True crime fans will likely be familiar with the heartbreaking story of a woman named Laci Peterson, who was murdered while heavily pregnant with her first child, a son named Conner.
The murder took place on Christmas Eve in 2002 and Laci's husband, Scott, was eventually convicted of the first-degree murder of Laci and the second degree murder of Conner – something he has never admitted to and has attempted to appeal on more than one occasion.
As well as being the focal point for a Netflix documentary, American Murder: Laci Peterson, the case is also detailed in Channel 4's The Murder of Laci Peterson.
But what is the true story of the murder of Laci Peterson? And where is Scott Peterson now?
Who was Laci Peterson?
Laci Peterson was a much-loved daughter, sister and friend with a passion for gardening. She was born in California on 4 May 1975, to Sharon and Dennis Rocha, and was part of her cheerleading squad at high school. According to her mother Sharon, when Laci first met Scott at a restaurant he worked in, she quickly fell in love – hard. But Sharon was concerned that Scott was not being entirely truthful with her daughter.
The pair married in 1997 after two years of dating, then opened their own sports bar, The Shack, which they ran for a few years before deciding to sell and try for a family. Following this, the pair moved to a new home and Laci began working as a substitute teacher. She fell pregnant in 2002 and had a due date of February 2003.
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Sadly, she was killed before she could give birth, breaking the hearts of her loved ones and shattering the local community.
Who is Scott Peterson?
Scott Peterson was a wannabe pro golfer turned salesman, who is now best known for being married to Laci Peterson, who was tragically murdered while eight months pregnant with their son. Scott was later convicted of one count of first-degree murder in relation to Laci's death and a further second-degree murder count relating to their baby – but has always maintained that he is innocent.
During the trial it was revealed that Scott had been having an affair with a woman named Amber Frey behind Laci's back (along with others throughout the course of their relationship as a whole), something that instantly cast doubt over his squeaky clean family man image. Scott also had multiple mobile phones and credit cards that it's thought Laci was entirely unaware of.
Amber provided photographic evidence of their relationship and assisted police by calling Scott and recording their conversation, in which he said he wanted to be with her. Amber also told police that Scott had told her he was a widow and that this would be his first Christmas without his wife, which rang major alarm bells.
Who murdered Laci Peterson?
Laci's husband Scott reported her missing on Christmas Eve, claiming he returned home from a fishing trip and was confused and concerned to find his wife not in their home. Four months later, a full-term male foetus and Laci's body washed up on a nearby shore a mile apart from one another.
Despite being convicted of the murder of both Laci and baby Conner, Scott has always maintained his innocence and tried, with the support of the LA Innocence Project (LAIP), to have his sentencing overturned. In April 2025, Scott and his team cited what they claimed to be new evidence, relating to a burglary that took place around the time of his wife's murder, urging that it be examined in court.
"There are so many instances where there was evidence that didn't fit the detectives' theory that they ignored," Scott claimed in a previous interview from prison.
His 140-page testimony (via LAIP) was largely denied in May 2025: of the 19 claims put forward, only one (that one of the jurors in his 2004 murder trial should have been dismissed) was not immediately dismissed.
In June 2025, Janey Peterson (Scott's sister and advocate) said that, while it’s a long shot, LAIP could argue that Peterson should be released while these legal proceedings continue, on the basis of time already served. Courts can grant release if there’s a ruling in a prisoner’s favour during appeals, but it’s rare – and to date, there are no follow-up reports suggesting this happened for Scott.
Jon Buehler, a police detective who co-lead the case against Scott, spoke to ABC News in 2017 and said he was suspicious of Scott from their first meeting. "I suspected Scott when I first met him. Didn't mean he did it, but I was a little bit thrown off by his calm, cool demeanor and his lack of questioning ... he wasn't, 'Will you call me back? Can I have one of your cards? What are you guys doing now?'"
In court, a used car salesman raised further concerns when he said Scott had traded in Laci's car before her body had been found or she had been confirmed as dead. A real estate agent also said Scott had made enquiries about selling their family home, while Laci's whereabouts was still unknown.
Where is Scott Peterson now?
Initially, following the trial in 2004, Scott – who has always maintained his innocence – was also issued a death penalty, which was later overturned in 2020 and changed to a life sentence without parole.
He is currently serving time in Mule Creek State Prison.
Speaking in 2024, ahead of the Peacock series, Face to Face with Scott Peterson, Scott also told the press he believes Laci was an accidental casualty of a burglary gone wrong and that he has been framed.
"There was a burglary across the street from our home," he reportedly said. "And I believe that Laci went over there to see what was going on, and that's when she was taken."
This was not mentioned during Scott's widely publicised trial more than 20 years ago.
Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper’s Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
