Investigation
A witness at one of the murders provided a description of the killer to police, who made up a drawing of the suspect and distributed it on flyers. The witness's description was of a “clean-shaven, slender, white man with long stringy brown hair.”
Peterson, from Gary, and at the time AWOL from the Marines, and Antwion McGee, 21, were arrested Jan. 29 after a robbery and an attempted murder of a restaurant manager at the Southlake Mall near Merrillville.
McGee led police to Ronald J. Harris, 21. Harris told police he was with Peterson when Peterson killed Hammersly, and later Dhaliwal. McGee also told police that Peterson admitted the killings.
After Peterson's arrest, police investigating the Mills murder lifted a palm print from Mills' car. Police also went to Peterson's apartment, desiring to search it. Lacking a warrant, police were given permission by Peterson's mother, who lived at the apartment. And police questioned Peterson. Questioning took place on at least two separate occasions. The first time he was questioned for about 25 minutes. This episode was not recorded. Peterson was questioned the next day, and some 30 hours after being taken into custody, he confessed. The confession was recorded, and a written confession, which Peterson signed, was also taken.
Read more about this topic: Christopher Peterson (serial Killer)