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CNN Saturday Morning News

Recap of Search for Laci Peterson

Aired April 19, 2003 - 06:33   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A California arraignment is expected Monday for Scott Peterson. He, of course, arrested in San Diego on suspicion he killed his wife Laci and their son. That video of him was taken yesterday. Peterson faces double homicide charges.
Now earlier this week, her decomposed body, the decomposed body of Laci Peterson and that of her baby son, a boy she named Connor, were found washed up on the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Modesto police say there are no other suspects at this time.

Now the investigation into Laci's disappearance centered primarily on her husband, even though until now he was never officially called a suspect.

CNN's Rusty Dornin takes a look back on this long case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His was the only name that ever came up during the investigation. Nearly four months after Laci Peterson disappeared and was murdered, Modesto police now say they believe they have their man, Scott Peterson.

CHIEF ROY WASDEN, MODESTO POLICE DEPARTMENT: Scott Peterson has been arrested, that he is in the custody of Modesto Police Department detectives.

DORNIN: It was only days after Laci Peterson disappeared that Modesto police became very tight-lipped about Scott Peterson. Was he a suspect, or wasn't he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this point, we're not ruling him in or out.

DORNIN: Peterson told police he went fishing at the Berkeley Marina that day and last saw his wife when she was going to walk the dog. Laci's family described the pair as a loving couple and Scott as a model son-in-law. They stood by him for weeks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We feel Scott has nothing to do with it, with the disappearance of Laci.

DORNIN: But things changed when Scott admitted to an affair, sold her car and tried to sell their house. Laci's family said their trust was shattered. BRENT ROCHA, LACI'S BROTHER: I would like Scott to know that I trusted him and stood by him in the initial phases of my sister's disappearance. However, Scott has not been forthcoming with information regarding my sister's disappearance, and I'm only left to question what else he may be hiding.

DORNIN: The family weren't the only ones to wonder. There were searches in the San Francisco Bay where Scott said he went fishing, and searches of Scott and Laci's home.

On March 6, police said they believed Laci Peterson was a homicide victim but wouldn't say why. And still the same line: her husband Scott was not ruled in nor ruled out as a suspect.

The next week, police go back to search the bay once again. Bad weather forces and end to that search. Then this week, two bodies are found, a female and a full-term fetus. And nagging suspicions return. Were these the bodies of Laci Peterson and her unborn child? Was Scott Peterson involved? How could something like this happen?

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Modesto, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: I actually spoke with a cousin of Laci Peterson last night and she said she did believe that Scott Peterson was -- was guilty of the crime. The Peterson family said they will not be making any statements -- or the Rocha family said they will not be making any statements this weekend, but we do expect a statement from them on Monday.

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 April 19, 2003 - 06:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A California arraignment is expected Monday for Scott Peterson. He, of course, arrested in San Diego on suspicion he killed his wife Laci and their son. That video of him was taken yesterday. Peterson faces double homicide charges.
Now earlier this week, her decomposed body, the decomposed body of Laci Peterson and that of her baby son, a boy she named Connor, were found washed up on the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Modesto police say there are no other suspects at this time.

Now the investigation into Laci's disappearance centered primarily on her husband, even though until now he was never officially called a suspect.

CNN's Rusty Dornin takes a look back on this long case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His was the only name that ever came up during the investigation. Nearly four months after Laci Peterson disappeared and was murdered, Modesto police now say they believe they have their man, Scott Peterson.

CHIEF ROY WASDEN, MODESTO POLICE DEPARTMENT: Scott Peterson has been arrested, that he is in the custody of Modesto Police Department detectives.

DORNIN: It was only days after Laci Peterson disappeared that Modesto police became very tight-lipped about Scott Peterson. Was he a suspect, or wasn't he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this point, we're not ruling him in or out.

DORNIN: Peterson told police he went fishing at the Berkeley Marina that day and last saw his wife when she was going to walk the dog. Laci's family described the pair as a loving couple and Scott as a model son-in-law. They stood by him for weeks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We feel Scott has nothing to do with it, with the disappearance of Laci.

DORNIN: But things changed when Scott admitted to an affair, sold her car and tried to sell their house. Laci's family said their trust was shattered. BRENT ROCHA, LACI'S BROTHER: I would like Scott to know that I trusted him and stood by him in the initial phases of my sister's disappearance. However, Scott has not been forthcoming with information regarding my sister's disappearance, and I'm only left to question what else he may be hiding.

DORNIN: The family weren't the only ones to wonder. There were searches in the San Francisco Bay where Scott said he went fishing, and searches of Scott and Laci's home.

On March 6, police said they believed Laci Peterson was a homicide victim but wouldn't say why. And still the same line: her husband Scott was not ruled in nor ruled out as a suspect.

The next week, police go back to search the bay once again. Bad weather forces and end to that search. Then this week, two bodies are found, a female and a full-term fetus. And nagging suspicions return. Were these the bodies of Laci Peterson and her unborn child? Was Scott Peterson involved? How could something like this happen?

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Modesto, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: I actually spoke with a cousin of Laci Peterson last night and she said she did believe that Scott Peterson was -- was guilty of the crime. The Peterson family said they will not be making any statements -- or the Rocha family said they will not be making any statements this weekend, but we do expect a statement from them on Monday.

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