Scott Peterson: What is the new evidence?
Scott Peterson: The New EvidenceIn December 2002, Laci Peterson was excitedly awaiting the birth of her first child. She was seven and a half months pregnant with her husband Scott Peterson’s son, whom they had been hoping to name Conner. On Christmas Eve, Laci went missing. Four months later, Laci and the remains of her unborn son were found.
Not long after she was found, her husband was arrested and charged. A year later, Scott Peterson was found guilty on two charges: first-degree murder (Laci) and second-degree murder (Conner). The case is remembered for its disturbing tale of a wife and unborn child murdered at Christmastime. However, there are those who believe that Peterson may be innocent.
A new exclusive Crime+Investigation documentary Scott Peterson: The New Evidence, suggests that there is evidence that could warrant a retrial. Ahead of the documentary airing on Sunday 18th October, we take a closer look at the case and what exactly this alleged new evidence is.
Laci Peterson and Scott Peterson
Laci met her would-be husband in 1994 while studying at California Polytechnic State University. Peterson worked at Pacific Cafe, where Laci would visit often. They dated for two years before getting married in 1997. Despite Peterson engaging in an affair, the couple continued their relationship.
Laci fell pregnant in 2002. It was in November of that year that Peterson had another affair, this time with a massage therapist. Laci was due to give birth on 10th February, 2003.
Laci’s disappearance
On 24th December, 2002, Laci started the day as usual with her husband in their home in Modesto, California. While Scott went fishing, Laci took the family dog, McKenzie, for a walk. However, McKenzie was later found wandering outside the family home alone with his leash still attached. Laci was nowhere to be found.
Finding Laci and Conner
It wasn’t until the following year that Laci and her son were found. Two dog walkers found Conner on 13th April 2003. On a tidal flat on the shore of San Francisco Bay, they found a male fetus. The next day, a human torso was found by a jogger on the shore of Point Isabel Regional Park, only a mile away from the fetus. After DNA testing, it was revealed that the bodies were Laci and Conner.
Scott Peterson’s conviction
Peterson was suspected to have had something to do with Laci’s disappearance from the start of the investigation. Suspicions only intensified when his affair was publicly revealed.
There was a lack of forensic evidence against Peterson. However, several factors, such as him fishing in San Francisco Bay close to where Laci and Conner were found, led to a guilty conviction on 12th November 2004.
The new evidence
In January 2024, nonprofit legal advocacy group Los Angeles Innocence Project (LAIP) filed a motion requesting a new trial on Peterson’s behalf. The organisation argued that new, overlooked scientific evidence could warrant a new investigation. Some of the alleged evidence includes unused witness statements, handwritten notes, unseen defence footage, and a theory surrounding a burglary at a neighbour's house.
The organisation claims that Peterson was not given a fair trial and his rights were denied due to the unseen evidence being withheld from jurors. They are also claiming that some crucial evidence may have been destroyed and that prosecutors and police were not thorough or fair with their investigation.
The reaction
LAIP filed a habeas corpus petition to overturn Peterson’s conviction in August 2025. But by April 2026, this had been denied. The 14 new evidentiary claims put forward by the LAIP were rejected by Judge Elizabeth M. Hill, who stated that they were ‘neither new, admissible nor material.’
The press release response from the LAIP was swift: ‘We disagree with and are disappointed by the court’s ruling on every level…the LAIP is undeterred and will continue to fight for Mr. Peterson’s innocence.’
Laci’s mother, Sharon Rocha, reacted with a simple statement: ‘There is no new evidence.’ She went on to say, ‘Bottom line: He is guilty, and that’s it. Maybe I shouldn’t sound so harsh, but I’m tired. I’m very, very, very tired.’
What’s next?
The LAIP has said that they will continue with their plan and try to prove that Peterson is innocent. In the aforementioned press release, the organisation states that it ‘intends to file the petition in a higher court.’
Only time will tell if the LAIP’s high court appeal will be successful.
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