This past Friday would have been the exact 19th anniversary of Laci Peterson’s disappearance from the home she lived with her husband Scott in Modesto, California.
More than 19 years after her death, Scott has been convicted of her and their unborn son Connor’s murder and is serving time in prison. A California judge re-sentenced Scott Peterson to life in prison without parole earlier this month, after he had spent years appealing his original death sentence.
Here’s a rundown of what happened during the trial that sent shockwaves through Modesto and the country.
Laci Disappears
On December 24, 2002, Laci Peterson, who was eight months pregnant, was reported missing by her husband, Scott Peterson. Scott said he went out for a fishing expedition at Berkeley Marina and when he got back, he realized his girlfriend of 27 years, Laci, was missing.
For the next weeks, police extensively combed the area around Berkeley Marina and its waters to locate Laci. Soon enough, they began to suspect foul play and Scott’s possible complicity. In an announcement made on January 3, 2003, police said they needed the public’s assistance in determining whether or not Scott Peterson was in the area when Laci vanished.
Amber Frey accused Scott Peterson of having an affair with her in late January, and he admitted to the affair. Frey also said that Peterson informed him that his wife had passed away.
Where Is Juror Richelle Nice Now? Scott Peterson Trial, How Did He Kill Wife Laci Peterson? | Read https://t.co/e48bekjfUT
— Trending Stories (@cediwebafrica) August 12, 2022
Case Turns to Homicide; Scott Peterson Arrested
On March 3, 2003, authorities said they had reason to suspect Laci Peterson had been murdered.
When Laci and Connor’s bodies were found in the San Francisco Bay in April 2003, it was a tragic and sad day for the city. Days later, Scott Peterson was apprehended and charged with first-degree murder. Peterson was arrested while reportedly in possession of his brother’s passport and a substantial sum of money.
The bodies allegedly emerged in San Francisco Bay months after Peterson ditched them from his fishing boat on Christmas Eve.
After she vanished, but before the bodies washed up, he sold his wife’s car, considered selling their home, and converted the baby’s room into storage.
Scott entered a not guilty plea at the trial’s conclusion.
I still have my ribbon that one of Laci’s friends made when she was missing. I will wear it again today. #ScottPeterson belongs in prison for life and hell after that. pic.twitter.com/iZskJaaLSG
— Lynnez ❤️ Rib Gone Rogue (@Lynnenallo) August 11, 2022
Scott Peterson Sentenced to Death Penalty; Re-sentenced Over a Decade and a Half Later
In 2004, a court found Peterson guilty of first-degree murder in the 2004 shooting death of his wife and second-degree murder in the 2004 shooting death of their unborn baby. In 2005, a judge ordered that he be put to death.
His 2005 death sentence was overturned by the California Supreme Court in August 2020 due to “serious mistakes” in jury selection.
Following “longstanding the United States Supreme Court precedent,” the justices concluded that the trial judge “made a series of evident and severe errors in jury selection that undercut Peterson’s right to an impartial jury at the penalty phase.”
It backed his claim that prospective jurors were unfairly eliminated from consideration after expressing disapproval of the death penalty while yet being willing to apply it if called upon to do so by a judge.
There was a subsequent announcement from the District Attorney’s office in Stanislaus County that they would no longer pursue reinstating the death sentence. The District Attorney claimed they discussed the decision with Laci Peterson’s loved ones.
After authorities chose not to seek the death punishment again, they transferred him to the Stanislaus County jail. Since his execution was ordered in March 2005, he had been incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, California’s death row facility.
Peterson’s new life without parole date is set for the end of the year 2021.
Laci’s mother, Sharon Rocha, spoke directly to Peterson during the emotional hearing announcing the re-sentencing. Peterson sat expressionless, handcuffed, in a red and orange jail uniform.
After 19 years, “I still feel the sadness every day,” she remarked. “Two lovely lives were taken because of your nasty, self-centered, unforgivably selfish deed. And why is that, exactly? You simply no longer desired them, and that was it. You weren’t interested in having a child or taking on the role of a parent. You’re a spineless coward.”
She continued, “I have dreams about her,” referring to her daughter who was 27 and eight months pregnant when she was killed. The couple had intended to name the baby boy Connor. It’s so genuine, and I know I’ll never see her again, that it makes me cry when I wake up.
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