Scott Peterson

Stanislaus County, CA

Scott Peterson

Dec 24, 2002 (Modesto)

Scott Peterson was sentenced to death for the murders of his 8-month pregnant wife, Laci, and his unborn son named Connor. The prosecution argued that Scott killed Laci late on Dec. 23, 2002 or early on the morning of Dec. 24. A neighbor saw Scott in the bed of his truck, which was backed in his driveway, around 9:30 a.m. It was alleged that he was loading Laci's body into it. Cell phone records establish that he left his Modesto residence at 523 Covena Ave. around 10:08 a.m. to go to a warehouse at 1027 N. Emerald Ave., where his boat was stored. The warehouse is about 9 minutes away.

At the warehouse, Scott logged onto his computer at 10:30 a.m. and sent an email reply to his boss. Scott then assembled a mortiser woodworking tool he had bought. He later attached his boat to his truck. Based on estimated travel time, Scott left the warehouse around 11:18 a.m. and traveled 90 miles to the Berkeley Marina. At the Marina parking lot he bought a ticket that was time stamped 12:54 p.m. Scott went fishing for a little over an hour and left the Marina about 2:12 p.m. He got caught in traffic and made a gasoline purchase in Livermore at 3:25 p.m. Based on travel time from Livermore, he arrived back at the warehouse around 4:26 p.m. Scott estimated that he arrived home from the warehouse between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m.

On arrival, Scott found his dog McKenzie in his fenced yard with a leash on. A neighbor later stated that she found McKenzie running loose and put him back in Scott and Laci's yard. Scott removed the leash and put it on the patio table. Although Scott had repeatedly tried to reach Laci from his cell phone during the day, he assumed that she was at her mother's house. He put the clothes he was wearing, which were a bit wet, in the washer and got a shower. He then checked his home phone messages and got a message from the companion of Laci's mother asking Scott and Laci to bring whipped cream when they came over for a Christmas Eve gathering. Scott then called Laci's mother at 5:17 p.m. and confirmed that Laci was missing.

By December 30th, authorities began searching San Francisco Bay near Berkeley Marina, looking for the Laci's body. Searches were conducted for 26 days and turned up nothing. Authorities also discovered that Scott was having an affair with another woman, Amber Frey. On April 13, 2003, the body of a baby boy was found on the shore of San Francisco Bay. This boy was later confirmed to be Conner, Scott and Laci's unborn (or newly born) son The following day, the body of Laci was also found nearby. Both bodies were found about 3 miles from Berkeley Marina. On April 18, Scott was arrested for their murder.

While the location of the found bodies is incriminating, other evidence supports Scott's innocence. Six witnesses saw Laci walking her dog, McKenzie, near her home shortly after Scott left on the day of the disappearance. A home across the street from the Petersons' was burglarized at 11:30 a.m. that morning. One witness said she saw Laci confronting the apparent burglars. The body of another pregnant woman, who disappeared on May 1, had been found across the bay from where Laci was found. Both of their killers (if different) used the same modus operendi in that they cut off the hands and feet of their victims. Some have suggested Laci was a victim of a satanic cult killing because May 1 and Dec. 24 are Satanic holidays and the area is home to three Satanic churches.

Conner was found with a plastic cord tied to him, indicating that he was separated from Laci at the time of his entry into San Francisco Bay. This evidence suggests that Laci was kidnapped alive, went into labor due to the stress of her ordeal, and had given birth to Conner prematurely.

Scott was completely forthcoming about his whereabouts on the day Laci went missing. One would presume Scott had some intelligence and would not knowingly use as an alibi a place from which he disposed of a victim's body. If he lacked intelligence, he was smart enough to avoid leaving any trace evidence at any of the alleged murder scenes. Nor did he leave any evidence of a clean-up. All evidence suggests his affair with Amber was just a temporary fling, not a motive for murder. Laci was prettier than Amber, and Scott had had other flings in the past. Police had Amber secretly tape her conversations with Scott, to no avail. In one of the conversations, Scott wondered if Amber had anything to do with Laci's disappearance.

In interviews, jurors said that they convicted Scott for the most obvious reason, namely because the bodies were found near where he went fishing. One juror added that he never would have convicted Scott, but for this fact. However, the location of the found bodies is not “the smoking gun,” it was presented to be. If someone else killed Laci, it is plausible that the alternate killer might dump Laci's and Connor's bodies near where Scott had gone fishing as such a location would throw any possible suspicion off of himself and onto Scott.

Scott's whereabouts on the day Laci went missing were well publicized. This alternate theory is at least semi-plausible. A plausible alternative theory alone is ground for reasonable doubt. Combined with the unlikely lack of evidence corroborating Scott's guilt, there is ground for reasonable doubt. Many books were written about the case including a 2005 pro-defense book entitled Presumed Guilty by Matt Dalton, a former Long Beach City and L.A. County prosecutor. (www.scottpetersonappeal.org) (CCADP) (American Justice) [12/07]