they knew each other?? It just seems so odd. After hearing joel marino's grandma's comments about the "grrrr" sound and then him saying "I have to go grandma". I think if he would not have known the person making those sounds, he would not have sounded so calm. Just think about it.

Posted by: Resident Location: Madison on Jun 30, 2008 at 03:49 PM
Anon, you are very inconsiderate and please do us all a favor and stay off of this site. Your postings are cruel and very disrespectful. Someday karma will come back around and kick you in the rear.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 30, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Is Matt bringing this kid back to wisconsin to study?

Posted by: Ryan on Jun 30, 2008 at 02:28 PM
"I think Melvin Peterson does not know his sons very well."... Neither do you, buddy. His father wasn't covering anything up- to suggest that is ridiculous. You think you would have any idea what your child was up to 250 miles away at school? Probably not. Many parents don't even know of their kids' illegal activities in their own homes. Anon at 9:44, you're implying that Adam drove down to Madison from Minnesota just to kill a random person and drive back? Ridiculous. They aren't a family of idiots. From what I know, which I can guarantee is more than any of you, both of the brothers are very intelligent. Adam was just too quiet and withdrawn to succeed in the university setting. Mental illness is not an excuse, or an attempt to get him "off the hook." I would just offer it up as a possible explanation for how a quiet, 20 year old kid could do something like this.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 30, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Maybe it is just a family of idiots.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 30, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Maurice: I think that Melvin is covering up the crime. You are right, he should be charged as an accomplice if he has withheld information from the police.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 30, 2008 at 09:44 AM
I think his family has known something for a long time and has worked hard to keep it quiet. Also, going to a counselor in MN does not prevent you from driving to Madison. And, Wisconsin Dells is only an hour from Madison.

Posted by: Scott K on Jun 30, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Scott K. says: My theory on motive for the killing is that Adam thought Joel was somehow connected to the theft of laptop. From other news articles I read, Adam partied with drug runners and dealers, who probably stole his laptop. I hate to say this but I met Joel Marino in State Street Brats last year about this time. He was introduced to me by two crack-heads who were trying to get money from me for crack. They even tried to get me to give them money so they could get me a prostitute. Their names were Hank (mexican male, whose name is probably fake...how many mexican's do you know by the name of Hank? and a white boy named Mitch who liked to huff paint.). Anyhow, it wouldn't suprise me that either Hank or Mitch knew Adam Peterson and may have been involved with the theft of his laptop and are responsible for the murder of Brittney. If you remember, David Kahl, said that he smoked crack with Hank and Mitch, just minutes before they darpated to break into apartments. David was caught several blocks away minutes before Brittney was killed.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 30, 2008 at 06:21 AM
Seems like canyone can get off the hook for a violent crime by pleading insanity nowdays. I don't think that is a great outlook on how we are evolving as humans. Black and white- Did he