It has been 20 years since Scott Peterson was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn son, Connor, in 2002 in California.
Peterson's case has now been taken up by the Los Angeles Innocence Project. They are seeking a new trial and believe there is evidence that could prove Peterson's innocence.
In episode 1 (Where Is Laci Peterson?) of the new Peacock docuseries “Face to Face with Scott Peterson,” Peterson spoke for the first time about what happened during the homicide investigation.
“I had nothing to do with Laci's disappearance,” he said through a virtual video call with series creator Shareen Anderson, a documentary producer and investigative journalist.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Anderson explained that although at first she believed in Peterson's guilt, the facts and evidence she found in 2013 while investigating the case made her doubt that the convicted man had in fact been responsible for his wife’s murder.
Scott Peterson speaks from jail
“Why I want to speak? I regret not testifying. I have a chance to show people what the truth is and if they’re willing to accept it, it would be the biggest thing that I can accomplish right now,” Peterson said from Mule Creek Prison in Ione, California where he is being held.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
During the interview, Anderson questioned Peterson about why he decided to break his silence after spending so many years in prison.
“If I have a chance to get the reality out there, I have a chance to show people what the truth is, and if they’re willing to accept it, maybe that takes a little bit of hurt off my family. And that would be the biggest thing that I can accomplish right now,” Peterson said. “Don’t trust me, but look at the evidence.”
However, Peterson's cold attitude during Laci's disappearance and after the discovery of her body made many doubt his innocence.
“I know there is this narrative that I wasn't concerned or something. But there were many times where I was on edge and just trying to hang on. I was surprised to read that in their reports and totally reported falsely about my mood,” Peterson said.
During the investigation of the case, police served a search warrant at Peterson and Laci's home on December 26, 2022 in Modesto. According to police, Peterson did not cooperate with authorities that day.
During the interview with the documentary filmmaker, Peterson offered his reasons for not doing so.
“It was so clear what was happening, they had an assumption, I think it's called confirmation bias where they only look at evidence which supports their bias. And that’s what they did,” Peterson said. Detective Brocchini specifically told the teams what he thought happened and what he wanted to find, and they came into our house, not to look for Laci, but to look for evidence against me. They did a search of our house, absolutely no forensic evidence in the house, there’s no blood, there’s no struggle, there’s nothing like that. And yet, they continued to focus on me.”
When police learned of the existence of Amber Frey, who Peterson had been having an affair with, they explained that one of their theories as to why he had committed the murder was because he didn’t want to remain married to Laci and didn’t want to be a father.
Anderson confronted Peterson about these allegations, to which he responded.
“That’s so offensive and so disgusting. I just don’t get that argument. It’s just absolutely not true. I certainly regret cheating on Laci. Absolutely,” Peterson said. “It was about childhood lack of self-esteem, selfish me traveling somewhere, being lonely that night because I wasn’t at home. And you know, someone makes you feel good because they want to have sex with you. That’s what that was to me.”
His family believes in him
Despite the years that have passed, Janey Peterson, Scott Peterson’s sister-in-law, believes in his innocence.
She explained that since Laci's disappearance the police only investigated her brother-in-law, leaving aside possible evidence that would exonerate him of the crime.
“I believe my brother-in-law Scott has been wrongfully convicted,” Janey said.
The Los Angeles Innocence Project is currently awaiting a judge's decision on DNA evidence that could be a key piece of evidence including evidence of a robbery and duct tape found on Laci's clothing.
Due to the change of venue, Peterson was tried in San Mateo County and that is where the Los Angeles Innocence Project is presenting its case. A judge agreed that a neutral laboratory will conduct DNA tests on the piece of tape in question.
Editor's note: Peacock and Telemundo 48 are owned by NBCUniversal
