Murder victim center of series

MODESTO, Calif. — A new Netflix series delves into the death and disappearance of Modesto resident Laci Peterson more than 20 years ago — as well as the investigation into who killed her.

“American Murder: Laci Peterson” premiered Wednesday on Netflix.

The online streamer described the documentary series as the “definitive examination of the murder of Laci Peterson, the bubbly and beloved young woman who disappeared on Christmas Eve of 2002, while eight months pregnant with her first child.”

Who was Laci Peterson? Here’s what to know:

Who was Laci Peterson?

Modesto native Laci Peterson was 27 and pregnant with her first child when she vanished on Dec. 24, 2002.

The outgoing Central Valley substitute teacher loved flowers and dragonflies, and was known for her vivacity and charm, The Modesto Bee reported in 2007.

Born Laci Rocha, she grew up on her family’s dairy farm west of Escalon before moving to Modesto with her mother, Sharon Rocha, and brother Brent Rocha.

She graduated from Downey High School in Modesto and was a high school cheerleader and softball player.

Laci was pursuing a degree in horticulture at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo when she met her future husband, Scott Peterson, in 1997.

The couple married after two years of dating.

They moved to Modesto in 2000 to be near Laci’s family.

Who was Conner Peterson?

Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant at the time of her disappearance.

Although her child had yet to be born, she had already given her son a name: Conner.

When did Laci Peterson disappear?

Laci Peterson was reported missing on Christmas Eve in 2002, by her stepfather, leading police to search East La Loma Park.

Her husband Scott Peterson, then a Modesto fertilizer salesman, claimed she had planned to walk their dog at the park that day.

A neighbor found and returned the dog with a muddy leash to the Petersons’ backyard, without suspecting anything unusual.

Scott Peterson claimed he went fishing at Berkeley Marina that day and discovered Laci missing when he returned home, despite her car and purse being undisturbed.

The search for Laci “captured the nation’s attention, dominating news media night after night as facts slowly but surely led law enforcement to prosecute her husband, Scott Peterson, for her brutal murder,” Netflix said.

When and where did they find Laci Peterson’s body?

In April 2003, the bodies of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, were found near the marina.

Scott Peterson was then arrested on suspicion of murder.

Who killed Laci Peterson?

Scott Peterson was convicted of the first-degree murder of Laci Peterson and the second-degree murder of Conner in November 2004 and sentenced to death.

In 2020, he was resentenced to life in prison.

Peterson, now 51, is currently serving a life sentence at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione.

A new Peacock documentary, “Face to Face with Scott Peterson,” will explore theories supported by his sister-in-law, Janey Peterson, and his new defense team, the Los Angeles Innocence Project, arguing that Peterson is innocent and deserves a new trial.

What happened to Laci Peterson’s dad?

Ron Grantski, a surrogate father to Laci Peterson, passed away in his sleep at his Modesto home at age 71 in April 2018.

He had been in poor health for some time.

Grantski was buried in Escalon, alongside Laci and Conner Peterson.

Laci Peterson’s father, Dennis Rocha, died in December 2018 at age 72.

“Laci loved her dad, and now they will be together again,” Laci’s mother, Sharon Rocha, told The Bee in 2018.

What is new Netflix documentary about Laci Peterson murder case?

Released 20 years after Scott Peterson’s conviction, “American Murder: Laci Peterson” uses “news clips, interrogation footage, and courtroom cameras to bring the dramatic disappearance, investigation and trial into focus,” Netflix said in its official description of the docuseries.

The three-part documentary includes interviews with detectives, reporters, lawyers and jurors as well as Amber Frey, the Fresno massage therapist with which Scott Peterson had an extramarital affair.

Also interviewed in the docuseries are Laci Peterson’s mother and a “trio of her childhood friends.”

“American Murder: Laci Peterson” was directed by Skye Borgman, who also helmed the documentaries “Abducted in Plain Sight” and “The Girl in the Picture.”

How can I watch “American Murder: Laci Peterson”?

All three episodes of “American Murder: Laci Peterson” are streaming on Netflix.