Almost 20 years after being sentenced to prison for murdering his pregnant wife, Scott Peterson is back in the news with a new theory that he hopes might prove his innocence.
Now 49 years old, Peterson has given his first on-camera interview in a new documentary called “Face to Face with Scott Peterson” on Peacock. He was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole for the deaths of his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son, Connor.
Peterson continues to insist that he didn’t kill his family. He claims that a burglary in their neighborhood in Modesto, California, led to his wife’s disappearance, according to E! News.
Peacock
In a video interview from Mule Creek State Prison, Scott Peterson says, “There was a burglary across the street from our home. I believe Laci went over to see what was happening, and that’s when she was taken.”
Laci disappeared on Christmas Eve in 2002. A few months later, in April, her body was found in the San Francisco Bay. Just a few days after that, the body of her unborn child was discovered nearby.
Scott Peterson is accusing investigators of not giving his defense team important evidence that could have proven he didn’t kill his wife, according to reports.
“There were many times when evidence didn’t match what the detectives believed, so they ignored it,” Peterson said in the documentary. “People want to believe the answer they already have in mind.”
In the documentary, journalists and legal experts mention that witnesses told the police about a suspicious van near the house that was burglarized on December 24, 2002, the day Laci disappeared.
AP
A witness reportedly said they saw a pregnant woman being forced into a van, according to E! News.
However, two former Modesto police detectives, Jon Buehler and Al Brocchini, disagree with Peterson’s claims. They say there’s no new evidence that could prove him innocent.
Peterson now says he regrets not testifying at his trial and is speaking out to defend his family.
AP
Scott Peterson said, “If I can share the truth and people are willing to believe it, maybe it will ease some of the pain for my family. That’s the most important thing I can do right now.”
His sister-in-law, Janey Peterson, also strongly believes that Scott was wrongly convicted of the murder.
In January, the Los Angeles Innocence Project took on Peterson’s case, arguing that new evidence could prove he didn’t commit the murders.
REUTERS
The series also looks into a possible motive for the crime, which came to light when it was discovered that Scott Peterson was having an affair with Amber Frey.
Peterson admits the affair was “horrible” and says, “I was a total jerk for cheating on my wife,” in the documentary “Face to Face.”
Janey Peterson, his sister-in-law, said, “Scott lied about cheating, and that was upsetting. But he wasn’t charged with infidelity; he was charged with murder.”
