Crime, Conspiracy, Cults and Murder - Ep. 86 | The Missing Persons Case That SHOCKED The World

Episode Date: December 24, 2025

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On Christmas Eve of 2002, a woman would go missing, a woman who was eight months pregnant. And the case would draw immediate national interest and intrigue. The case would later become infamous. And to this day, it still fascinates and haunts people around the world. This is the story of Lacey Peterson and her unborn son, Connor. Crime, conspiracy, cults, serial killers, and murder, all things that I love to consume, and I know you do too, my sick, twisted, beautiful, intellectual minded freak.

To preface this case, I just want to put out a big, big giant trigger warning. As I said already, we are going to be talking about a pregnant woman going missing. And as we do on this channel, we talk about touchy subject matter. So I just want to make sure that you know that and you can feel free to skip this video if you would like to. So without further ado, let's dive into this tragic case together. Exema is unpredictable. But you can flare less with ebbglis. A once-monthly treatment for moderate to severe eczema.

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topical topical corticosteroids. Don't use if you're allergic to ebbglis. Allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Eye problems can occur. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems. You should not receive a live vaccine when treated with ebbglis. Before starting Epgless, tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection. Ask your doctor about ebbglis.lis.lis.lily.com or call 1-800 lilyr-R-X or 1-800-545-9709. Lacey Denise Rocha was born in Modesto, California on May 4th, 1975. And she was the younger of two kids born to Sharon and Dennis Rocha, who owned a dairy farm together in Escalon, California. But they would divorce in 1977 around when Lacey was just two years old. At which,

which point she and her brother Brent moved out with Sharon to Modesto while Dennis stayed at the dairy farm. And Lacey would stay with her mother in the city during the week and visit her father on the farm on the weekends. And she especially loved swimming and riding horses. And from a young age, Lacey just loved cooking to and gardening, the latter of which would influence her future schooling and career. And Brent was four years older than Lacey and they would eventually have a step sister named Amy Rocha, welcomed through Dennis and a new relationship. And Sharon met her long-term partner Ron Gransky around this time, and he would become a father to Lacey, helping raise her throughout her life. And he would even stand by Sharon when things were at their worst. And Lacey was known by

loved ones as just being full of life. She was incredibly sociable, warm, and charming, though her lack of filter could keep you on your toes in public settings. But regardless, she was unapologetic, herself. Quote, happy to be where she is and who she is, and that's her friend Heather Richardson describing her. So it didn't matter where or what the setting was. Lacey was the life of the party, and it was certainly not a stretch to say that she loved being the center of attention, and her great social skills translated into her schooling as well. And she shone above her classmates not because of her grades, though she did very well, but because her personality elevated her in the eyes of everyone around her, saying, quote, Lacey was one you'd never forget from her former teacher,

Bob Starling. Quote, she was always energetic, always bubbly, and always in a good mood, unquote. And that bubbly personality made her a great cheerleader, which she did throughout junior high and high school. And by the time she was in high school, she spent a lot less time on the farm that she once did, and she would still come by and bring friends along from time to time, including her first major boyfriend, Kent Gain, who would later be incarcerated for shooting his girlfriend,

which is absolutely horrible. But still, she remained very close to her family. And Ron even lovingly recalled calling her Jabber Jaws when she was younger for how much she loved to talk. So overall, her friends and family just had nothing but good things to say about her. So after graduating from Thomas Downey High School in 1993, Lacey began studying ornamental horticulture at California, Polytech State University, or Cal Poly, just further developing her childhood love of gardening.

And she excelled in college to the point that she was considered the breakout student by all of her professors. And one day, mid-1994, Lacey went to a restaurant called the Pacific Cafe to visit a friend who worked there. And it was at this cafe that she met Scott Peterson, who was also working there while attending Cal Poly. And the two hit it off. And Lacey gave Scott her number. and before long they were dating. And the relationship grew rather quickly. In fact, Scott was so into Lacey that he introduced her to his family

within the first few months, stating his hope that she would be the future Mrs. Peterson. And his mom even noted, quote, the moment he was with Lacey, they just beamed at each other. No one else made my son smile like that. They did everything right, unquote.

And Lacey also reportedly told her mom that she found the man she was going to marry. So the intention from both, both sides was very clear, and they would get engaged just two years after meeting. And in 1997, Lacey graduated with a bachelor's degree and she married Scott shortly afterwards on August 9th at the Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort, with around 150 friends and family there to celebrate the day with them. So let's talk about Scott Lee Peterson, her husband. Scott Lee Peterson was born in San Diego on October 24th, 1972, to parents Lee and Jackie

Peterson and Scott was their only child together, though they both had kids from previous relationships. But Scott loved golf and was quite good at it, and his skill allegedly earned him a scholarship to attend Arizona State University in 1990, though at least one source says this is unconfirmed. But after a semester at ASU, he transferred to Cuesta College back near his home, and he finally ended up at Cal Poly in 1994, majoring in agriculture business. he was described as the ideal student. And one of his professors recalled, quote, he seemed more mature than most.

He was pleasant to deal with, I wouldn't mind having a class full of Scott Peterson's, unquote. Now, Scott still dreamed of going pro at golf. That dream just never died. He couldn't take the fact that he didn't go any further than the alleged collegiate level. But as things with Lacey continued to get more and more serious, he switched his focus to the business path.

So after Scott graduated in 19, the newly married couple began a business venture together in San Luis Obispo. And they decided to open a sports bar called The Shack, where Lacey could utilize her passion for plants and arrangement to decorate the restaurant and Scott was able to run a business related to athletic passions. And he also ran the kitchen and flipped burgers, as one article would put it. And the business did very well for a few years, quickly becoming a popular hangout spot. But the couple felt that they wanted more because they were ready to start a family. So they bought a three-bedroom house for $177,000 in 2000. Different times, I'll tell you what.

And they would buy that house in Modesto and put the shack up for sale, which would sell in April of 2001. So in Modesto, Scott ran a startup fertilizer company called Trade Corp USA, which he allegedly earned a salary of $60,000 a year before taxes. And Lacey occasionally worked as a substitute teacher, but happily spent most of her time as a homemaker. She was cooking, gardening, and entertaining loved ones, and making plans for children. And she allegedly couldn't get enough of Martha Stewart during this time. So Scott and Lacey were seen essentially as the perfect couple. And her friend Katrina Pike described them as, quote, they were like a perpetually newlywed couple.

We all thought she's going to go off and live the perfect life that we all thought we wanted, unquote. She being the perfect loving housewife and he being the perfect devoted husband, willing to give up his dreams to support her in their upcoming family. And shortly after this, Lacey would discover the exciting news that she was pregnant with her first child in the summer of 2002. And her mother reports that she shared the news with friends and family on June 9th. And Lacey was beyond ready to become a mother and she was glowing with joy. and their baby boy was to be born on February 10, 2003, and Lacey and Scott chose the name Connor, in preparation for their new son.

So come December 2002, Lacey was about eight months pregnant, just radiant with her baby bump, and patiently waiting for life as a new mom. And both sides of the family were absolutely thrilled. And after a nice visit with Lacey and Scott, Jackie and Lee Peterson attended a Christmas Eve service, and on the way home, they say, quote, a little prayer and thanks, unquote. And Jackie claimed, quote, were not even heavy prayer people,

unquote. And of course, the holidays were especially meaningful knowing that little Connor was on the way. So just a couple days before Christmas, on December 23rd, Lacey and Scott went to visit Lacey's half-sister, Amy, at Salon Salon. Amy gave Scott his monthly haircut while she and Lacey discussed plans for the holidays. And she also mentioned that she had ordered a fruit basket for pickup on Christmas Eve by 3 p.m. Which Scott offered to pick up for her the next day as he said he would be in the area to play golf. And he also invited Amy to dinner, but she said no due to other plans. And later that evening, Lacey talked with her mother at around 8.30 p.m. on the phone,

confirming that she was looking forward to coming over for dinner with Sharon and Ron for Christmas Eve the following night. But unfortunately, this would be the last known conversation that anyone in Lacey's immediate family ever had with her as she would disappear Christmas Eve day. And the last time she would be seen was at 9.30 a.m. on December 24th on Christmas Eve. And Scott would recollect that they were having a relaxing morning watching TV together because before he left,

Lacey was watching Martha Stewart and had plans to take the dog for a walk, mop the kitchen, and shop for groceries. And Scott would go out for the day as he planned to earlier. And instead of golfing, he would actually go on a fishing trip to Berkeley Marina, which was about 90 miles away from their home on the San Francisco Bay. But he would first stop by his company warehouse to pick up his boat and then drive to the marina and fish for about two hours, and then he would stop due to the cold and rain. So both Scott and Lacey were doing their own things that they had planned to do on Christmas Eve. But clearly, something happened in between that time where Lacey disappeared. In Karen's service, one of their neighbors

saw something that struck her as odd at 10.18 a.m. McKenzie, the Peterson's dog, was out wandering the streets of the neighborhood alone, but with the leash still attached, and Servus knew who McKenzie was and brought the friendly dog back to the Peterson's yard, and shut the gate behind her. And she saw that Lacey's Land Rover was in the driveway, but there seemed to be no sight of Lacey anywhere, and the front door was closed. And there was another neighbor who allegedly saw McKenzie loose as well,

a bit later in the morning, around 10.45-ish a.m., which suggests there may have been a window of time in which the dog was out and put back in the yard. But either way, neighbors saw the dog with leash attached out walking in the neighborhood, which was not a regular occurrence. And they would see that Scott's truck wasn't at the house by the time this all occurred. And the rest of the day was just full of confusion and just ever increasing concern. And Ron called the Peterson home at some point during the afternoon, but was not able to reach anyone. And Amy was notified at around 3.45 p.m. that the gift basket was never picked up, meaning Scott didn't end up actually picking it up.

And the neighbors would claim that no change to the house has happened as of 4 p.m. that day. And everything was just still quiet. And then at some point around 5 p.m., Scott returned home from his fishing day. And he said that he found the house empty when he arrived, and Lacey's vehicle was still in the driveway and their dog in the backyard with the leash still on. So seeing that Lacey wasn't there, he didn't automatically assume she was missing. He just assumed she might be out for a walk, maybe without the dog potentially. So he would shower and start to settle in. But at around 515, Scott started to get really concerned. And he would call Sharon, which would be the spark to

ignite the investigation. Because he would ask her if Lacey was with her, because maybe Lacey got picked up and she was with Sharon. But Sharon would say, say no, which immediately triggered in her mind that something was very wrong. So he would then describe Lacey as missing because he had no idea where she was. And Sharon told him to check with the neighbors and friends to make sure,

but he quickly called her back saying no one had seen her around. And now very, very alarmed, Sharon told Ron to report Lacey missing to the police. And Scott also reported her missing as well to the Modesto Police Department. So detectives promptly responded to the call that came in around 6 p.m.

And they met Scott, Sharon, Ron, and a few other worried family members at a neighborhood park close to the Peterson home to gather initial statements. So Lacey's loved ones and the authorities got right to work and organized a huge community search effort. The starting Christmas Day and for several weeks after, hundreds of volunteers showed up to participate.

And there were over 900 people at one point checking every single nook and cranny of parks, creek beds, and the neighborhood, just hoping for any sign that the missing pregnant woman was still alive. Thousands of flyers featuring Lacey's photo and a yellow ribbon were posted on mailboxes, trees, lampposts, and anywhere they could be hung. And one of Lacey's friends' husbands launched the original Lacey peterson.com website.

And an initial reward for $25,000 was offered for information that would lead to the actual finding of Lacey. And it quickly blew up to $250,000 and then $500,000 as donations poured in. And word of the case spread like wildfire, and the case would reach national news. And Lacey's disappearance was the topic reported on network news and talk shows within days. And family members and police held press conferences asking for help and any leads. And the story would continue to dominate headlines well into the new year. And during these searches and putting up posters and the visuals, I mean, the entire family was extremely upset.

that Scott especially was just almost blank-faced, like he couldn't believe what was going on. And everybody grieves differently, but to some people, it threw them off a little bit. And it wasn't just the public, but it was also authorities, because in these cases, they often look at the spouse as the person that committed the crime. But although Scott was facing a little bit of criticism

from the public and investigators, the Rocha family stood by Scott's side. So despite any sort of suspicion, they believed within their hearts, Scott was innocent. He loved their daughter. He treated her so well. They had the perfect light they had a baby on the way. They knew it was not him.

So who could it be? So though Scott was a person of interest, investigators did look into numerous leads and tips beyond him as the investigation went on. And a pregnant woman walking a golden retriever was reportedly seen by neighbors on Christmas Eve, fueling abduction theories that she was taken during her usual walk.

and multiple witnesses who thought they saw her that morning were interviewed, though the accounts were varied. And they ended up proving, unfortunately, inconclusive, and Lacey was not actually seen walking her dog by anyone. And another theory that arose during this time came from a burglary that happened right near the Peterson's home. Because at some point, around the same time as Lacey's disappearance, the Medina's home was broken into. And with initial speculation that the break-in happened on December 24th, and the fact that the home was directly across the street from the Peterson home, it was thought possible that Lacey could have been taken by the burglars.

So police investigated the lead and two men, Stephen Todd and Glenn Pierce, were arrested for the burglary. And after further investigation, police determined that the incident actually took place on December 26th rather than the 24th. So they were back at square one. And they would also find no evidence linking the burglars to the disappearance of Lacey,

and the burglars were cleared of any involvement. in the case altogether. But there were also reports of a mysterious dark colored van near the neighborhood around when Lacey vanished, leading to speculation about an abduction vehicle. And a burned out orange van was discovered by investigators less than a mile away from the Peterson home. And this too was investigated to see if there was any connection,

but nothing could tie the van to Lacey, because no forensic evidence was found to confirm the connection. And sex offenders, drifters, and any other people that may have been capable of doing something to Lacey were methodically checked out by police. And just about every registered sex offender in the area was interviewed. But again, nothing of note was found to connect to the Lacey case.

And as January 2003 neared its end, authorities publicly stated that no evidence was found for alternate subjects to have interfered with Lacey. So as time went on, suspicions continually pointed to the last person who saw her alive, and that was her husband. Scott. But Lacey's family backed him up no matter what. And there was zero evidence that Scott was involved in this disappearance. But just a few weeks into the search, police conveyed crushing

news to Lacey's family on January 15th, because Scott had been having an affair and it had continued into the time she was missing. And the day the detectives met with Sharon informing her of another woman was the day that destroyed her faith in her son-in-law. And she now angrily told police that she now believed Scott harmed Lacey. And this would mark the major turning point. Because the Rocha family fully withdrew the support of Scott, which was the number one thing making him look innocent in all of this. Not to mention the affair didn't look so good either. And publicly, the family remained quiet for a few days, but the rift was quite clear. And in a dramatic moment, on January 23rd, Sharon, Brent, and Ron held a press conference to address the rumors at hand.

And Brent confirmed that day after the family had heard of Scott's affair that Scott himself admitted it to him on a phone call that he had been cheating on Lacey. And they announced that the family as a whole felt utterly betrayed and they would no longer be supporting Scott throughout this issue. And Sharon and Brent stated that they now questioned everything Scott had ever told them and the nature of their whole relationship. And they would never again speak on his behalf, and Scott swiftly lost his most powerful backup

in the court of public opinion. And only a few short hours after the Rocha press conference, the other woman stepped into the spotlight. And Amber Frey, a 27-year-old massage therapist from Fresno, California, held her own press conference to address the situation. And filled with nerves, but determined to get the truth out there, Amber confirmed her relationship with Scott Peterson publicly. And she had been his girlfriend in the weeks prior to Lacey's disappearance.

And she explained that she was completely unaware of his marriage as he said he was single. What a piece of shit. And that the moment she learned the truth, she agreed to help police with the investigation. So by all accounts, shit started to hit the fan for fucking Scott. Now, Amber and Scott first met on November 20th, 2002, when a friend introduced them. And Amber was a single mother to a little girl, and she thought Scott was charming and attentive. And they allegedly slept together that night. And he misled Amber into believing he was an unmarried man, like the piece of shit waste of oxygen that he is.

And even when she later pointedly asked him if he ever had been married or had kids, he replied with a resounding and pathetic. No? So the two saw each other regularly throughout November and December, and throughout which time Scott continuously lied to Amber. And to Lacey. And after a friend discovered that Scott was actually married and told Amber, she confronted him, and Scott then lied to Amber again, saying, this time claiming he was a widower. What? And that he had lost his wife and this would be the first Christmas he would have to spend without her. And stay with me.

this conversation happened two weeks before Lacey was last heard from. So the puzzle pieces are coming together, and things are getting extremely grim. But he did his best to paint himself as a lonely man filled with grief. But this lie in particular suggested Scott may have already been removing Lacey from his mind before she was actually gone. So with no sign of Lacey or what really happened to her, the status of the case shifted by early February of 2003. And come March 5th, Lacey's case was officially reclassified from a missing person's investigation to a homicide investigation, which acknowledged what many had feared wasn't so, that Lacey and her unborn son Connor were no longer expected to be found alive. So the reclassification was announced without having yet found any bodies. But significant new information was cited as reason to believe she had been murdered,

most likely talking about the Scott Amber situation. And Scott was officially viewed as a prime suspect from this point onward, though it already appeared to many that way as we heard before. Many people thought he was acting pretty fucking weird during the searches and during the visuals. Like, he was kind of this stone cold guy, but a little too much so. And authorities had even offered a deal to Scott in private in February if he confessed, further demonstrating their belief in him as guilty. So when Amber got in touch with Modesto Police on the 30th of December 2002,

to tell them of her relationship with Scott, they immediately asked her for her help. And she agreed to let police wiretap and record her conversations with Scott over the phone. We love Amber, okay? We love Amber here. So police would give her a recording device and told her to continue on talking with Scott as if she was none the wiser

in hopes that they could incriminate him. And she played her part, okay? The award goes too. And she would regularly speak to Scott by phone throughout January 2003, just recording every conversation. And investigators would end up collecting over 29 hours worth of phone phone

call recordings between the two of them. And these calls would eventually become key evidence in the trial against Scott. But Scott would keep on profusely lying to Amber even while everyone was desperately searching for Lacey, his wife. And in one instance on New Year's Eve, Scott called Amber and pretended he was celebrating in Paris, saying, quote, I'm near the Eiffel Tower and the New Year's celebration is unreal. The crowd is huge, unquote. And he told her this while in actual, he was in the middle of one of the candlelight visuals that were held for Lacey and Connor in Modesto. Who fuck is this guy? And it would take a while, but eventually the calls began to force some truthful info out of Scott.

And in a pivotal conversation that happened on January 6th, Amber backed him into a corner by confronting him about Lacey specifically, as the news about her was everywhere. And Scott finally confessed that he had lied to her. traveling during the last couple weeks. My have lied to what I've been traveling. I was married to her name is Lacey. She disappeared just before Christmas. And at one point during their conversation, Amber responded with shock and anger, rightfully so,

saying, quote, you came and told me this elaborate lie about her missing and this tragedy and that this will be the first holiday without her. How did you lose her then before she was lost? explain that, unquote. To which Scott would reply, quote, there are different kinds of lost Amber, unquote. I don't like that.

I don't like that. But he still denied ever harming Lacey, saying quote unquote, I'm not an evil guy. Not gonna lie, Scott, that makes me feel like you're a really fucking evil guy. Yet these admissions of his lies were damning enough and they were captured on tape to be used against him. And Scott also demonstrated his consent

insistent romancing of Amber in these phone calls, and he would often read her poetry and speak affectionately, which is a pretty bad look for someone whose pregnant wife was currently missing. And he told Amber in an infamous quote that he, quote, didn't want children, unquote, and was thinking about getting a vasectomy, going against the image of a man who was looking forward to becoming a father. So they had great audio quality, and they helped. helped investigators catch Scott in several different lies. And the case was slowly coming together, but it still lacked physical evidence

as to what became of Lacey. At this point, it's all just circumstantial. But unfortunately, that grim answer would be found in April of 2003, almost four months after the day Lacey disappeared. Because a couple out walking their dog on April 13th at Point Isabel Regional Shoreline in the San Francisco Bay found the remains of a decomposing male fetus.

And the small body had washed up with its umbilical cord still attached. And then the next day, a mile away, someone found the partial remains of a pregnant woman tangled amongst the rocks. And the body was also missing hands and feet. And it was very badly decomposed and water worn. And these locations are notably,

notably only a few miles from Berkeley Marina, where Scott had said he went fishing the day Lacey vanished. And testing began immediately once the authorities recovered the remains. And on April 18th, they confirmed the gut-wrenching truth of it all. And the decomposed bodies were, in fact, Lacey Peterson and her unborn son, Connor. It just makes me sick to my stomach. It's so incredibly heartbreaking. It is, it is beyond evil. So the matches were made using comparative DNA from Lacey's family and prenatal samples of honor. And Lacey's condition was so gruesome from her time in the water that it was impossible to identify her visually. But the DNA confirmation was conclusive. And autopsies were performed on both bodies by forensic pathologist Dr. Bryant Peterson, no relation to

Scott Peterson, by the way, and the results were initially sealed, but later leaked. And as mentioned before, when Lacey's body was found, it was without a head and limbs, but also most of her organs were missing as well from decomposition. And she also had two cracked ribs and broken neck bones. But it could not be determined if these injuries happened before or after death. So her cause of death was ruled as undetermined, as the extensive decomposition prevented examiners. from pinpointing exactly how it happened. And the autopsies also found no evidence

that Connor was ever born alive. And it was concluded that Connor passed away in Lacey's uterus, but was expelled from her body as it decomposed. And though many questions remained unanswered, the answers that did arise were generally consistent with the eventual prosecution's argument. So as evidence continued to pile against Scott

after the discovery of the bodies, authorities began to have concerns he was a flight risk. And so they moved in quickly for his arrest. And the day that the DNA test results came back, which was April 18th, Scott was tracked to San Diego County, which is about 30 miles from the Mexican border.

Guy was trying to fucking escape. What of just an evil human being? And Scott had been staying in the San Diego area near his parents while police were keeping a watchful eye. And Scott had headed to the Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla to play around with his father and brother. How are you playing golf at a? Oh, right, because you fucking did it.

Right, right, right. And as he pulled into the parking lot, officers arrested him at Gumb Point, and Scott's appearance that day was quite different than most were accustomed to from the news. And the once clean cut brown-haired man was now sporting a scruffy goate and light blonde hair. And it looked as if he was trying to disguise himself almost.

And officers would find multiple suspicious items in his vehicle, including about $15,000 in cash and his brother's ID and four cell phones, and also camping equipment and several changes of clothes, along with fishing gear and even a bottle of Viagra. This guy is a stomped piece of sidewalk shit. I swear to God, he was booting up to leave to escape. And what makes you look guilty? Trying to escape. Because if you didn't know, any better. You might say that he had himself a good old-fashioned getaway kit. He might as well tattooed on his forehead, I did it. And investigators indeed believed that both his altered appearance and his possessions of these supplies meant that he intended to head to Mexico soon to avoid arrest.

And Scott was arraigned in the Stanislaus County Superior Court three days after his arrest on April 21st. And he was charged with two felony counts of murder. Murder in the first degree with special circumstance for Lacey and murder in the second degree for Baby Connor. And Scott pleaded not guilty for both charges. And with that, Scott was finally faced with the official accusation of murder and a possible death sentence. So the prevailing theory as to what really happened to Lacey seemed to match that which the prosecution put forward.

And Scott's primary motive for killing Lacey was selfish and cold-blooded, because he wanted his single-life freedom back to avoid the responsibility. of his marriage and becoming a father. And he resented his unborn son and the constraints that family life would bring. You know, you can't just divorce your wife and just be an absent father. You had to take the lives of two innocent people. You disgusting human being. But murder was the way that Scott believed would finally release him from a marriage he could no longer care about.

And prosecutors would later tell the jury that he was so desperate for freedom, him from domestic drudgery that he chose to fully get rid of his wife rather than just divorce her, like what I said. And his affair with Amber solidified this claim, as she was symbolic to that single and free life that Scott so desired. Quote, he wants to live the rich, successful, freewheeling bachelor life, unquote. And Stanislaus County District Attorney and lead prosecutor Rick Distaso said in closing arguments, quote, he can't do that when he's paying child support. alimony and everything else, unquote. And prosecutors believe that Lacey was murdered either on the night of December 23rd or the early

morning of December 24th, 2002. And they theorized that Scott, in an effort to leave as little a mess and as fewest injuries as possible, either strangled or smothered her, and it was noted that there was no signs of break in or struggle at the house either. And on the morning of December 24th, Scott carried out his plans. And he would wrap Lacey's deceased body in a tarp and put it in his truck, and he would drive to his warehouse to get his small fishing boat, and there, as evidence showed, he made multiple concrete anchors,

and it's believed four of these were used as weights for each of Lacey's limbs. And he towed his boat to Berkeley Marina, where he claimed he went fishing, but actually sent Lacey's anchored body overboard and to the bottom of the water. and the depths of the bay concealed the crime were months. But now it was openly noted and accepted that the entirety of the case against Scott was circumstantial, as there was actually no eyewitnesses, no footage, and no murder weapon, and no actual physical evidence that directly linked Scott to Lacey's death.

And there was also no physical crime scene, because nothing was found at the house or the boat or the warehouse. But the compilation of indirect evidence they believed was more than enough to convict Scott of the crime. So due to the immense publicity before the trial and the heated emotions of the community in Modesto, the judge granted a venue change. And the trial was moved around 100 miles away to San Mateo County to draw from a potential jury pool of less influenced people. And the proceedings took place in Redwood City at the San Mateo County Courthouse. So in order to reduce the circus-like atmosphere that was sure, to happen, Judge DeLucci banned cameras from the courtroom, preventing the trial from being

televised live. And though this didn't prevent coverage from the outside, and of course, journalists were allowed into the courtroom to witness and write about it, defense attorney Mark Garagos, a Los Angeles lawyer, well known for his infamous clients, represented Scott. And he publicly proclaimed that Scott was fully innocent and vowed that he would find the real killers. Shut the fuck up! Shut up! And as mentioned earlier, District Attorney Rick Dostaso led the prosecution. And jury selection was very scrutinized, as it should be, with such a widely known case. And over a thousand potential jurors answered questionnaires, revealing that many already believed that Scott was guilty, as you and I do at this point,

I hope. So finding impartial jurors proved quite a challenge. But eventually, a jury of six men and six women plus alternates were selected come June 2004. So June 1st, 2004 saw opening statements and the official start of the trial, and it unfolded over 23 weeks, almost six months of testimony, ending in November. And the case was very complex, as we know. So the length of the trial just felt like a marathon reflecting the complexity, with 184 witnesses in total called to testify throughout the case. People from neighbors to detectives to specialist to Amber Frey herself, and the jurors were overwhelmed with information and the trial itself was compared to a real-life soap opera. And the prosecution's case took a methodical approach to connect all of the dots of Scott's guilt.

And the key arguments were, because there was a lot going on in this case. So I'll crunch it down for you. But they were inconsistent alibi because they highlighted the fact that Scott's story seemed to keep changing because initially he told certain people that he was going to go golfing on Christmas Eve, But then he actually went fishing, and some of these people included neighbors that he told after arriving home, because he would tell some of the neighbors that he went golfing when he actually went fishing, which just makes no sense. But then for others and the police, he would say that, oh, no, I was going fishing the whole time. It just, nothing added up.

And conventionally, he went fishing not far from where the bodies ultimately were found. And they made sure to point out that Scott purchased the fishing boat only weeks before the murder on December 9th, and almost in secret, and fishing gear on December 20th, and obtained a two-day fishing license before the 24th. It's just the red carpet of I did it. It just, the trial seems so null and void. I mean, I know we need trials, but it's just, he did it, come on, he did it.

It just all looked like a really shitty, hasty alibi. And prosecutor Dostaso drilled the point home with quote, I don't care how upset you are. Nobody forgets that you just got home from fishing, this man is guilty of murder." And then there's demeanor, because multiple people, including friends and detectives and even Lacey's family, testified about Scott's weirdly detached demeanor throughout the entire crisis.

And Detective Bueller even mentioned, he just didn't fit the typical profile of a frantic husband and instead maintained an eerie calm about him. And the way that this unnerving display continued, even as weeks and months went by, seemed much more consistent with a man that already knew the outcome and really just didn't care about the marriage anymore. And then there's the just blatant affair in blatant lies, because Scott's affair and lies were arguably the strongest evidence against him. And the jury got to hear testimony from Amber directly, which we'll examine in a second, and many of the recorded calls. And the calls gave them insight into Scott's deceit by allowing them to experience it through his own voice. And the

prosecution argued the recordings showed not just motive but consciousness of his guilt and he was making up cover stories on the fly and kept lies going well after lacy was gone which suggested he knew she wouldn't return and amber's appearance at the trial put a human face on scott's betrayal in the absence of being able to see lacy and her presence likely destroyed any remaining sympathy the jury might have had for him and then there's the locations of the bodies because where he went fishing is very close to where the bodies were discovered. And prosecutor Dostaso commented, quote, the only person in the exact location

where Lacey and Connor Peterson's body washed ashore is sitting right there, unquote, pointing right at Scott. And quote, and you can take that to the bank and convict this man of murder, unquote, drop Mike, okay? And they brought in an expert in hydrology as well, who testified that based on where the remains washed ashore And the way the bay currents moved, it was very likely that someone would have dropped the bodies off near Berkeley Marina, exactly where Scott claimed he went. And this particular argument really boiled down to this.

It would be insanely coincidental for some random killer to have abducted Lacey in Modesto and then taken her almost a hundred miles away to dump her in the exact same spot that Scott admitted he went fishing. 1 plus 2 doesn't equal 4, I tell you what. And then there was the pre-planning. I mean, this was clearly a first-degree murder. He planned this out because prosecutors suggested premeditation of the murders by bringing up a number of Scott's actions leading up to December 24, 2002, some of which we've talked about before, but we'll re-mentioned briefly because he bought a boat on December 9th. And when he made the purchase, he declined the standard anchors that came with it, possibly because he had plans to make his own. to weigh the body down.

And at Scott's warehouse, police found cement powder and five circular marks that matched the size and shape of the bucket used to make the one anchor they recovered. So that's basically the only evidence they were able to gather. And the supposed other four were never found, but this supported the theory regardless. And prosecutor Dostosto argued that Scott's purchase of his first ever fishing pole just days before Lacey's disappearance

made a prop of going fishing rather than a little. than acquiring these items for actually fishing. Smells fucking fishy. And comments revealed in the recorded calls with Amber, like saying his wife was lost before the incident even happened, just further demonstrating that the murder was planned way ahead of time. Not to mention his just behavior throughout the entire case and then being found with a runaway kit.

Be so for real right now. Like, it's very obviously him, right? And the prosecution noted that innocent people tend to not carry $15,000 in cash in their brother's ID if they're a person in the midst of an investigation. So all the pieces combined begin to show the portrait of a very guilty, disgusting man. And when Amber took the stand, her testimony quickly became one of the most compelling parts of the trial. And she calmly told of her experience and her relationship with the accused for the jury. And she testified that Scott claimed he was a single man and carefree man,

how he won her over with romance and charm and how sweet he was to her daughter, and how he lied, and he lied, and he lied, and he lied right from the start. And most crucially, about Lacey, Amber confirmed that she worked with police to record calls with Scott because she believed that he had to have been involved. And many of these calls were played for the jury while she was on the stand, including the confrontation mentioned before where she backed him into a corner and got him to admit his deceit. But what's thing in the world?

This has happened. And those watching the case unfold noted that Amber's testimony was devastating to Scott's defense, and she was very composed throughout, despite the tremendous pressure. And her genuine anger and pain from being on the receiving end of Scott's lies

really resonated with the jury. Again, God bless Amber. She's alive? Where? I know, I know, this is the hardest. I want to tell you first. Here's that you need to protect yourself from the media. Okay. So her time on the stand was an undisputed turning point,

tilting the favor of the trial even further over to the prosecution side. And she made the stakes real and showed Scott not just as a defendant, but a liar who saw his pregnant wife as nothing but an inconvenience. So Garagos, in typical high-profile fashion, led an aggressive defense, though with seemingly not as much to go on. And he argued that Scott may have been dishonorable, but he was no killer. Sure, he cheated and he lied a lot. And, you know, there was a lot of circumstantial evidence that really wouldn't make sense if it was anybody else.

But come on, he's just kind of a jerk and a liar. It's quote unquote, a jerk and a liar. But adultery does not equal murder, he says. And he claimed that the prosecution were using the emotions of the jury and general hatred of Scott to cover up for their lack of evidence. In fact, this lack of direct evidence was essential to their argument. Because there was no eyewitnesses, no fingerprints, no murder weapon, no blood, etc. Absolutely nothing that forensically tied Scott to the murders. Quote, zero zip nada, nothing, unquote, as George Garagos said. And he reminded jurors that it is actually possible

to be a horrible husband and human being, but still be innocent of killing his wife and unborn child. What is this guy sleep at night? I know people have to have these jobs. But how do they sleep? I don't know. But he called the entirety of the prosecution's case a, quote, make the jurors hate him, unquote, strategy, in hopes that they would convict Scott from their emotion rather

than the proof presented. And Garago's defense of Scott was presented through the following arguments. First of all, the timeline. Because the defense did their best to create reasonable doubt by attacking the timeline of Lacey's death. And they did this by call. calling Dr. Charles March, a fertility specialist, to stand. And March controversially testified that based on growth measurements of the fetus,

or Connor, may have died several days after the alleged murder date, which was possibly December 29th. And if this testimony was true, it implies that Lacey was alive and potentially a captive after Christmas has passed and thereby proving Scott didn't do it. However, the controversial nature of March's testimony was that his analysis was based on a friend's report of Lacey Learning. She was pregnant on June 9th, 2002, and determined Connor's age from that. Which, how is this guy professional? I have no idea. And under cross-examination, this theory was shredded to pieces when March conceded that he assumed,

you know what assuming does March? It makes an ass out of you and me, no, doesn't it? All right. He assumed that June 9th was the date Lacey learned. of the pregnancy, though he had no actual medical record to support that the pregnancy test was taken that day. And June 9th was likely just the day she told people about it. So the guy is incompetent and stupid, to be honest.

And March's credibility was completely tainted and his theory never stuck with the jury. And then there's the defense of alternate culprits. And Garagos tried to completely shift suspicion away from Scott by focusing on various leads that the prosecution, allegedly ignored, namely the Medina burglary that happened across the street. But we already know that that happened two days after Lacey disappeared. So again, it's a wash.

It's just a wash. But Garagos would also suggest that some unknown people could have taken and killed Lacey, like a transient person or a satanic cult. This isn't the fucking 60s. Go away with the satanic panic bullshit. You know it's a bad defense when they're bringing up satanic panic. which was proven to all be bullshit, by the way. I should do a deep dive on that.

This guy makes me mad though, I tell you what. But in the end, these claims were all speculative and no support was found for them. But during closing arguments, Garagos echoed his earlier assertions that the prosecution had not proven where, when, or how Lacey was actually killed. And all they succeeded in doing

was proving Scott was a liar and a cheater. And he further emphasized that hating Scott has no legal basis for conviction if the evidence isn't enough, because technically you have to be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. That's fair, that is the law, but this is just, come on. And regardless of this poor defense, most people remained convinced that the evidence, although circumstantial,

was undeniable when looked at as a whole. So the jury was, rightfully so, unconvinced of the narrative that was put forward by the defense. And could not find an alternative to Scott that they found reasonable. And in addition to the drama of the overall trial, the jury managed to experience a little bit of their own drama within, and a juror was removed during the trial on June 23rd due to misconduct, and Judge DeLucci had questioned each juror individually in chambers when it came out that this juror had allegedly talked about the case

with outside parties and another incident where concerns were raised after the same juror was seen speaking to Brent Rocha. So the Honorable Judge decided to dismiss the juror to maintain the integrity of the trial, and they were replaced by an ultimate. And a more shocking juror change took place during deliberations as two jurors were dismissed either for misconduct or other issues. And the first of the two jurors were dismissed for reaching the case independently even after they were instructed not to do so. And the second was the original jury foreman named Gregory Jackson. And Jackson was an attorney himself and asked to be removed from the jury amidst detention in the jury room. And the initial request was denied.

And throughout the case, he had reportedly taken. taken extensive notes and reviewed them methodically during deliberations, which slowed them down considerably and frustrated other jurors. So Judge DeLucci spoke with Jackson again, and though the details weren't public, it became clear that the foreman believed the process wasn't working. And Jackson attempted to excuse himself once more, and this time his request was granted. And another alternate was placed in his stead. And these jury incidents would later become relevant during the appeal process, but at the time they were instructed to begin deliberations, So they did so and quickly came to the verdict by that afternoon. So after deliberations, the jury returned to the packed courtroom on November 12, 2004 to announce their verdict.

And they had found Scott Peterson guilty on both counts of murder, first-degree murder carrying a special circumstance for killing Lacey and second-degree murder for killing baby Connor. And there were audible expressions as the court clerk read the verdict aloud. And Sharon reportedly burst into tears. Yet Scott remained cool as ever, like the piece of... ...shutty is, showing essentially no emotion and staring straight ahead. Hopefully thinking about just his entire life rotting away and being just treated like a subhuman in a cell and just...

...decomposing over years and years and having to relive what he did to his beautiful wife and child. But what do I now? Hopefully. Hopefully that's what he was thinking about. But the conviction would just serve as confirmation to what Lacey's family already believed. The man they once loved and welcomed into their family had betrayed and murdered their beloved Lacey and her unborn child Connor. And with special circumstance, Scott's trial would move into the penalty phase as he was now eligible for the death penalty. Uh-oh. Consequences for your actions. And the penalty phase started on November 3, 2004, where jurors heard additional testimony,

including victim impact statements. And on December 13th, 2004, the recommendation was delivered by the jury, and Scott was to be put to death for what he had done. And jurors later mentioned their unanimous decision was mainly motivated by Scott's lack of remorse, and the clearly immense loss that Lacey's loved ones endured and will continue to endure. And Judge DeLucci formerly sentenced Scott to death by lethal injection on March 16, 2005, following the jury's recommendation.

And he also ordered Scott to pay $10,000 toward Lacey's funeral cost and awarded $250,000 life insurance policy that Scott claimed in Lacey's name to her mother, Sharon. And he further condemned the murders as cruel and uncaring, heartless, and callous, stating that the murder of Connor made the crime especially more horrific. And at the sentencing, Sharon addressed Scott directly and told him just how badly he had betrayed and destroyed their family. And Scott chose not to speak on his own behalf, maintaining his innocence. And he was sent to San Quentin State Prison after sentencing to await his death. And there, he would spend the next 15 plus years of his life appealing his conviction and sentence.

Because that's a loophole in the system. He was literally sentenced to die the next year, but he just kept appealing, so they kept having to push it back. And Lacey and Connor were buried together, and the Peterson murder case was officially closed. But its aftermath was far from over. So on August 24, 2020, the California Supreme Court overturned Scott's death sentence in a unanimous showing. And as Justice Leondra Kruger wrote in their decision, the court held that significant errors had been made in the jury. reselection process by Judge DeLucci that adversely affected Scott during the penalty phase.

And specifically, Judge DeLucci had improperly dismissed potential jurors when they had expressed general objections to the death penalty, even if those people said they were capable of following the law and considering it should the time come. But under precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court, a potential juror cannot be dismissed unless their opposition to capital punishment actually would prevent them from deliberating on a death sentence fairly. So the simple opposition to the death penalty is not grounds for dismissal. So the California Supreme Court found dozens of jurors were improperly dismissed, violating the standard in Scott's case and undermined his right to impartial jury.

And it's important to note that this reversal did not overturn Scott's guilty verdict at all, but instead prevented him from receiving the death penalty. So he's still rotting, thank God. And the prosecution was given the option to accept a life without parole sentence or to retry the penalty phase. And they chose the former. And on December 8, 2021, Scott was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus a concurrent life sentence for the murder in the second degree. And Sharon once again spoke to Scott at resentencing, calling him a coward and declaring, quote,

you betrayed her, your son, and everyone else. You ended two beautiful souls. unquote. And with that, Scott was moved off death row and put into general population at California's Mule Creek State Prison to serve the remainder of his new life sentence. And to this day, Scott maintains his innocence despite all the affirmations of his guilt. And that specifically garnered the attention of the LA Innocence Project, which is a non-profit legal organization that dedicates pro bono work to proving the wrongly convicted as innocent. Which in hindsight, that's great. There's a lot of people to get wrongly convicted, so I think that's a great program to have.

But for this guy, this guy. So on January, 2024, they formally announced that they had taken on Scott's case and are working on a detailed appeal. And back in May of 2022, Scott's defense attorney had filed new briefs claiming that a juror had actually hit a conflict of interest during jury selection, which prompted the California Supreme Court to flag it for a hearing. And the lawyers at the Innocence Project also say that they have new evidence demonstrating Scott's innocence and are requesting more information in regards to eyewitness accounts. And duct tape found on Lacey and the Medina burglary and the bodies after discovery. And a black tarp found washed ashore and other untested evidence. So they are petitioning for a new trial using these grounds as a

basis. And as of 2025, the Innocence Project is still at work on the case and they say that that they will not stop advocating for Scott until all evidence has been fully re-examined. And most legal experts are still skeptical that Scott will ever be exonerated, yet the saga is still unfolding over 20 years later. But among the many lives affected through this tragedy, the case also led to a rather significant legacy

in the realm of federal law, and largely due to public outcry over pregnant Lacey and her unborn son, Connor. And Congress passed the unborn victims of violence Act in 2004, and this is often referred to as Lacey and Connors law, as it states that an unborn child is recognized as a separate legal victim if they are injured or killed when certain federal violent crimes are committed. So essentially, if a woman is assaulted or murdered while she is pregnant, prosecutors can charge a second offense on behalf of the fetus, which I say,

of course. Absolutely. Thank God. for this law and knowledge of the pregnancy is also not required for this to take effect and President George W. Bush officially signed the bill into law on April 1st 2004 and Sharon and Ron were in attendance and they stood behind the president as he mentioned Lacey and Connor by name and President Bush said quote as of today the law of our nation will acknowledge the plain fact that crimes of violence against pregnant women often have two victims unquote and the legislation had been in circulation and debated for years, but the Peterson case was just the push it needed to pass through.

So it was an extremely bittersweet moment for Lacey's family, as nothing would ever bring Lacey and Connor back. But at least now Connor's loss would be formally recognized by the law. And the act made it possible to prosecute and convict Scott for two homicides in the case. And critics of the law were concerned as to the effect that it would have on abortion, politics by defining the fetus as a defensible victim, but the wording in the law specifically

exempts abortion and actions taken by the mother from being prosecuted. And as of 2025, at least 38 states also have fetal homicide laws as well. And ever determined to keep the memory of Lacey alive and to advocate for all victims, Sharon wrote a memoir entitled for Lacey, a mother story of love, loss and justice. And the 368 page book was published in December of 2006, and in it, Sharon movingly tells of Lacey's life, remembering deeply personal and uplifting stories from her childhood through her marriage, offering insight into her personality, her passion for gardening, and her overwhelming laughter and kindness. And Sharon then documents the horror of Lacey's disappearance, and the seemingly unnerving search and the outpour of support from their community and the moment she discovered Scott's betrayal.

But she became a powerhouse for victims' rights advocacy and regularly traveling to support laws like the Unborn Victims Violence Act and in the process has done all she can to comfort the families of other missing persons. And quote unquote for Lacey became a New York Times bestseller and gave insight into a mother's perspective on a case that cavern. captured America's attention. And Sharon's strength and dedication to Lacey's legacy has had a profound impact on the lives of many and assuredly continued to do so today. So my heart goes out to Sharon and all of Lacey and Connor's family and to Lacey and Connor especially.

But that brings us to the end of the video. Let me know what other cases you want me to deep dive into down below. I always read the comments. And until I see you next time, please stay safe and stay beautiful okay bye