Search continues for missing woman

December 26, 2002.  MPD Press Release.  "Modesto Police continue to search for Laci Peterson, who was last seen on Christmas Eve morning about 9:30 a.m. Laci is eight months pregnant and was reported missing by her husband, Scott Peterson, on the evening of December 24. On the morning of December 24, Scott Peterson went fishing in the Bay Area and Laci stayed home with plans to shop for dinner and walk their dog at East La Loma Park and Dry Creek. When Scott returned home that evening, Laci was not home. The dog was found earlier and returned to the backyard by a neighbor. The leash was still attached to the dog’s collar. Modesto Police Officers immediately began a search of the park and the Dry Creek River area. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department helicopter was called in to assist with the search. On Christmas morning, additional assistance was received from the Water Rescue Units from Modesto City Fire Department and Stanislaus Consolidated Fire. Modesto Police canines and equestrian teams were used to further the search along the creek bed and in the park. The search for Laci continues to expand beyond the park and river area. 'We have organized volunteers for a systematic search and it is our hope to find Laci and bring her home,' said Chief Roy Wasden. The family and friends of Laci Peterson have established a $100,000 reward for the safe return, or information leading to the safe return, of Laci Peterson. Additionally, an anonymous person has also established a $25,000 reward through the Carole Sund-Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation. Friends of the family have established a fund to assist with any search efforts. Donations can be made to: AG Edwards and Sons Laci Peterson Fund 1549 McHenry Ave. Modesto CA 95350 Attn: Stacey Boyers/Jeffrey Sutton"

FBI joins inquiry into woman's disappearance  

December 27, 2002.  ModBee. Reviews the search conducted so far, including the search warrants served on the Covena home.  Mentions the blood hounds used and their results.  

Press conference to be held regarding missing woman

December 27, 2002.  MPD Press Release.  "The Modesto Police Department is continuing their investigation into the  next phase. Last night, a search warrant was served at the peterson residence. The focus of the search warrant was to attempt to locate evidence of any activity before or after Laci's disappearance and evidence of a stranger intrusion. FBI agents assisted the Modesto Police Department in processing the residence for evidence."  Repeats basic information about Laci's disappearance and her description.  Includes the request:  "Investigators would also like to speak with anyone who personally spoke with Laci anytime between Sunday and her disappearance on Tuesday."

Vigil for missing Modesto mother-to-be

January 1, 2003 San Francisco Chronicle.  Reports on the New Year's Eve vigil for Laci. "It's unfortunate that he didn't choose to go golfing instead of fishing that day because it would have been a lot simpler investigation," she said. "So that is taking more time, and time is very important here in this case." Scott Peterson had never gone to the Berkeley Marina before Dec. 24 but was interested after he read an article about sturgeon fishing, his sister said. Also reports on family suspicions that Laci was abducted when she witnessed a burglary at the Medina home across the street.

Police release photos of truck and boat

January 2, 2003.  MPD Press Release.  "Police investigators revealed photos of a truck and boat owned by Scott Peterson and urge the public to contact the Department if anyone recalls seeing the truck and boat between December 23 and December 25th. Modesto Police Department continues their search for Laci Peterson, the 27-year-old expectant mother who has been missing since Christmas Eve. Her husband, Scott Peterson, reportedly last saw Laci at 9:30 on Christmas Eve morning. Scott left the family residence in his pickup truck, hooked the boat up at another location and went to a marina in Berkeley for a fishing trip. The truck is a 2002, Ford F150 pickup, bronze in color, with California license 6T59718. The boat is a 1991, 14-foot aluminum boat and trailer with a 15 horsepower outboard motor. Police are trying to corroborate Scott’s trip to the Berkeley area." 

Lack of leads does not deter search

January 4, 2003.  MPD Press Release.  "The search for the 27-year-old pregnant woman continued into counties adjacent to Stanislaus County and over to a marina in Berkeley where her husband reportedly was fishing on the day of her disappearance. Sgt. Ron Cloward, who is heading the search efforts, added C.A.R.D.A., the California Rescue Dog Association, to the list of resource agencies assisting Modesto Police in their extensive search. “Today there are approximately 37 law enforcement individuals searching for Laci,” reported Sgt. Cloward at today’s news conference. There is also a team of individuals searching the Berkeley marina, that specific number was unavailable at the time of the conference."

Psychics, others offer to help police in search  

January 5, 2003.  ModBee.com.  Article reports on the psychic attention to the Peterson case.  Provides information about instances when the FBI and the military have used psychics, but also acknowledges the general disrespect for this profession.

Dogs and divers go to work in SF Bay

January 5, 2003.  ModBee.com.  Search dogs and scuba divers came up empty Saturday in the water and on the shore of San Francisco Bay, as the investigation continued into the disappearance of Modesto's Laci Rocha Peterson. . . .

Always with a smile

January 5, 2003.  ModBee.com.  Sharon Rocha lies in a hospital bed at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, woozy from the combination of painkillers and pain. It is May 4, 1975. A nurse cradles a tiny baby girl and hands her to Sharon, who gently takes her daughter into her arms. Sharon stares at the child, and the two melt into one. The pain disappears. Laci is here. . . .
 

Searchers comb through new areas

January 6, 2003.  ModBee.com.  The search for Laci Peterson has expanded beyond the Berkeley Marina and the Highway 132 corridor, police said Sunday. . . .
 

No press conference scheduled 1-13

January 13, 2003.  MPD Press Release.  "There will be no further press conferences until significant information or a break in the case occurs in the Laci Peterson investigation. We continue to investigate leads and search areas surrounding Stanislaus County. Those locations will not be revealed. As explained to the media in the past, we will not speculate or talk about areas that may impact our investigation."

Where is Laci Peterson?

January 13, 2003, Larry King Live.  Sharon Rocha, Ron Grantski, Amy Rocha, Lee Peterson, and Janey Peterson; with brief remarks by Kim Peterson, executive director of the Memorial Reward Foundation, and Modesto Police Chief Roy Wasden.  Larry's debate panel included:  Nancy Grace, Mark Geragos, and Mark Klaas. 

No Press Conferences Planned

January 17, 2003.  MPD Press Release.  "There will be no further press conferences in the Laci Peterson investigation until there is significant new information or a break in the case. We will not confirm or deny reports from news agencies that are not from official police comments that are properly releasable. The Modesto Police Department will not respond to rumors or speculation. The Peterson case continues in a logical, methodical and customary law enforcement investigative manner. Today, we continue to investigate leads and search areas surrounding Stanislaus County. Those locations will not be revealed at this time."

Relative Voices Suspicion  

January 17, 2003.  ModBee. Presents suspicions of an unidentified family member.  Includes picture of Scott at the New Year's Eve vigil for Laci, and information about the police visit to the Rocha family to tell them about the life insurance and affair.

Peterson: 'Let's Help Find Laci': Report: Police Told Family Husband Is Responsible

January 17, 2003.  TheDenverChannel.com.  "The husband of a missing pregnant Modesto woman broke his silence Thursday, telling a TV news reporter his only concern is keeping his wife in the media spotlight. 'I really don't care what people think of me. Make me the biggest villain in the world if you want to, as long as it keeps her photograph in the press,' Scott Peterson said." About the volunteer center in Los Angeles:  "About 12 or 15 of Scott's family is coming down to head this up, and what we're doing is a one-day volunteer command center, short of phones and fax machines, and what we really hope to accomplish is people that come by, just pick up four fliers," volunteer Brad Saltzman said. 

Where It All Began For Laci And Scott Peterson  

January 19, 2003.  KTVU.  Provides human interest background information on Laci and Scott in college and early marriage.

Peterson's home burglarized

January 20, 2003.  MPD Press Release.  "The home of missing Laci Peterson was burglarized during the past few days while Scott Peterson had been out of town. Detectives are investigating the break-in and don't believe it is connected to the missing person case. Sometime between Thursday and Sunday, the home of Scott and Laci Peterson was burglarized. Scott Peterson reported the burglary Sunday night to police around 7:46 p.m. The burglar broke a window and entered the home. Police are not releasing the property taken at this point. "We are currently investigating this break-in and we are not prepared to release much information. Detectives are working on leads that may solve this case soon, and we don't want to interfere in identifying the suspect(s)," said Sergeant Michael Zahr, supervisor of detectives."

Woman Goes Public  

[January 25, 2003] SacBee comprehensive report on Amber's public acknowledgement, her description of her relationship with Scott, and the Rocha family reaction.

Interview with Sharon Rocha and Amy Rocha

January 27, 2003, On the Record with Greta van Susteren.  Sharon states that she did not consider it unusual that Laci didn't tell her Scott was going fishing.  She said, "usually they're very prompt, so there was no reason for her to even mention it if she thought that he was going to be home by 6:00 o'clock."  Sharon also mentions that a family member had asked Scott about 3 days after Laci's disappearance if he was having an affair, and he denied it. 

Peterson suspicious in eyes of experts  

February 1, 2003.  ModBee article on analysis of Scott's media interviews by experts who study words and behavior.  Experts interviewed said Scott's words and behavior are "telling," and consensus is they tell Scott is guilty.  The article briefly reports on the possible Laci-sighting in Longview, Washington. 

Peterson Increases Suspicion From Laci's Family:  Scott Peterson Traded In Laci's Range Rover

February 4, 2003.  "The past few days have been too much for Sharon Rocha, Laci Peterson's mother, to handle, NBC11's Karen Brown reported on Tuesday. Rocha's suspicions and distrust towards Scott Peterson has grown after learning that he sold her daughter's Range Rover. This has really disrupted Laci's family, Brown reported."  Report from family members that Laci and Scott were having financial difficulties.  "Dennis Rocha released a statement saying, 'I think it's awful, just awful. It just aggravates us how he can keep doing this to our family, tearing us apart'." The Rover was given to Dennis.

Laci's Family Steps up Criticism of Scott

February 5, 2003.  Associated Press.  Family members of missing woman Laci Rocha Peterson stepped up their criticism of her husband Wednesday, saying he sold his pregnant wife's car and considered selling the couple's house. "I found it hard to understand a lot of things Scott has done, so why should this be any different," Grantski said. "He has said since the first night he wanted the focus on finding Laci, not on him. Well, with the things he's been doing and saying the focus is all on him. You want to change the focus, Scott, talk to the Modesto police. End this circus."

Predawn raft sighting baffles Bay searchers

February 12, 2003. Contra Costa Time.  A predawn sighting of a man in a wetsuit steering a motorized raft toward the Bay Bridge on Tuesday sparked a massive multi-agency effort to explain a report that raised grave homeland-security concerns. The search began soon after 3 a.m., when the captain of the Alameda-based tugboat Polaris telephoned the U.S. Coast Guard to say his boat had nearly collided with a 10-foot Zodiac-style raft about a mile south of the Bay Bridge. "This raft had no lights, which looked fairly suspicious," said Dale Kline, Seaway's general manager.  "The guy (on the raft) is either incredibly stupid or he was trying to hide something."

Scott's Boat  

February 26, 2003.  NBC11.com.  Laci's family says what they find strange is that Scott Peterson never told Laci about the boat. And he told them later that he was saving the boat as a surprise for Christmas Day. Bruce Peterson says Scott never mentioned anything about the boat being a surprise.

Bruce Peterson comments on the boat sale

February 27, 2003 MSNBC.com.  Peterson related what he found different about the boat when the police asked him to look at it:  it had a powdery cement like substance in it, was missing the auxillary wheels and a life jacket.

Feb. 28: Did Police Overlook Important Peterson Clue?

February 27, 2003.  KTVU.  Two neighbors (Vivian and Bill Mitchell) reported to the police that they say Laci on the morning of December 24, but they were never called back.  Lee Peterson's reaction:  "How do you follow up on a lead if you don't return someone's calls? It makes me wonder about their competency. Here's an eyewitness account of my daughter-in-law and they don't follow up on it." Modesto Police spokesman Doug Ridenour told The Modesto Bee that several people reported seeing the missing woman that morning. He said detectives investigated the reports, but didn't return every tipster's call. Capt. Greg Savelli said his team meets every day to carefully piece together a battle plan and is confident in the direction of the investigation.

Tipline questions answered

February 28, 2003.  MPD Press Release.  "In recent news, people who had left tips have spoken to the media about their tips to the Laci Peterson Hotline. We did receive the tip from Mrs. Mitchell. It was documented and appropriately handled during our investigation. Mrs. Mitchell gave detailed information to the employee who took the tip. She went into great detail while speaking to this employee so there was no additional information needed from her. Our tipline has received many calls ranging from legitimate tips to people expressing their opinions and feelings. We have logged and processed the calls and they are all forwarded to an investigator. This investigator then reviews the tips. The majority of the 8,000 plus tips have not received calls back. If the caller only left minimal information or the investigator feels further information is needed, there will be follow-up. On those tips where the caller is detailed and thorough, the person is generally not called back. No tips have been ignored. We will continue to take tips from anyone who feels they have information which could lead to this case being solved."

Missing pregnant woman's father launches blistering attack on son-in-law  

March 3, 2003.  Globe.  Interview with Dennis Rocha, Laci's father, who believed from the very beginning that Scott was guilty. Dennis calls Scott a "liar and a cheat."  The article provides detail about Laci's childhood, including the cyst she had that required the removal of an ovary at the age of 8.

Press conference on Laci's disappearance

March 5, 2003.  MPD Press Release.  "'As the investigation has progressed we have increasingly come to believe that Laci Peterson is the victim of a violent crime. This investigation began as a missing person case and we all were hopeful that Laci would return home safely. However, we have come to consider this a homicide case. Based on this belief an additional reward is now being offered for information that leads to her location and recovery,' said lead investigator Detective Craig Grogan, Homicide Unit. Kim Petersen, executive director of the Sund/Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation, announced today that donors from an earlier reward for Laci's safe return have approved the transfer of $50,000 dollars to be used for information directly leading to the location and recovery of Laci Peterson."  The Press Release repeated the information about how tips are processed and that no tips were ignored.

If Scott Peterson had murdered Laci, he would have been arrested by now  

March 16, 2003 WRTV News.  Opinion article that debunks much of the "evidence" against Scott and remarks on how the police investigators used the media to redirect attention away from reports in Scott's favor.

'It's Scott':  Missing pregnant woman's father wants husband charged with murder  

April 17, 2003.  ABCNews article which includes excerpts from Dennis Rocha's interview with WBZ-TV in Boston.  The article includes police source information that the decomposed state of Laci's body is consistent with the time frame of Laci's disappearance and that she had on a nursing bra. 

Peterson bodies identified, husband arrested

April 18, 2003, 6:00 p.m.  MPD Press Release.  Reports the identification of Laci and Conner, and Scott's arrest.  "Late this morning Scott Peterson was arrested at the intersection of Callas and Torrey Pines Road in San Diego. The arrest was made by DOJ Special Agent Supervisor Ernie Limon, Special Agent Peter Shear, and CHP Officer Claude Jubran, without incident. He was immediately turned over to Modesto Police Homicide Detectives. Scott Peterson is being transported back to Modesto to be booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on two counts of murder. The family of Laci Peterson was notified late this afternoon that the bodies were confirmed to be that of Laci and her unborn son. They were also notified of Scott Peterson's arrest. Modesto Police also contacted Scott Peterson's parents and notified them as well."