As Scott Peterson pushes for a retrial for the murder of his pregnant wife Laci, competing documentaries are reigniting debate about the infamous case.
August 26, 2024, updated 2:06 p.m. ET
As Scott Peterson Pushes must be repeated for the murders his pregnant wife Lacy and her unborn son ConnerCompeting documentaries spark a new debate about the infamous case.
Millions of Americans sat glued to their televisions during the sensational trial, which ended with a guilty verdict and life imprisonment for Scott. With the case back in the spotlight, RadarOnline.com published the crime scene photos that led the jury to convict the now 51-year-old.
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When Scott was arrested for Laci’s murder, he lightened his hair and grew a beard.
Laci, 27, was eight months pregnant with her first child when she was reported missing to California authorities in 2002.
After a tireless search, her Body found in San Francisco Bay on April 14, 2003, one day after the remains of her fetus washed ashore about a mile away. The local medical examiner could not determine a cause of death due to the condition of Laci’s body.
Laci’s relatives remembered her wearing this maternity blouse during the last days they saw her alive.
Scott, who was reportedly boating in the area on the day of Laci’s disappearance, was arrested days later.
Prosecutors suspected his motive was his lack of desire to become a father and an affair with a Fresno massage therapist. Amber FreyHe was sentenced to death in 2004, but a court condemned him to life imprisonment without parole in 2021.
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Prosecutors suspected that Scott had stuffed Laci’s body into a toolbox in the back of his truck.
Now, two decades after his conviction, a San Mateo County judge has agreed to re-examine the evidence that Scott claims proves his innocence.
The defendant made rare comments about his recent attempt to gain freedom. Prison interview for Face to face with Scott Peterson, released on Peacock on August 20th.
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A witness claimed that Scott never distributed these Find Laci pins.
In the series, Scott admitted that he was “terrible” and a “total asshole” for having an affair, but denied any involvement in his wife’s death.
He added: “I definitely regret cheating on Laci, absolutely. It was about a childish lack of self-esteem, about my selfish traveling somewhere, about the loneliness that night because I wasn’t home. Someone makes you feel good because they want to have sex with you.”
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Prosecutors argued that Scott disposed of Laci’s body during one of his fishing trips.
He also expressed regret for not having testified at his trial and rejected the suggestion of former detective Jon Buehler that he killed his family because he “didn’t want to pay child support, didn’t want to pay spousal support and he wanted to get out of it that way.”
Scott said: “This is so insulting and so disgusting.”
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When the fetus washed ashore, a piece of string was found around Conner’s neck.
He continued: “If I have the chance to show people what the truth is, and if they ready to accept itit would be the greatest thing I could achieve right now – because I didn’t kill my family.”
The series highlights those who support Scott’s claims of innocence, questions the outcome of the case and presents alternative theories.
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When he was arrested, officers found $15,000 in Scott’s car.
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Viewers hear testimony from legal experts and investigators, including Scott’s sister-in-law, Janey Peterson, who became a lawyer after his guilty verdict and made it her mission to clear his name.
The documentary challenges the prosecution’s claims and examines alternative leads, such as a nearby break-in and witnesses who claimed to have seen Laci alive after Scott left on the boat.
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Officials claimed Scott used homemade cement anchors to weigh down Laci’s body in the bay.
Face to face A critical look at the case came just days after Netflix took a different approach with American Murder: Laci Peterson.
The series, which aired on August 14, focuses on honoring the memories of Laci and Conner and firmly represents the jury’s decision.
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Laci’s body was found in pieces and the coroner could not determine a cause of death.
The docuseries features key figures in the case, such as Laci’s mother, Sharon Rocha, and Scott’s lover, Frey. It traces the history of Scott and Laci’s relationship using home videos and analyzes the last known photograph of Laci, taken just days before her death.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Innocence Project, which took over Scott’s case was able to convince a judge in January to order a new hearing of evidence.
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This photo of Laci was found during a search of Scott’s car in 2003.
The nonprofit requested that more than a dozen items be retested for DNA – but in a setback for Scott, the San Mateo County judge ruled that only one item would be reanalyzed: a piece of adhesive tape found near Laci’s body.
The 38 centimeter long piece of tape was attached to Laci’s right trouser leg; a DNA test in 2013 did not produce a clear result.
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This printed image is the last known photograph taken of Laci before she was killed.
Scott’s lawyers noted that “a section of the tape that was folded over itself was DNA tested and found to contain human DNA, but no DNA profile could be established.”
During the first trial, Scott’s lawyer suggested that Laci’s death may have been a break-in near the couple’s home in Modesto.
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Scott’s car was searched shortly after his arrest in April 2003.
Scott’s lawyers claimed a bloodstained mattress was found in a burned-out, stolen van used in the break-in.
The LA Innocence Project pushed for the court to allow DNA testing of the mattress because the van’s owner had stated the mattress was not in the vehicle before it was stolen. The judge denied that request, stating that tests of the item in 2012 had yielded inconclusive results.
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