It's been almost two decades, and still, the brutal murder of Laci Peterson remains one of the most haunting cases in California. Laci was married to his lover Scott Peterson, and the couple was about to welcome their first child in 2002.
They decided to name their son Conner, and Laci and her family were incredibly excited about the baby. However, on Christmas Eve in 2002, Laci went missing, and her husband Scott informed their families and the police.
Following her disappearance, everyone was searching for Laci Peterson, and this case went viral in California. Laci was a 27-year-old woman who lived with her partner and was about to give birth. However, before she could welcome her first child, Laci Peterson was mercilessly killed by Scott Peterson, who always pretended to be the most caring and loyal to his wife.
The killer wasn't caught by the police until Laci Peterson's decomposed body and the fetal remains of her unborn baby were found close to the Berkeley Marina in California. Initially, Scott lied about his whereabouts on the day his wife went missing, but as the investigators delved deep into the murder case, they discovered Scott's web of lies.
Why did Scott Peterson kill his wife Laci Peterson?
Scott Peterson had always maintained an innocent and kind personality until his dark side was exposed to the world. It was a shocker for Laci's family, especially her mother who still misses her beloved daughter that Scott would kill her and their unborn son in the most haunting way.
He cleverly planned the execution of his wife and it was revealed in Netflix's American Murder: Laci Peterson that Scott purchased a boat to get rid of Laci and her son's remains after killing them.
As seen in the three episodes docuseries, most of the investigators concluded that Scott killed his wife and unborn son only to escape his responsibilities. He was tired of his marriage and was even cheating on Laci by having an extramarital affair.
Additionally, he told his girlfriend Amber Frey that he lost his wife and was spending the first holidays without her. Frey initially believed him and they started dating a month before Laci's brutal death. However, after hearing about the dead bodies of Laci and her unborn son, Frey reached out to the police and told them about their relationship.
Scott Peterson was keeping two women in the dark simultaneously and acted like he was the one suffering a great loss. In the Netflix docuseries, Laci's friends talked about her and said:
"There's no way our friend Laci would choose to marry and love someone that would do this to her."
The documentary is directed by Skye Borgman, who also shared her thoughts on the heinous crime in the documentary. It also includes some old interviews with Laci's family after they discovered the truth, and in one clip you can see Laci's mother Sharon Rocha saying:
"I keep hearing Laci say to me, Mom please find me and Conner and bring us home. I'm scared, please don't leave us out here all alone."
The whole world was devasted to learn that Scott Peterson killed his eight months pregnant wife, and tried hard to dispose of their bodies. He kept refusing interviews and even tried to escape from California but the police caught him on time.
What happened to Scott Peterson after Laci's dead body was found?
Soon after the police discovered the decomposed body of Laci Peterson along with the remains of her unborn son, they suspected Scott and were on the way to arrest him. Surprisingly, Scott died his hair and beard to change his appearance and was even caught with cash and some knives in his bag while escaping.
In 2003, he faced trials and was declared not guilty of the two murders. However, his arrest was made possible after Scott Peterson's former girlfriend Amber Frey shared their phone records and other details with the police. She tells in the Netflix docuseries that:
"I was definitely in shock. Couldn't stop crying, just in disbelief. Everything was a lie. And it was terrifying... So I called the Modesto Police Department, eager to tell them everything I knew."
The investigators found out that while Laci was celebrating the festival with her friends, Scott was spending time with his new girlfriend.
In 2004, things went out of Scott's control as the jury declared him guilty of first-degree murder of his wife, followed by a second-degree charge for killing his unborn child. He was sentenced to death, but it was overturned and he was resentenced to life in prison.
Another documentary titled Face to Face with Scott Peterson will arrive on Peacock on August 20, 2024. Per People, the murderer continues to claim he wasn't involved in the disappearance of his wife and didn't kill her.
American Murder: Laci Peterson is streaming on Netflix.
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