posted on January 11, 2003 12:25:14 PM new
This has been a real mysterious case as people close to this couple says they were best friends. What are your thoughts?
BERKELEY, California (CNN) -- Diver
boats launched Saturday at dawn
from a Berkeley, California, marina,
where police were expected to
determine whether an underwater
object detected by sonar was the
body of a missing pregnant woman.
The woman, Laci Pete rson, 27, was to
deliver a boy on February 10.
Her husband, Scott Peterson, told police
he left their Modesto home the morning of
December 24 for a solo fishing trip in the
bay, some 85 miles away. He said his
wife told him she intended to walk their
golden retriever and then shop for that
evening's dinner.
She has not been reported seen since
then.
Temperatures hovered Saturday near 60
degrees, the weather was clear and the
seas were calm as a throng of law
enforcement personnel gathered before
dawn in a parking lot at Berkeley Marina.
At 6:30 a.m. (9:30 a.m. EST), three boats
were launched and another three boats
were readied. A wire basket that could be
used to haul objects from the floor of the
bay was placed on one of the boats.
Modesto Police Det. Doug Ridenour said
sonar spotted the object late Thursday,
too late for divers to investigate, and bad
weather kept them out of the water Friday.
"This morning, we'll go back in and try to
identify the object," Ridenour said Saturday.
Police said Scott Peterson told them he
returned home later that night and found
the family's dog, with its leash on, in the
back yard. A neighbor had found the dog
wandering in the neighborhood earlier in
the day, authorities said, and put it in the
yard. Peterson said his wife's purse was
still in the house and nothing had been
disturbed.
Ridenour said the last time another family
member had contact with Laci was a
telephone conversation late December
23.
Police said a receipt produced by Scott Peterson from a parking lot at the Berkeley
Marina -- where he said he had been -- was legitimate. Authorities have also
searched the couple's home, their vehicles and Peterson's business.
Ridenour said Thursday that neither the husband nor anyone else close to the
missing woman had been ruled out as possible suspects.
"We can't go into the Scott Peterson part of the investigation," he told CNN Saturday.
posted on January 11, 2003 01:34:48 PM new
kraftdinner
It seems to me that bodies float. Right? If it does turn out to be the woman, the possible murderer must have been done something to hold the body down in the water. Or if it was an accident, she may have been held underwater by natural occurences.
If it isn't her body, there is a chance she left volunteerly and not foul play on anyone part.
The husband and other "suspects" are innocent til found otherwise. If any of the suspects are not quilty of foul play, they are going through some tough times. They need our prayers. The woman too if she is alive.
posted on January 11, 2003 03:37:15 PM newObject in Calif. Marina Not Missing Woman
MODESTO, Calif. (AP) - The submerged object found by sonar in a marina turned out to be a boat anchor, not the body of a missing pregnant woman as feared, her sister-in-law said Saturday.
"I have to laugh," said Susan Caudillo as volunteers applauded and cheered. "It's a very common thing to have in a marina. We just knew it wasn't going to be Laci."
Laci Peterson, 27, of Modesto, has been missing since Christmas Eve. She's eight months pregnant and her baby shower had been planned for Saturday.
Instead of celebrating, her family and friends gathered to post flyers. About 100 miles away, divers searched by hand along the floor of the Berkeley Marina for the object which had been spotted Thursday with sonar equipment.
Scott Peterson, the woman's husband and the father of the unborn child, said he was fishing at the marina the day his wife went missing.
Scott Peterson said he last saw his wife on the morning of Dec. 24. A neighbor found her dog later that day walking alone through the neighborhood; her car was still parked in her driveway.
Scott Peterson has not been named as a suspect and has not commented publicly. Police have described him as less than cooperative, but volunteers said he comes into the hotel search headquarters early every morning.
Saturday was no different, according to his father, Lee Peterson, who said his son went out with volunteers early in the day.
"We still think she's going to come home," he said.
posted on January 11, 2003 04:03:44 PM new
Thanks bear! That's good news! I was wondering if maybe someone abducted her for her child. Someone being violent against a pregnant woman must be rare, so maybe she's still alive.
posted on January 11, 2003 04:15:10 PM new
I would be less than cooperative with police the way they treat people who they suspect. No courtesy and leaks to deamonize them. It must be frustrating to see them wasting time trying to nail you if you know you didn't do it.
posted on January 11, 2003 04:29:50 PM new
It would have been too ironic to have found he body in the same marina that he husband set sail from to go fishing.
posted on January 11, 2003 08:55:21 PM new
Yes, I'm following it. It's in the papers daily. He could have dumped the body anywhere between home and the marina. No way of knowing but of course the husband is going to be suspect.
After nearly three weeks and no word, it seems unlikely she will just turn up unharmed.
posted on January 11, 2003 10:02:42 PM new
I live a few miles from Modesto and when I heard about this story, my heart sank! My first instinct is that it's the husband. The police have said he is being "less than cooperative". He has only gone on camera once and his words were "she wouldn't have left on her own". Nothing about I miss her, I love her, I need her, I hope she is okay, this is my wife, my son, no emotion. Real strange.
I know people react differently under stressful situations but were are talking about his wife AND his unborn son! I wonder if his business is in trouble or if he has a mistress. So many scenarios and I'll bet there is life insurance involved!
I pray that Laci comes home safe but I don't think that is the reality after this long. If nothing else, I just hope they find her at all.
posted on January 12, 2003 04:20:10 AM new" know people react differently under stressful situations but were are talking about his wife AND his unborn son! I wonder if his business is in trouble or if he has a mistress. So many scenarios and I'll bet there is life insurance involved!"
posted on January 13, 2003 09:43:57 PM new
Being a Criminal Science major, this is more often the case than not. It's called motive. Every crime has one.
posted on January 14, 2003 12:45:53 PM new
If the husband had disappeared, the wife would be under suspicion. The majority of murders are committed by a spouse or family member... Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on January 14, 2003 02:40:37 PM new
But nothing really points to the husband so far, other than him being the last to see Laci.
I caught a bit of Larry King last night and they were discussing this story with some of their family members - they all seemed so distraught and sad. Nancy Grace was a disgrace, as usual, and made all sorts of statements about what the husband should be doing if he was 'normal' and not guilty. That must've been hard for the family to hear.
I still can't comprehend why someone would want to kidnap or harm a pregnant woman. (??)
posted on January 17, 2003 08:55:44 AM new
Fox news and Modesto Bee are both reporting this morning that Laci's family was notified that Laci's husband took out a 250k life insurance policy on her a few months ago, AND he has a girlfriend in Fresno.
posted on January 17, 2003 09:13:15 AM new
Kraftdinner - Nancy Grace was a disgrace, as usual, and made all sorts of statements about what the husband should be doing if he was 'normal' and not guilty. That must've been hard for the family to hear.
I'm sure it was. But maybe they also have their doubts....but wouldn't want to inflame the situation by stating so publically.
Most of these type of crimes are committed by a family member or a close friend, as bunni pointed out. For that reason, the usual response of anyone under suspicion is to do whatever is necessary to help the police verify it's not them, so that they will put their full efforts towards looking elsewhere. Not waste their time continuing to look at the spouse/etc. This husbands actions, while well within his legal rights, isn't the norm.
Valleygirl - That information will only add to the suspicions against the husband.
posted on January 17, 2003 10:22:07 AM new
Valleygirl - Hope you didn't take my post in the wrong way. Being clearer..what I was trying to say was that those additional issues coming to light makes the husband's statement that he didn't do this harder for me to believe.
posted on January 17, 2003 10:39:28 AM new
Thanks for that link Katy... it looks pretty incriminating against the husband. While I can understand the insurance policy after she became pregnant, the girlfriend part just blew me away because I haven't heard a bad word spoken of the husband by either family.
Linda, Nancy Grace is just too dramatic for me. Her assumptions are based on common logic (like she was the first to suspect the husband or something) then she goes for the throat to try and convict him on TV with the families right there. It was just poor taste (as many of her outbursts are)... imo Linda.
posted on January 17, 2003 11:02:33 AM new
Valleygirl - No hard feelings on my part at all. Glad we were able to clear up the misunderstanding. Sometimes I don't do well at expressing myself in this medium. Sorry. Just wanted to be sure I didn't make you feel uncomfortable by how my post may have been taken.
Yes, KD, I've seen you post you don't care for her before. No problem with that on my part.
posted on January 17, 2003 11:36:42 AM new
Geez you have a great memory Linda! I wasn't trying to sound harsh, but it's one thing to speculate amongst friends and quite different to do it on TV, in front of the families. I guess I was just hoping, like you, that the husband wouldn't be involved. I'm still hoping it's not him.
posted on January 18, 2003 07:19:33 PM new
http://www.fallenwall.org/kds.html
I just heard on the news here that Peterson was a student at Cal Poly when Kristen Smart disappeared. Seems someone saw his pic on the news, and connected it to a guy she was dating, or knew more than casually. So the police here are chatting with the police in Modesto to see where this heads.
Apparently he met his wife at the same university that the Smart girl attended.
exerpt...
San Luis Obispo County authorities also confirmed Saturday they are looking at Scott Peterson in connection with the 1996 disappearance of a college student at California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo.
Peterson, who is not officially a suspect in his pregnant wife's Christmas Eve disappearance, attended the university at the time 19-year-old Kristin Smart of Stockton vanished.
In a statement Saturday, sheriff's Lt. Steve Bolts confirmed that department investigators have been sharing information with the Modesto Police Department regarding the two cases.
``However,'' the statement said, ``no link has been established at this time other than the fact that Scott Peterson attended Cal Poly University at the same time Kristin Smart was reported missing.'' San Luis Obispo authorities have never found Smart nor made any arrests.
Peterson, 30, met Laci at the San Luis Obispo campus where both were agricultural majors.
posted on January 27, 2003 01:48:14 PM new
And as of this weekend, we see the woman with whom he's been having the affair at a news conference. She is a single woman, with a 23 month old child, and only met him on 11-20. Less than a month later, they are having a "romantic relationship".
posted on January 27, 2003 02:04:08 PM new
Valleygirl - Did you see HIS parents give a statement this weekend? Heard they were going to, but never caught it if they did. Heard they were going to be making a statement about the girlfriend's public statement. Wondered if they defended him or not.
The more lies he's caught in, the worse it makes things look for him.
I forget when she's due to deliver. Sure wished they'd find her soon, if she's still alive.
posted on January 27, 2003 02:19:58 PM new
Linda: I saw Amber Frey give her press conference on Friday night, then most of the weekend I was out of town, or busy. I tried to catch some news late last night, but couldn't find anything.
That's why I brought this up to the top, so anyone who had newer news could update.
I still wonder about this girl's morals, an unwed mother having a romantic relationship with someone she's known less than a month. Of course, he's a jerk too. Laci is such a pretty girl, and looks so happy in her pictures. How could he possibly be unfaithful to her, with a baby due soon.
I think they just might find out he DID have something to do with the missing Cal Poly girl too.
