A forthcoming A&E documentary, "Scott Peterson: The New Evidence," is set to unveil previously unseen materials that supporters claim could exonerate Scott Peterson, who was convicted more than two decades ago for the murders of his pregnant wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner. Peterson, 53, is currently serving a life sentence in California for the 2002 Christmas Eve killings.
The two-part series, scheduled to air July 16 and 17, features newly discovered footage, alleged handwritten notes from Laci Peterson, and expert testimonies intended to challenge the prosecution's original narrative. Mark Geragos, Peterson's trial lawyer, expressed his long-held belief in his client's innocence, stating that his instinct honed by years of practice suggests Peterson is not guilty.
Peterson has consistently failed to overturn his conviction through the appeals process. The case, which garnered significant national attention, depicted the Petersons as an ideal couple, though prosecutors contended that Peterson was having an affair and murdered his wife and unborn child to pursue a single lifestyle.
In 2024, the Los Angeles Innocence Project (LAIP) took on Peterson's case, asserting in court filings that new evidence supports his claims of innocence and raises questions about the abduction and murder of Laci and Conner Peterson.
The documentary's host, Chris Pixley, an Atlanta-based defense attorney and legal analyst, stated that the series aims to critically examine this new evidence. The program includes nearly three hours of footage where Pixley and retired LAPD Detective Ninette Toosbuy retrace Peterson's final drive to the Berkeley Marina, the location where prosecutors allege he disposed of Laci Peterson's body from his fishing boat.
Pixley and Toosbuy argue that it would have been exceedingly difficult for Peterson to have disposed of the body in broad daylight without any witnesses or leaving significant DNA evidence. Trial testimony indicated that two strands of Laci Peterson's hair were found on pliers under a seat on his boat, though no blood or tissue was recovered, and the tool was reportedly rusty and showed signs of disuse.
Further evidence highlighted in the documentary includes previously unreleased defense footage of a weighted dummy, designed to simulate Laci Peterson's body, capsizing the small boat when thrown overboard. This footage was not presented to the jury. New experts featured in the series also contest the tidal and wind analysis used at the trial, suggesting that Laci Peterson's body could not have washed ashore at the location it was found if Peterson had discarded it where he claimed to be fishing.
Additionally, the documentary explores handwritten notes allegedly belonging to Laci Peterson that indicate she was aware of Peterson's purchase of the fishing boat, contradicting the prosecution's assertion that he secretly acquired it for the murder. Advances in fetal biometric analysis presented by experts and the LAIP suggest that Laci and Conner may have died later than December 24th, challenging the state's timeline of the killings.
The narrative also revisits an alternative theory involving a burglary that occurred near the Peterson home around the time Laci disappeared. The documentary points to seven witnesses who reported seeing a suspicious van in the neighborhood on December 24th, including a reserve police officer who allegedly told authorities he witnessed a pregnant woman being forced into a van. A van matching the description was later found burned approximately 1.5 miles away in an area where a police dog had reportedly tracked Laci Peterson's scent during the initial investigation.
Geragos indicated that his defense team did not become aware of the torched van until more than a decade after Peterson's conviction. The documentary and the LAIP also allege that the Modesto Police Department mishandled or destroyed potentially crucial evidence, including witness interviews, investigator notes, and property recovered from the burglary.
Peterson was initially sentenced to death, but this sentence was later overturned. The LAIP provides pro bono legal assistance to individuals convicted of crimes in Central and Southern California. Modesto police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.