Netflix’s new investigative thriller, American Murder: Laci Peterson, is now streaming. This miniseries delves into one of the most infamous true crime mysteries: Who killed 27-year-old Laci Peterson and her unborn son, and was her husband, Scott Peterson, the culprit?
American Murder: Laci Peterson centers on the case of Peterson, who was eight months pregnant with her first child when she went missing from her home on Christmas Eve in 2002. The media swiftly seized on the story, turning Peterson into a household name as her family and friends desperately searched for her. When her remains were eventually found, the police began building a case against her husband, Scott Peterson, who continues to assert his innocence to this day.
Two decades after Scott’s conviction, Netflix’s three-part series revisits Peterson’s disappearance, investigation, and trial through news clips, interrogation footage, and courtroom cameras. The series features interviews with detectives, lawyers, and jurors, as well as Amber Frey, the woman Peterson was involved with during his wife’s disappearance. In a rare interview, Laci’s mother, Sharon Rocha, also speaks in-depth for the first time since her daughter’s death.
All three episodes of American Murder: Laci Peterson are now streaming on Netflix. While you watch, delve into the details of the Laci’s murder and find out why the Los Angeles Innocence Project is now involved with Scott's case.
What Happened To Laci Peterson?
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Laci Peterson, who was 27 years old and eight months pregnant, was last seen at her home in Modesto, California, on December 24, 2002. Her husband, Scott Peterson, said he had been fishing in the Berkley Marina that day and returned home to find their dog on a leash in their backyard, with no sign of Laci anywhere.
Family, friends, and law enforcement began searching for Laci. Scott Peterson cooperated with authorities during the investigation, which turned into a media frenzy after the details of Scott’s affair became public.
He was seeing Amber Frey, a massage therapist living in Fresno, who revealed that she was in a relationship with Scott. “Scott told me he was not married,” the woman said to a room full of journalists, according to NBC Bay Area. “We did have a romantic relationship.”
Prosecutors revealed that Peterson told his mistress he’d “lost” his wife and would be spending his first Christmas alone, even though Laci was still very much alive at the time of that conversation.
Where Did They Find Laci Peterson’s Remains?
Four months after her disappearance, Laci Peterson’s body, and the body of her unborn child Conner, washed ashore in the San Francisco Bay in April 2003.
ABC News, having reviewed the full autopsy and coroner’s photographs, reported on the condition of the bodies of Laci and her unborn baby. (Warning: The details are graphic, so proceed with caution when reading the article).
When Did Police Arrest Scott Peterson?
Federal and local authorities Friday arrested Scott Peterson near a La Jolla golf course in San Diego on April 18, 2003, according to The Los Angeles Times, just days after Laci and Conner’s bodies were found in the San Francisco Bay.
The newspaper reported that Modesto police, the California Highway Patrol and federal agents had been watching Peterson for months using “wiretaps, vehicle tracking devices and direct surveillance.” Scott pleaded not guilty to the two murder charges at his arraignment.
What Was Scott Peterson Sentenced To?
Scott Peterson’s trial for the murder of Laci Peterson started in June 2004 and lasted five months. Jurors ultimately convinced Scott of first-degree murder in the death of Laci Peterson and second-degree murder in the death of his son.
The jury recommended that Scott receive the death penalty, and a judge sentenced him to death in 2005, describing the murders as “cruel, uncaring, heartless and callous,” according to NBC News.
After spending more than 15 years on death row, the California Supreme Court overturned Scott Peterson’s sentence in 2020, stating in a ruling that a “series of clear and significant errors in jury selection” which went against United States Supreme Court precedent.
ForbesDeath Sentence Overturned For Scott Peterson, Convicted Of Murdering Wife LaciBy Elana Lyn Gross
The decision states that the trial court "erroneously dismissed" numerous prospective jurors who indicated opposition to the death penalty in written questionnaires, despite their assurances that these views would not interfere with their ability to follow the law.
One year later, Scott was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for Laci’s death. A judge sentenced him to 15 years to life in prison for the death of the unborn baby.
In the last few years, Peterson’s team has been pushing for a new trial, which a judge denied in 2022. They accused Juror 7, a woman named Richelle Nice, of hiding details of her personal life because she did not disclose that she was the victim of domestic violence and had sought a restraining order in 2000 over fears that her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend would harm her unborn baby, per NBC News.
Meanwhile, Peterson’s attorneys have argued that Laci was killed after she stumbled upon a burglary.
Where Is Scott Peterson Now?
Scott Peterson is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole at Mule Creek State Prison and has maintained his innocence for the past 22 years.
Peterson also gave his first interview in more than two decades for Peaco*ck’s upcoming documentary, Face to Face with Scott Peterson, which airs on August 20. Series director Shareen Anderson conducted the conversation.
“Why should anyone want to hear your side of the story?” Scott was asked in a trailer released for the upcoming Peaco*ck series. “Because I didn’t kill my family,” he responded.
ForbesConvicted Murderer Scott Peterson Gives First Interview In Decades For 'Face To Face' DocuseriesBy Mary Whitfill Roeloffs
American Murder director Skye Borgman told Us Weekly that Scott did not want to appear in Netflix’s documentary. “We did reach out to Scott and we had a couple of conversations with him in prison,” the director said. “He ultimately decided not to participate in our documentary.”
Borgman added that Scott’s lack of involvement is “fine” because the docuseries “did get the perspective from his family and that we did want it to be very, very Laci forward.”
Why Is The Innocence Project Involved With Scott Peterson’s Case?
The Los Angeles Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to exonerating the wrongfully convicted, announced earlier this year that it would take on Peterson’s case.
"The Los Angeles Innocence Project (LAIP) represents Scott Peterson and is investigating his claim of actual innocence," a spokesperson for the organization said in a statement at the time.
Scott’s new lawyers from The Innocence Project hope to retry his case by seeking new DNA evidence from challenging samples using advanced technology that has improved since his original conviction. The only new DNA test the court has agreed to allow is a single piece of duct tape that was found on Laci Peterson’s pants during the autopsy, according to NBC Bay Area.
Watch the trailer for American Murder: Laci Peterson below.
