The Netflix true crime series American Murder: Laci Peterson features a recording of a phone call Scott left for his wife on the day she disappeared. However, additional information regarding this call has recently been revealed.
The latest installment of the American Murder true crime series is a follow-up to the previous entry, which centered on the story of Chris Watts, a convicted murderer.
Instead of being presented as a feature-length episode, American Murder: Laci Peterson is divided into three episodes. This decision was made for a valid reason, as there are numerous complex elements to the case.
Despite the overwhelming evidence that led to Scott Peterson’s conviction of murdering his wife Laci and unborn son Conner in 2004, he continues to proclaim his innocence and is actively seeking a retrial.
Following Laci’s reported disappearance on Christmas Eve, 2002, Scott was first questioned by Modesto PD detective Al Brocchini. During the interview, he stated that he had gone fishing on the day of her disappearance and even provided his mobile phone as evidence, revealing that he had left Laci a message before she went missing.
In the recording, he said, “Hello lovely. I just left a voicemail for you at home. It’s currently 2:15 and I am on my way out of Berkeley. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make it to Vella Farms to pick up the basket for papa.
“I was anticipating that you would receive this message and head out there. I will see you soon, my dear. Love you. Goodbye.”
In addition to this message, the court also brought up Scott’s cell phone records. However, the focus of the prosecutors was not on the 2:15pm timestamp.
Based on Scott’s reports, he departed from his residence in Modesto at around 9:30am on December 24 to head to Berkeley Marina for a fishing trip.
According to court documents, witness testimonies reveal that Scott was recorded making a phone call from the vicinity of his residence at 10:08am, as per cell tower records.
This is significant because a neighbor provided a witness statement stating that they had observed the Petersons’ dog roaming by itself at 10:18am on that day, indicating that Laci was potentially missing at that time.
According to the defense argument, the analysis of cell tower data can be unreliable. This casts doubt on the previous assumption that Laci had only a 10-minute window to disappear after Scott left their house.
However, the Netflix docu-series fails to mention that Scott’s 2:15pm voicemail to Laci, which is extensively covered in American Murder, was the final time he contacted her cell phone.
Laci’s phone was eventually discovered in her Land Rover, but records revealed that she had not attempted to call it, even while attempting to locate the phone and herself.
Despite being questioned over the years, a Redditor shared a chart of the call records and stated, “If Scott Peterson was truly innocent, he would have attempted to contact Laci on her cell phone to see if she was okay.”
If Scott Peterson was innocent, he’d have called Laci’s cell phone looking for her. byu/internetemu inScottPetersonCase
“Prior to contacting Sharon, before reaching out to 911, and definitely before reaching out to numerous friends of Laci and canvassing the area.”
At the moment, Scott is in the midst of a battle to secure a retrial, with the help of the LA Innocence Project who have taken on the case. In May 2024, a judge granted permission for DNA testing to be conducted on a section of duct tape discovered on Laci’s body. The proceedings are still ongoing, leaving the outcome of a potential new trial uncertain.
In addition, on August 20th, Peacock will be launching a docu-series called Face to Face with Scott Peterson. For more true crime content, discover the truth behind the cases of Lou Pearlman, Melissa Witt, and Phil Spector.
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