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CNN Live Saturday
Police Continue Looking for Laci Peterson
Aired January 18, 2003 - 18:37 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: And right now we want to return to the shocking story of a missing pregnant woman in Modesto, California. Just a few minutes ago, Paul Vercammen gave us an update on whether or not her husband was a suspect in another missing case in another woman San Luis Obispo.
Paul, right now let's focus on what's actually happening in Modesto, the search for Laci Peterson. This has got to a community reeling from, you know, first it was Gary Condit, their congressman suspected of an affair with a missing intern, Chandra Levy, and now this case.
VERCAMMEN: Absolutely true, Carol. In fact, just the whole story, the disappearance of Laci Peterson is haunting Modesto and in this town it is taking quite a huge emotional toll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VERCAMMEN (voice-over): The breakfast table talk in Modesto is sprinkled with heartache.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
VERCAMMEN: Laci Peterson, a pregnant mother, is still missing after vanishing on Christmas Eve.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just hurts, you know. You know because I'm a mom, you know, and I can't imagine, and I would feel horrible if that was my daughter.
VERCAMMEN: Modesto police have told Laci's family they suspect her husband, Scott, was having an affair with a Fresno area woman. Scott has told the press the allegations are a bunch of lies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can no longer put them on power poles...
VERCAMMEN: A friend of Laci Peterson who helped spearhead the volunteer effort to find the missing woman is devastated.
Is there in light of some of his latest allegations a sense of betrayal?
TERRI WESTERN, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR: Yes, that's exactly how we feel. Disappointment, betrayal, but you know I think everybody's feeling that, not just us. VERCAMMEN: In the restaurant, Laci Peterson's disappearance is more terrible news for Thomas Harris (ph). He's lived in Modesto all of his life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's about the third time we've hit the national spotlight in the last two or three years, whatever it's been since the Yosemite murders and the Chandra Levy story, and now this. Not good, not the way to be put on the map, I guess, but we're there.
VERCAMMEN: Many Modesto residents dream someday soon the conversation will turn how Laci Peterson was found, a mother of a baby boy. That's what they're hoping.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And today detectives from Modesto are fanned out throughout California Central Valley just checking spots, checking bodies of water, checking land in hopes of finding Laci Peterson. Police have scheduled no news conferences for this weekend.
Reporting live from Modesto, I'm Paul Vercammen. Now back to you, Carol.
LIN: Thank you very much Paul. Laci Peterson's baby due February 10.
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 January 18, 2003 - 18:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: And right now we want to return to the shocking story of a missing pregnant woman in Modesto, California. Just a few minutes ago, Paul Vercammen gave us an update on whether or not her husband was a suspect in another missing case in another woman San Luis Obispo.
Paul, right now let's focus on what's actually happening in Modesto, the search for Laci Peterson. This has got to a community reeling from, you know, first it was Gary Condit, their congressman suspected of an affair with a missing intern, Chandra Levy, and now this case.
VERCAMMEN: Absolutely true, Carol. In fact, just the whole story, the disappearance of Laci Peterson is haunting Modesto and in this town it is taking quite a huge emotional toll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VERCAMMEN (voice-over): The breakfast table talk in Modesto is sprinkled with heartache.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
VERCAMMEN: Laci Peterson, a pregnant mother, is still missing after vanishing on Christmas Eve.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just hurts, you know. You know because I'm a mom, you know, and I can't imagine, and I would feel horrible if that was my daughter.
VERCAMMEN: Modesto police have told Laci's family they suspect her husband, Scott, was having an affair with a Fresno area woman. Scott has told the press the allegations are a bunch of lies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can no longer put them on power poles...
VERCAMMEN: A friend of Laci Peterson who helped spearhead the volunteer effort to find the missing woman is devastated.
Is there in light of some of his latest allegations a sense of betrayal?
TERRI WESTERN, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR: Yes, that's exactly how we feel. Disappointment, betrayal, but you know I think everybody's feeling that, not just us. VERCAMMEN: In the restaurant, Laci Peterson's disappearance is more terrible news for Thomas Harris (ph). He's lived in Modesto all of his life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's about the third time we've hit the national spotlight in the last two or three years, whatever it's been since the Yosemite murders and the Chandra Levy story, and now this. Not good, not the way to be put on the map, I guess, but we're there.
VERCAMMEN: Many Modesto residents dream someday soon the conversation will turn how Laci Peterson was found, a mother of a baby boy. That's what they're hoping.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And today detectives from Modesto are fanned out throughout California Central Valley just checking spots, checking bodies of water, checking land in hopes of finding Laci Peterson. Police have scheduled no news conferences for this weekend.
Reporting live from Modesto, I'm Paul Vercammen. Now back to you, Carol.
LIN: Thank you very much Paul. Laci Peterson's baby due February 10.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
