Posted on 02/20/2003 5:44:21 PM PST by WellsFargo94
MODESTO, Calif. -- Modesto police say that their search of the home of a missing pregnant woman Tuesday has not led to a big break in the case, but that they will return to the home of Laci Peterson Wednesday to continue the search.
Modeseto Detective Doug Ridenour is downplaying Tuesday's daylong search at the house. He said unspecified new discoveries led officers to return to the home.
Investigators removed dozens of bags and boxes of potential evidence from the house Tuesday, and they also drove away with Scott Peterson's new truck, which was later returned.
Detectives with gloves had been going through his new white Dodge Dakota pickup as well as the house.
According to reports, Scott Peterson had been going through his daybook, comparing notes, telling detectives where he has been. They say he was cooperating with investigators.
Peterson also loaded two travel bags into another car and left the home as detectives continued their search Tuesday.
Detectives have walked away from the home with bags of clothes.
Scott Peterson with Bags
It's not the first time investigators have gone to the couple's home in search for clues. They have also seized Scott Peterson's truck and boat for evidence.
Laci Peterson was last seen Christmas Eve when Scott Peterson says he was fishing in Berkeley.
Laci Peterson was due to deliver the couple's first baby this month.
Earlier, investigators looking for Laci Peterson said they had made some headway. Police did not elaborate -- but said they're looking at new leads in the case.
Meanwhile, Peterson's mother said attention focused on her son is detracting from efforts to find his wife, Laci, who has been missing since Christmas Eve.
Jackie Peterson is defending her son, who lives in Modesto but grew up in San Diego County, from criticism over actions that some considered odd. She said Scott tried to sell Laci's SUV because the couple planned to buy a safer car.
Tuesday morning, Jackie Peterson reacted to the search warrant in a phone interview with MSNBC. She called the actions of Modesto police "harassment" against her son. She also had more choice words for how they have handled the case.
"I always trusted in the police, always believed they told the truth," Jackie Peterson said. "But I've learned that it's legal for them to lie. I had no knowledge of that. I was very naive going into this, and I feel now that they are just harassing Scott and making it impossible for him to even search for Laci like he would like to be doing. He has to go out of the county to search for her. It's making it impossible for him to hold his job, and yet they stand there and say he's not a suspect and that he has cooperated. Those two don't go together."
Jackie Peterson continues to say that she does not believe the police conduct is "proper behavior."
"I mean, announcing there's a body in the bay and letting that go for three days. I mean, he really didn't go fishing there, but we're searching the bay for three days. Parading out a young girl who had an affair, and they had already cleared her of all knowledge of that affair, of the connection between Laci's missing, putting her out there like a doe in the headlights to the media, ruining her life and her parents' life and her baby's life. How far is this going to go?" Jackie Peterson said.
Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant when she disappeared. Scott Peterson says the family believes the 27-year-old woman is being held by kidnappers who wanted to take the baby. The family is holding out hope that Laci and the baby will be returned to them safe.
Here's what I think Jackie Peterson was trying to say about her son's situation: that the police have waffled about not believing Scott's alibi since they've dragged the area of the Bay around the Marina.
The police publicly stated that they believe they've found a body in the Bay, delay for three days in bringing it up and then "the body" turns out to be an anchor. This seemed to me a definite ploy into pressuring him into a confession.
But the police seem to doubt his ever having been there to the Marina at all, since they've found no "credible" witnesses at the Marina to back up Scott's claim despite his receipt for the Marina's parking lot that day. So why all the fuss over dragging the Bay?
We all know a person is innocent until proven guilty. Right now the police do not appear to have evidence to charge Scott Peterson with the murder of his wife, Laci Peterson. However a lot of folks at this site talk like they want him hanged without a trial and have been nasty towards those expressing a cautious opinion otherwise.
As gruesome as this sounds, I am beginning to fear Laci will be found dead but murdered sometime in late February, and no longer pregnant. The Peterson baby will be gone.
Laci Peterson walked out of that house and into a vehicle. If it was Scott's truck I believe he would have been arrested and charged by now. Since that hasn't happened, is it possible she went with someone else, someone she thought she could trust?
What? Did I miss something ...??
Yeah, why isn't the media jumping on the statements that she is making in this article? So, has her son told her that he really didn't go fishing? I wonder if his family if keeping track of the stories he's telling and to whom?
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