| Murder of Laci Peterson | |
|---|---|
 Photograph of Laci Peterson, taken at a Christmas party on December 14, 2002, about 10 days before her disappearance. | |
| Location | Modesto, California, U.S. |
| Date | c. December 24, 2002 |
Attack type | Double Murder |
| Deaths | 2[a] |
| Perpetrator | Scott Peterson |
| Verdict | Guilty on both counts |
| Convictions |
|
| Sentence | Death; reduced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole after appeal |
Laci Denise Peterson (née Rocha; May 4, 1975 — circa December 24, 2002) was an American woman murdered by her husband, Scott Lee Peterson (born October 24, 1972), while eight months pregnant with their first child. On December 24, 2002, Scott reported Laci missing from their home in Modesto, California.
Four months later, Laci's body and the body of her unborn son Conner were discovered on the shores of San Francisco Bay. Scott Peterson was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of murder. In 2004, Scott was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Laci and the second-degree murder of Conner.
The case has remained a subject of public interest and discussion, raising questions about the legal process and media coverage. Scott's death sentence was overturned in 2020,[1] and then in 2021, Peterson was re-sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.[2]
In 2024, Peterson was granted a status hearing in response to a request by the LA Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal advocacy organization claiming to have new evidence supporting Peterson's innocence.[3][4]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Egelko, Bob (August 24, 2020). "Death penalty overturned for Scott Peterson, convicted of murdering wife and unborn child". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
- ^ Waldrop, Theresa (December 8, 2021). "Scott Peterson sentenced to life in prison after being spared a death sentence". CNN. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ Stone, Alex (March 5, 2024). "Judge grants Scott Peterson status hearing after LA Innocence Project filings". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 23, 2024. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
- ^ Moran, Jocelyn (March 12, 2024). "Scott Peterson case back to courtroom after LA Innocence Project takes it on". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 23, 2024. Retrieved March 23, 2024.