Laci Peterson

I am in the middle of reading "Blood Brother: 33 Reasons My Brother Scott Peterson is Guilty" and it is the only book that has truly got to me emotionally.  The author, Anne Bird, was given up for adoption when she was a baby.  Later on in  her life (around her early 30s I believe) she received a life changing phone call from a man named Don.  It turned out that he was one of her biological half-brothers who was also given up for adoption.  He had found her and wanted her to be involved in her biological family's life along with him.  She met her biological mom a few months later and they instantly connected.  Her biological mom's name was Jackie Peterson.  She had kept two sons later on in her life when she felt like she was ready to be a mother.  One of the sons was Scott Peterson.  The first time Anne met Scott and his fiancee Laci, she was smitten.  She loved both of them instantly.  She recalled their relationship as 'teenagers in love.'  They were consistently attached to each other. 

She especially adored Laci.  She was always bubbly and sweet.  She loved flowers and people.  Scott was the golden child of the family.  He could do no wrong and never DID anything wrong.  Everybody he knew loved him.  He was a real charmer.  Anne became really close to Scott and Laci and they would hang out on a fairly regular basis.  Scott never had a sister so he was really excited to have an older one.  They went on family trips, like Disneyland, and they were just an average happy family.  Anne finally felt complete.

Laci and Scott

After Anne was married she had a little boy with her husband Tim and then she became pregnant again.  A couple years before that, Scott and Laci got married as well.  Her and Laci were pregnant at the same time.  Anne's second child and Laci's first.  Laci was ecstatic to finally become a Mother and to be sharing the experience with someone she loved.  She always wanted to be a mom while Scott seemed to not be so keen on the idea.  On December 23, 2002 Scott and Laci went to their ultrasound appointment.  The next day Laci and her unborn child Conner were reported missing by Scott.  She was 8 1/2 months pregnant.


This is Laci at her baby shower - December 10, 2002

Laci's parents were expecting Scott and her for dinner at 6:00 that evening.  Scott called Laci's Mother less than an hour before they were supposed to arrive.  Not soon after, her family was frantic and the community soon followed.  It was never like Laci to just 'disappear' without anybody knowing.  Banners and thousands of posters were posted everywhere.  A $25,000 reward turned into a $250,000 reward.  The last amount was a $500,000 dollar reward.  Nobody came forward...ever.  Her husband Scott became the prime suspect.

In the book, Anne talks about how the media was all over Scott and how their Mother Jackie called and asked her if he could stay with her and her family until the whole thing blows over.  She agreed.  She talks about how odd his behaviors were towards the search.  He never really seemed to care.  He joked and laughed when watching anything pertaining to his wife's case and also one time was more concerned with how he looked on tv than him being the target suspect.  There are other really weird actions and reactions (or lack there of) that you will just have to read in the book!

On April 13, 2003 a tiny body was found on the San Fransisco Bay Shore.  Just one day after, a young woman's body was found a mile away also on the San Fransisco Bay Shore.  This woman was decapitated, missing her right foot, left leg from the knee down, and both forearms.  The medical examiner, later on, revealed that she also had two cracked ribs that happened around or at the time of death.  Those bodies were identified as Laci and Conner.

Behind closed doors, Scott was having an affair with a single mother, Amber Frey.  He told everybody that Laci was aware and understood the girlfriend.  Anne knew better than to believe that.  She said that if Laci would have know that, there was no way she would have stayed.

Not too long before her death, Scott had taken out a life insurance policy.  If I remember correctly, it was worth $500,000, but do not quote me on that one.  He also went out to fish in the San Fransisco Bay hours before she was reported missing.  Coincidence?  I don't think so!  Just a few days after the bodies were discovered  Scott was arrested in the parking lot of a golf course.  At the time of his arrest, Peterson was carrying $15,000 in cash, had four cell phones, camping equipment, a gun, a map to Frey's workplace that had been printed the day before, Viagra and his brother's driver's license.  He had also colored his hair and goatee blond.  I believe that he was planning on fleeing to Mexico.  He knew he was screwed.

During this whole ordeal, Amber Frey was still carrying on her relationship with Scott.  At least that's what he believed.  She was actually working with the cops to record all of their conversations that they were having, hoping for a confession.  Those recordings were used in the trial.  Anne also mentioned some damaging evidence that came out in the trial that I thought was very intriguing.

"I didn't know that Scott had purchased a fishing boat shortly before Laci disappeared.  I didn't know that one could use cement to make anchors.  I didn't know that Scott had checked the tides in the San Francisco Bay on his computer.  I didn't know that, weeks before Laci disappeared, he had told Amber Frey and her friend Shawn Sibley that he had 'lost' his wife."

I am almost done with the book.  I only have two chapters left.  The next chapter that I have to read is "The Verdict."  I have seen before that he was actually given the death penalty, but it will be interesting to hear what Anne has to add to that detail.  I will more than likely write another blog that depicts the last two chapters.  However, it is getting very late and I need to get some sleep since I have class in the morning. 

I wrote this blog, not because I believe in the book, but because I believe Laci and Conner's story should still be heard and remembered.  After reading the chapters in the book about Anne hearing about them finding the bodies, I went on youtube and found a picture collage remembrance video.  I cried when I watched it.  What a terrible way to say goodbye forever... forcefully.  Rest in peace angels!