Murder of Laci Peterson
| Murder of Laci Peterson | |
|---|---|
Laci Peterson in 2002 | |
| Location | Modesto, California, U.S. |
| Date | c. December 24, 2002 |
Attack type | Double murder |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Perpetrator | Scott Peterson |
| Verdict | Guilty on both counts |
| Convictions |
|
| Sentence | Death; reduced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole after appeal |
On December 24, 2002, 27‑year‑old Laci Denise Peterson disappeared from her home in Modesto, California, while eight months pregnant with her first child. Her disappearance prompted a large‑scale search and drew national media attention. In April 2003, the remains of Peterson and her unborn son, whom she and her husband had planned to name Conner, were found along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay. Her husband, Scott Lee Peterson, was arrested shortly afterward and charged with two counts of murder. In 2004, he was convicted of the first degree murder of Laci and the second degree murder of Conner. His death sentence was overturned in 2020, and in 2021 he was re‑sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In 2024, he was granted a status hearing following a request by the LA Innocence Project, which stated it had new evidence supporting his claim of innocence.