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Murder of Laci Peterson

A homicide case documented in Modesto, California, United States, during 24 Dec 2002.

Place
Modesto, California, United States
Date
24 Dec 2002
Status
SolvedAuthorities consider the case resolved, usually after identifying or convicting the responsible person.
Sources
2 cited sources

Updated 23 Aug 2026

Overview

Case overview

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 husband, Scott Lee Peterson, was arrested shortly afterward and charged with two counts of murder. [1]

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. Scott's automatic appeal of his death sentence was filed in the Supreme Court of California on July 5, 2012. [2]

This Oct. 21, 2022, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabiliatation shows Scott Peterson. Peterson has been moved off death row more than two years after the California Supreme Court overturned his death sentence for killing his pregnant wife two decades earlier, corrections officials said Monday, Oct. 24, 2022. Peterson was moved last week from San Quentin State Prison north of San Francisco to Mule Creek State Prison east of Sacramento. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)
This Oct. 21, 2022, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabiliatation shows Scott Peterson. Peterson has been moved off death row more than two years after the California Supreme Court overturned his death sentence for killing his pregnant wife two decades earlier, corrections officials said Monday, Oct. 24, 2022. Peterson was moved last week from San Quentin State Prison north of San Francisco to Mule Creek State Prison east of Sacramento. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)San Quentin State Prison Staff · Public domain · View original ↗
Detailed chronology

Key events

6 sourced milestones

Major events in the case, shown in chronological order.

  1. The disappearance is reported

    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.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  2. The disappearance is reported

    The last three people known to have spoken to Laci before she disappeared were Amy, Sharon, and Scott.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  3. Based on the dates and information Frey provided, detectives

    Based on the dates and information Frey provided, detectives now believed Scott began planning to kill Laci two weeks before Laci's disappearance.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  4. Hoping Scott would confess or reveal information about his

    Hoping Scott would confess or reveal information about his involvement in Laci's disappearance, detectives gave Frey a device with which to record her conversations with Scott.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  5. A plea is entered

    On April 21, 2003, Peterson was arraigned in Stanislaus County Superior Court and charged with two felony counts of murder with premeditation and special circumstances, to which he pleaded not guilty.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗

  6. The disappearance is reported

    At the time of her disappearance, Laci was seven-and-a-half months pregnant, with a due date of February 10, 2003.

    Source: Wikipedia ↗
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