Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Without a Trace

Aired December 31, 2002 - 10:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get the latest on this search from the man spearheading the investigation. His name is Roy Wasden, and he is the Modesto police chief. Chief, thank you for being with us. Our hearts go out to Laci's family. This has such a difficult time for them.
ROY WASDEN, MODESTO CO. POLICE CHIEF: It is, Carol. Thank you very much.

LIN: What is the latest in this vision? Do you have any clues so far? I know you've hundreds of volunteers working on it. You have already interviewed several known sex offenders in the area.

WASDEN: Yes. Carol, we're continuing with all of the sex offenders, the people on parole and probation. We're also working with the homeless and looking at the family members, and continuing in all of those areas at this time.

There is a burglary that occurred the morning that Laci disappeared, across the street. We're working very hard to get that burglary solved. We'll be offering some reward for information in that burglary. Feel that it's critical to either confirm it's involved with Laci's disappearance or that it's just a burglary. So we're continuing in all those directions at this time.

LIN: Chief, do you have any theories at all right now?

WASDEN: We have lots of theories, Carol, and we just have to keep looking at, and asking what could have happened, and then trying to look in those directions.

We always are hoping that someone will have seen something that they'll have, you know, a sighting or information that they would bring forward to our tip line, and we continue to seek that information, as well as following up on every lead that we know of at this time.

LIN: And you said you're not ruling out family, you're not ruling out the husband, Scott Peterson, either.

WASDEN: No, we're not.

LIN: Have you questioned him?

WASDEN: We'll be having -- there have been discussions with Scott. There will be more in the future.

LIN: Why is it that you impounded his car and his boat?

WASDEN: It's a logical thing for us to do as we look at everything, Carol, to go through all of the belongings, the home, the boat, the vehicles to see if there's any ties in there, and so it's a logical step in the investigation.

LIN: Your officers are also searching warehouses in connection with his business.

WASDEN: Yes. Yes, again, a logical direction to go.

LIN: What is it that Scott Peterson does?

WASDEN: You know, he works in the agriculture industry. I believe it's like fertilizers types things, those types of things, in the agriculture business.

LIN: How would you describe his demeanor throughout this investigation?

WASDEN: You know, I've had not a great deal of contact personally with Scott. The detectives that are working the case and making things happen, have had interaction with Scott. My perception is that he's a distraught husband.

LIN: Now, Laci Peterson's actually mother refers to Scott not as her son-in-law, but as her son, and she has vehemently come out in his defense, saying there is no way that her son-in-law could be responsible for something like this. But I'm sure in your course of investigations you've heard that kind of description before.

WASDEN: Yes. And, Carol, this is a loving family, so as we work through the investigation, it'll take us where it takes us, and we'll just have to go those directions. This is a loving family that's had their lives shattered by this disappearance, and we're doing everything we can to get this solved, come to a resolution. We'd love to find Laci alive and get her back with her family. If not, we're determined to find out what happened.

LIN: Right, as we all do we hope for the very best. In the meantime, you are sending divers, or have sent divers, to search three local lakes. Any results from that search?

WASDEN: Yes, we've had dive teams in the rivers. They've been actually in the water every day for the last seven days, covering waters and bodies of waters, and rivers and areas that were quite accessible, and so far, they've come up with nothing.

WASDEN: Nothing. All right, well, we're going to look at that as a positive sign that she is still alive and still out there somewhere, chief.

LIN: Thank you very much for your time, Chief Roy Wasden of Modesto.

WASDEN: Thank you, Carol. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 31, 2002 - 10:19   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get the latest on this search from the man spearheading the investigation. His name is Roy Wasden, and he is the Modesto police chief. Chief, thank you for being with us. Our hearts go out to Laci's family. This has such a difficult time for them.
ROY WASDEN, MODESTO CO. POLICE CHIEF: It is, Carol. Thank you very much.

LIN: What is the latest in this vision? Do you have any clues so far? I know you've hundreds of volunteers working on it. You have already interviewed several known sex offenders in the area.

WASDEN: Yes. Carol, we're continuing with all of the sex offenders, the people on parole and probation. We're also working with the homeless and looking at the family members, and continuing in all of those areas at this time.

There is a burglary that occurred the morning that Laci disappeared, across the street. We're working very hard to get that burglary solved. We'll be offering some reward for information in that burglary. Feel that it's critical to either confirm it's involved with Laci's disappearance or that it's just a burglary. So we're continuing in all those directions at this time.

LIN: Chief, do you have any theories at all right now?

WASDEN: We have lots of theories, Carol, and we just have to keep looking at, and asking what could have happened, and then trying to look in those directions.

We always are hoping that someone will have seen something that they'll have, you know, a sighting or information that they would bring forward to our tip line, and we continue to seek that information, as well as following up on every lead that we know of at this time.

LIN: And you said you're not ruling out family, you're not ruling out the husband, Scott Peterson, either.

WASDEN: No, we're not.

LIN: Have you questioned him?

WASDEN: We'll be having -- there have been discussions with Scott. There will be more in the future.

LIN: Why is it that you impounded his car and his boat?

WASDEN: It's a logical thing for us to do as we look at everything, Carol, to go through all of the belongings, the home, the boat, the vehicles to see if there's any ties in there, and so it's a logical step in the investigation.

LIN: Your officers are also searching warehouses in connection with his business.

WASDEN: Yes. Yes, again, a logical direction to go.

LIN: What is it that Scott Peterson does?

WASDEN: You know, he works in the agriculture industry. I believe it's like fertilizers types things, those types of things, in the agriculture business.

LIN: How would you describe his demeanor throughout this investigation?

WASDEN: You know, I've had not a great deal of contact personally with Scott. The detectives that are working the case and making things happen, have had interaction with Scott. My perception is that he's a distraught husband.

LIN: Now, Laci Peterson's actually mother refers to Scott not as her son-in-law, but as her son, and she has vehemently come out in his defense, saying there is no way that her son-in-law could be responsible for something like this. But I'm sure in your course of investigations you've heard that kind of description before.

WASDEN: Yes. And, Carol, this is a loving family, so as we work through the investigation, it'll take us where it takes us, and we'll just have to go those directions. This is a loving family that's had their lives shattered by this disappearance, and we're doing everything we can to get this solved, come to a resolution. We'd love to find Laci alive and get her back with her family. If not, we're determined to find out what happened.

LIN: Right, as we all do we hope for the very best. In the meantime, you are sending divers, or have sent divers, to search three local lakes. Any results from that search?

WASDEN: Yes, we've had dive teams in the rivers. They've been actually in the water every day for the last seven days, covering waters and bodies of waters, and rivers and areas that were quite accessible, and so far, they've come up with nothing.

WASDEN: Nothing. All right, well, we're going to look at that as a positive sign that she is still alive and still out there somewhere, chief.

LIN: Thank you very much for your time, Chief Roy Wasden of Modesto.

WASDEN: Thank you, Carol. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com