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CNN Saturday Morning News

Update on Lost Women Laci Peterson

Aired January 04, 2003 - 07:02   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.


JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We begin this hour with the search for Laci Peterson and the whereabouts of her husband at the time of her Christmas Eve disappearance. Police are saying that Scott Peterson has not been ruled in or out as a suspect and at least for now, Laci's family is publicly vouching for him.
We get the details from reporter Linda Yee of CNN's San Francisco affiliate KRON.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDA YEE, KRON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ten days after Laci Peterson was reported missing, Modesto police concede they are no closer to finding her or any suspects connected with her disappearance.

DETECTIVE DOUG RIDENOUR, MODESTO POLICE: We still don't have any significant lead into finding Laci Peterson. That's unfortunate. That's discouraging. We wish, we wish we could be further in that area.

YEE: Peterson was reported missing Christmas Eve and her possible last sighting was walking her dog in a neighborhood park. A makeshift shrine and yellow ribbons mark a spot where police have also set up a command post in that park. And while police asked for the public's help to corroborate Scott Peterson's alibi that he was fishing when his wife disappeared, they still would not say he is a suspect.

RIDENOUR: I'm not going to talk anything about Scott Peterson or specifically that investigation.

YEE: Police did rule out a suspicious burglary in the home directly across from the Peterson's two days after Laci disappeared. Based on a tip, two suspects were arrested in that case and investigators say there's no connection to the woman's disappearance.

The neighbor whose house was burglarized said she finds it difficult to believe Laci Peterson's husband would even be in the police radar in connection with his wife's disappearance. She did not want to be identified on camera.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What I'm saying is that every time you see them out in the yard, you know, doing the yards together, they're very, very, you know, attentive with one another.

YEE: But police are looking at another tip that a light brown van was seen in the neighborhood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, we have identified or have a tip, a lead that we have some gardeners in the area, some landscapers that matches that general description, that are contracted to other homes in the area. That is something we're following up on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: That report came to us from reporter Linda Yee of CNN San Francisco affiliate KRON.

And at the bottom of the hour, we'll have an up to the minute progress report on the investigation. Modesto police detective Doug Ridenour will join us for a live interview.

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 4, 2003 - 07:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We begin this hour with the search for Laci Peterson and the whereabouts of her husband at the time of her Christmas Eve disappearance. Police are saying that Scott Peterson has not been ruled in or out as a suspect and at least for now, Laci's family is publicly vouching for him.
We get the details from reporter Linda Yee of CNN's San Francisco affiliate KRON.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDA YEE, KRON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ten days after Laci Peterson was reported missing, Modesto police concede they are no closer to finding her or any suspects connected with her disappearance.

DETECTIVE DOUG RIDENOUR, MODESTO POLICE: We still don't have any significant lead into finding Laci Peterson. That's unfortunate. That's discouraging. We wish, we wish we could be further in that area.

YEE: Peterson was reported missing Christmas Eve and her possible last sighting was walking her dog in a neighborhood park. A makeshift shrine and yellow ribbons mark a spot where police have also set up a command post in that park. And while police asked for the public's help to corroborate Scott Peterson's alibi that he was fishing when his wife disappeared, they still would not say he is a suspect.

RIDENOUR: I'm not going to talk anything about Scott Peterson or specifically that investigation.

YEE: Police did rule out a suspicious burglary in the home directly across from the Peterson's two days after Laci disappeared. Based on a tip, two suspects were arrested in that case and investigators say there's no connection to the woman's disappearance.

The neighbor whose house was burglarized said she finds it difficult to believe Laci Peterson's husband would even be in the police radar in connection with his wife's disappearance. She did not want to be identified on camera.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What I'm saying is that every time you see them out in the yard, you know, doing the yards together, they're very, very, you know, attentive with one another.

YEE: But police are looking at another tip that a light brown van was seen in the neighborhood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, we have identified or have a tip, a lead that we have some gardeners in the area, some landscapers that matches that general description, that are contracted to other homes in the area. That is something we're following up on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: That report came to us from reporter Linda Yee of CNN San Francisco affiliate KRON.

And at the bottom of the hour, we'll have an up to the minute progress report on the investigation. Modesto police detective Doug Ridenour will join us for a live interview.

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