Did Scott Peterson murder his eight‑months‑pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, on Christmas Eve 2002 — or was he falsely convicted on flimsy circumstantial evidence amplified by a nonstop media frenzy? From Modesto, California to the Berkeley Marina and the San Francisco Bay, the Laci Peterson case remains one of America’s most argued true crime stories, raising hard questions about motive, “missing pregnant wife” investigations, and what juries do when there’s no body for months and no obvious crime scene.

In this episode, hosts Adrienne Barker and Joseph Lobosco revisit the disappearance and murder of Laci Peterson and her unborn son Conner (Connor), the affair with Amber Frey, the recovery of remains near the very waters where Scott said he went fishing, and the courtroom battle that ended in a conviction — followed by decades of appeals, juror‑misconduct fights, and post‑conviction DNA litigation that continues to evolve.

This true crime podcast discussion breaks down the Scott Peterson trial, the prosecution’s theory of dumping a body in the bay, the defense’s arguments about abduction and alternate suspects, the role of taped phone calls, and the latest Los Angeles Innocence Project filings — plus a live audience debate on guilt, reasonable doubt, and the ethics of “headline” innocence work.

Tune in to hear:

December 24, 2002 – Christmas Eve disappearance in Modesto: Scott says he leaves for a spur‑of‑the‑moment solo fishing trip at the Berkeley Marina while Laci stays home to walk the dog and prep for Christmas Eve — then the family dog is found wandering with its leash on, and Laci is reported missing as search efforts explode.

Late December 2002–January 2003 – Affair revealed & Amber Frey’s recorded calls: Investigators learn Scott is having an affair with Amber Frey, who secretly records conversations with him and later steps forward publicly — shifting Scott from “cooperating husband” to prime suspect in the court of public opinion.

April 3–4, 2003 – Remains recovered near the bay: A male fetus washes ashore, followed by badly decomposed adult female remains less than a mile away; DNA confirms the devastating discovery: Laci and Conner — found near the same area where Scott admits he was fishing.

April 18, 2003 – Arrest and charges: Scott is arrested in San Diego County; investigators cite items found during the stop (including cash, multiple phones, and changes to his appearance) as suspicious, while the defense frames it as media‑avoidance — and prosecutors charge him with murder counts tied to Laci and Conner.

June–November 2004 – The Redwood City murder trial: With Mark Geragos leading the defense, the trial unfolds under wall‑to‑wall national coverage. Prosecutors argue a motive rooted in deceit (the affair, looming fatherhood) and a bay‑dumping theory supported by location and current analysis; the defense argues there’s no direct evidence, no murder weapon, no eyewitness, and no proven cause of death — and pushes alternate‑perpetrator theories including a neighborhood burglary and possible abduction.

November 12, 2004–March 16, 2005 – Conviction and death sentence: After deliberation drama and juror turnover, Scott Peterson is found guilty; the jury recommends death, and he’s formally sentenced to death by lethal injection — later spending years on San Quentin death row during automatic appeals.

2012–2020 – Appeals and the juror #7 controversy:...