Scott Peterson was sent to death row in 2005 after being convicted of murdering his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son, Conner. But 15 years later, the California Supreme Court threw out that death sentence — and the reason had nothing to do with new evidence about the crime itself. It came down to how the jury was picked.
Here’s a breakdown of why Scott’s death sentence was overturned, where his case stands now and what his legal team is fighting for next.
Scott Peterson’s Death Sentence Was Overturned in August 2020
Scott has been in custody since his arrest on April 18, 2003 — more than 22 years — and was originally sentenced to death in 2005 after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in Laci’s death and second-degree murder in the death of their unborn son.
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That death sentence was overturned by the California Supreme Court in August 2020. The court’s ruling didn’t dispute the conviction itself. Instead, justices determined that the trial judge made errors during jury selection, specifically by seating too many pro-death-penalty jurors. Under California law, prospective jurors who state they would automatically vote for the death penalty in a capital case can be dismissed — but the same standard applies to jurors who oppose the death penalty. The court found the trial judge improperly excluded jurors who expressed reservations about capital punishment while allowing others through, tilting the panel in favor of a death verdict.
In December 2021, Scott was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He has continued to maintain his innocence since the day he was arrested.
What Happened to Laci Peterson?
Laci, who was eight months pregnant, was reported missing on December 24, 2002. Scott told police he had left her at home that morning to go fishing roughly 90 miles away at the Berkeley Marina. When he returned, he said the couple’s dog, McKenzie, was at the house alone. Laci’s stepfather called police that night to report her missing.
The case took a dramatic turn when Fresno massage therapist Amber Frey came forward to reveal she had been dating Scott for more than a month and that he had told her he was single.
Laci’s remains were discovered in the San Francisco Bay in April 2003, about a mile from where the remains of Conner had been found a day earlier. Scott was arrested on April 18, 2003, and pleaded not guilty to two counts of capital murder. His trial began on June 1, 2004, with Frey taking the stand to testify about their affair. On November 12, 2004, a jury found him guilty.
The Los Angeles Innocence Project Takes Over Scott Peterson’s Case
In January 2024, the Los Angeles Innocence Project announced it was taking over as lead counsel for Scott, citing what the organization described as new evidence. The nonprofit filed four motions that month, including one requesting DNA testing on key items connected to the case.
According to documents obtained by NBC, the Los Angeles Innocence Project alleged that “new evidence now supports Mr. Peterson’s longstanding claim of innocence.”
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Scott’s attorney Pat Harris said in a statement at the time: “I will confirm that we are thrilled to have the incredibly skilled attorneys at the L.A. Innocence Project and their expertise becoming involved in the efforts to prove Scott’s innocence.”
In April 2024, the organization filed a habeas corpus petition with the California Court of Appeals, arguing that new scientific evidence and witness statements weakened the original case against Scott. The defense has long pointed to a burglary that occurred across the street from the Peterson home around the time of Laci’s disappearance. Burglars Steven Todd and Donald Pearce were arrested in 2003 for the robbery, though police cleared them of any involvement in Laci’s death.
How Police May Have Botched the Investigation
Legal expert Chris Pixley, who appeared in A&E’s two-part docuseries Scott Peterson: The New Evidence, exclusively told Us that the Modesto Police Department made critical mistakes during the investigation — including dismissing dozens of eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen Laci alive after Scott had left for his boat outing.
“What the Modesto police did here is they actively chose not to investigate the statements of the eyewitnesses. They simply didn’t follow up with the vast majority of them, and it wasn’t like we’re talking about one or two witnesses with 1000s of phone calls coming in,” Pixley said. “We’re talking about dozens of witnesses, whom they actively chose to dismiss.”
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Pixley said officers were “caught up in their own confirmation bias” and believed Scott was guilty from the start. He also pointed to the burglary across the street, calling it the “most obvious oversight” in the investigation. After Todd and Pearce pleaded guilty to robbing the Petersons’ neighbor’s home, police disposed of evidence that could have linked the burglars to Laci’s death.
“I believe that if you are making the decision to destroy all of the evidence immediately after you got a plea with two criminals relating to a crime that occurred across the street from this famous and actively investigated missing person case, I think you know what you’re doing,” Pixley said. “I think you’re destroying that because it’s inconvenient to your theory.”
The LAIP argued that a mattress with blood stains was found in a burned van linked to the robbery the day after Laci went missing. Pixley said the fire investigation was “identified as potentially being related to the case number for Laci Peterson’s missing person case” but was never properly investigated. “The case was closed. The evidence was destroyed. Those are egregious oversights,” he said.
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What’s Next for Scott Peterson?
For now, Scott remains in a California prison serving life without parole as his legal team continues to pursue appeals through the Los Angeles Innocence Project. Whether any of those efforts will result in a new trial remains to be seen. But more than 20 years after Laci’s death captured the country’s attention, Scott’s case is far from closed.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
