Laci Peterson murder: shocking crime revisited in two new documentaries |

Do you think these films could change public opinion on the case?

Laci Peterson's murder made national headlines back in 2002, even before her husband was convicted. Over 20 years later, as Scott Peterson maintains his innocence, the case continues to captivate Americans. In this LiveNOW & Then full episode, we look at how the media covered the case as it progressed.

Laci Peterson went missing on Christmas Eve in 2002 in California.
Amid widespread media coverage, the 27-year-old woman and her unborn baby were later found dead.
Scott Peterson, Laci’s husband, was found guilty of their murders in 2004. He is currently serving life in prison.

SAN FRANCISCO - The chilling murder of Laci Peterson over 20 years ago captured the nation’s attention, and the case has drawn renewed interest with the release of two new documentaries.

Who was Laci Peterson?
Laci Peterson disappeared from her home in Modesto, California on Christmas Eve in 2002. The 27-year-old woman was married to Scott Peterson, and she was eight months pregnant with their son, Conner, when she vanished.

The search made national headlines.

"Veterans like myself, immediately know why this case transformed the Bay Area and transfixed the nation, and so it just depends on where you are," Henry Lee, a crime reporter with KTVU FOX 2 in San Francisco, told FOX Television Stations. "I think people will remember this case for a long time. We're still standing by to see how it ends."

Frey went to police when she learned about Laci's disappearance. Peterson allegedly told Frey that his wife was alive and pregnant but had gone missing. Frey began recording her phone conversations with Peterson to help police.

"That was a bombshell because she [Amber Frey] ultimately recorded conversations on the phone and that were turned over to the police," Lee said. "But this was a bombshell, because he told Amber this will be the first Christmas without my wife before Lacey ever disappeared. So, it was damning circumstantial evidence suggesting that at least Scott may have been considering to kill Lacey."

Scott Peterson was arrested in 2003, and a year later was on trial for murder and found guilty in 2004. He was sentenced to death, but the California Supreme Court overturned Scott’s death penalty sentence in 2020. His conviction was upheld, and he was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In January 2024, the Los Angeles Innocence Project, a group that works to exonerate wrongfully convicted people, stepped up to help Scott Peterson pushing for a second look at his trial and DNA evidence testing they felt would acquit him of murder.
#LaciPeterson #TrueCrime #Documentaries #CrimeRevisited #JusticeForLaci #MurderMystery #ScottPeterson #BreakingNews #TheSun #CrimeDocumentary #PublicOpinion