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American Morning
Search for Laci
Aired February 20, 2003 - 09:18 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: After completing a two-day follow-up search of the Peterson home in Modesto, California, are police any closer to connecting Scott Peterson to his wife's disappearance, or any suspect for that matter?
Frank Buckley joins us now from Modesto with more.
Good morning, Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Exactly what police want to do -- they either want to rule Scott Peterson in as a suspect, or rule him out as a suspect. So far, investigators have said they haven't been able to do either. What they have done is they've completed a two-day search of Scott and Laci Peterson's home. They were there for two days, and they removed some 94 or 95 items. Investigators not saying exactly what those items were.
At one point, Scott Peterson's new truck was also taken by authorities for several hours. It was returned. Laci's sister, Amy Rocha, also came to the house for a couple of hours. Also to see Laci last on December 23rd. No word on what she has been able to pride to investigators.
This search has, once again, generated a great deal of interest in the disappearance of Laci Peterson, and has also put a lot of attention on Scott Peterson. That is cause for concern for Scott Peterson's side of the family.
Here's what his sister-in-law had to say to Larry King last night about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANEY PETERSON, SCOTT'S SISTER-IN-LAW: We all love Scott very much, and support him 100 percent, and want everyone to understand that, but more importantly, Laci's gone. And it really saddens us to see that the attention and the directions of this has turned. And we hope that the media pressure in the midst of this case is not -- has not made the Modesto Police lose focus or anyone out there lose focus on the fact that Laci's missing, and we need to be looking for Laci.
And sometimes it feels like that's forgotten and that's lost in the midst of that and that's very difficult. It's difficult for all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Laci Peterson's family did not want to comment at this time about the results of the search, which again, was completed late yesterday. And at this point, again, Paula, police have said they have not been able to rule Scott Peterson out as a suspect -- Paula.
ZAHN: Have you learned anything more about why they went back to the house, what they were specifically looking for?
BUCKLEY: No, and that's one thing that everyone was asking the investigators. They won't say specifically. This is the second time that investigators have gone to the house. The first search took place just two days after Laci Peterson disappeared. Investigators, then, actually confiscating Scott Peterson's truck and the boat that he said that he took on the fishing trip. Those items still in police custody. As to why returned this time, investigators wouldn't say.
HEMMER: Frank Buckley, thanks for the update.
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 February 20, 2003 - 09:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: After completing a two-day follow-up search of the Peterson home in Modesto, California, are police any closer to connecting Scott Peterson to his wife's disappearance, or any suspect for that matter?
Frank Buckley joins us now from Modesto with more.
Good morning, Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Exactly what police want to do -- they either want to rule Scott Peterson in as a suspect, or rule him out as a suspect. So far, investigators have said they haven't been able to do either. What they have done is they've completed a two-day search of Scott and Laci Peterson's home. They were there for two days, and they removed some 94 or 95 items. Investigators not saying exactly what those items were.
At one point, Scott Peterson's new truck was also taken by authorities for several hours. It was returned. Laci's sister, Amy Rocha, also came to the house for a couple of hours. Also to see Laci last on December 23rd. No word on what she has been able to pride to investigators.
This search has, once again, generated a great deal of interest in the disappearance of Laci Peterson, and has also put a lot of attention on Scott Peterson. That is cause for concern for Scott Peterson's side of the family.
Here's what his sister-in-law had to say to Larry King last night about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANEY PETERSON, SCOTT'S SISTER-IN-LAW: We all love Scott very much, and support him 100 percent, and want everyone to understand that, but more importantly, Laci's gone. And it really saddens us to see that the attention and the directions of this has turned. And we hope that the media pressure in the midst of this case is not -- has not made the Modesto Police lose focus or anyone out there lose focus on the fact that Laci's missing, and we need to be looking for Laci.
And sometimes it feels like that's forgotten and that's lost in the midst of that and that's very difficult. It's difficult for all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Laci Peterson's family did not want to comment at this time about the results of the search, which again, was completed late yesterday. And at this point, again, Paula, police have said they have not been able to rule Scott Peterson out as a suspect -- Paula.
ZAHN: Have you learned anything more about why they went back to the house, what they were specifically looking for?
BUCKLEY: No, and that's one thing that everyone was asking the investigators. They won't say specifically. This is the second time that investigators have gone to the house. The first search took place just two days after Laci Peterson disappeared. Investigators, then, actually confiscating Scott Peterson's truck and the boat that he said that he took on the fishing trip. Those items still in police custody. As to why returned this time, investigators wouldn't say.
HEMMER: Frank Buckley, thanks for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
