NEW LOOK:
Scott Peterson, sporting bleached hair and a goatee, takes off his socks for cops.
- AP/Modesto Bee
CALLOUS SCOTT BRAZEN TO END
By HOWARD BREUER and ADAM MILLER
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April 20, 2003 --
On the day of his arrest, Scott Peterson repeatedly taunted the cops hot on his trail - and was sporting freshly bleached strawberry blond hair and a beard in a feeble attempt to disguise himself, authorities said yesterday.
The 30-year-old fertilizer salesman was also carrying $10,000 in cash when he was picked up by authorities, a law-enforcement official told the Los Angeles Times. The discovery lends credence to investigators' theory that Peterson planned to bolt to Mexico to avoid capture.
Peterson, who is to be arraigned tomorrow on capital murder charges for the death of his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, was arrested Friday morning at a La Jolla golf course in the San Diego area.
In the days leading up to his arrest, Peterson was followed closely by cops - who zeroed in on him once Laci's headless body and the couple's dead child washed ashore at San Francisco Bay last week.
As Peterson drove around La Jolla, he became aware he was being tailed, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer said.
And at one point, Lockyer said, Peterson pulled over, got out of his car, walked back to the investigators and asked why they were following him.
Lockyer said Peterson was acting like a "smart aleck" by driving up and down the freeway and waving at them.
Investigators had used "wiretaps on phones, tracking vehicles, all of the technology available" to keep track of Peterson, Lockyer said.
They even attached a tracking device to his car.
Since the discovery of the bodies, Peterson had stayed out of public view - and had bleached his brown hair blond and grew facial hair. Authorities said genetic odds "in the billions" proved that two bodies found on the California shore were Laci Peterson and her baby.
He was taken into custody and charged with killing the 27-year-old Laci, who disappeared Christmas Eve, and her unborn son, who was to be named Connor.
When he was nabbed at the Torrey Pines Golf Course driving his Mercedes, Peterson was wearing a white polo shirt and khaki shorts.
Two sources at the municipal course said his father, Lee Peterson, had an 8 a.m. tee time Friday - although it was unclear if either played.
Thirteen hours after he was arrested, Scott Peterson arrived at the Stanislaus County Jail, where he was met by a crowd of about 200, some of them toting signs that read "Murderer" and "Baby Killer."
Also yesterday, investigators said they had been close to nabbing Peterson even before the remains were discovered.
SNIP IT.....