TWO-TIMER'S HAUNTING CHRISTMAS SNAPSHOTS
PHOTO EXCLUSIVE:
In a snapshot chillingly similar to his holiday picture (right) with wife Laci, accused murderer Scott Peterson poses in front of a Christmas tree with gal pal Amber Frey (left) only 10 days before Laci's disappearance on Christmas Eve.
- AP/Modesto Bee
The BEE?
TWO-TIMER'S HAUNTING CHRISTMAS SNAPSHOTS
By HOWARD BREUER, SAM SMITH and ADAM MILLER
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April 20, 2003 -- Just 10 days before his pregnant wife vanished, Scott Peterson embraced his new gal pal in front of a Christmas tree for a snapshot that eerily resembles a widely distributed holiday photo of him and Laci. And to this day, Peterson, 30, continues to speak with massage therapist Amber Frey, 28, whom he had initially told he was single, The Post has learned.
The Dec. 14 photo, taken at the Copper River Country Club Christmas party in Frey's Fresno hometown, shows a beaming Peterson lovingly clasping hands with the single mom with whom he has admitted having an affair.
Peterson and the blond beauty met Nov. 20 and he told her he was single.
But a few weeks later, Peterson broke down during one of their intimate moments, telling Frey he had "lost" his wife the previous Christmas, according to sources close to Frey's family.
"He got really emotional with Amber," said private investigator Bill Garcia, who has been working on the case in close contact with Frey's family.
"He cried about how he had lost his wife."
Even after Laci's disappearance, Peterson has continued speaking with Frey - speaking to her as recently as two weeks ago, according to Garcia and Frey's sister, Ava.
"I do know he has contacted her quite a bit and the police are aware of it," said Ava.
Frey's father, Ron, said he had a haunting feeling when he saw the infamous Christmas photo of Peterson and Laci, on TV.
"When I saw Scott and Laci Peterson on the TV, I kept thinking, Where have I seen that before?" said Ron. "Well, I had seen the same identical picture of Scott and my daughter, Amber."