The Murder of Laci Peterson

On Christmas Eve 2002, Scott Peterson reported his wife Laci missing from their home in Modesto, California. The 27-year-old former waitress and substitute teacher, eight months pregnant with the couple's first child, had last been seen by neighbors walking the family dog that morning. Scott told police he had spent the day fishing alone at San Francisco Bay, approximately 90 miles away — a claim that would become central to the investigation. Police quickly focused on Scott Peterson. Investigators discovered he had been having an affair with massage therapist Amber Frey and had purchased a boat just weeks before Laci's disappearance — despite claiming little interest in fishing. He had also taken out a large life insurance policy on Laci. Frey cooperated with police, recording her phone calls with Scott, during which he feigned ignorance of the case while he was already a prime suspect. On April 13 and 14, 2003, the decomposed bodies of Laci and her fetus washed ashore near Berkeley Marina, just miles from where Scott said he had been fishing. He was arrested on April 18, 2003, while in Southern California with dyed hair and a beard, carrying his brother's ID and significant amounts of cash. He was convicted of first-degree murder in Laci's death and second-degree murder for that of his unborn son, Conner, in November 2004. He was sentenced to death. In 2020, Scott Peterson was granted a new penalty phase after the California Supreme Court found jury misconduct in the original trial. His death sentence was overturned and commuted to life without the possibility of parole in 2021. He has continued to maintain his innocence and his case continues to attract significant public and legal attention.