Divers Search Bay Waters For Peterson Evidence

KTVU News ^ | May 16th, 2003

[runningbear]

Divers Search Bay Waters For Peterson Evidence

Divers Search Bay Waters For Peterson Evidence

POSTED: 7:50 a.m. PDT May 16, 2003
UPDATED: 2:54 p.m. PDT May 16, 2003

RICHMOND, Calif. -- Divers from several Bay Area law enforcement agencies and members of an FBI dive team joined police boats equipped with side-scan sonar Friday, searching the waters off Richmond for further evidence in the murder case of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Connor.

The search was taking place not far from where the bodies of the missing Modesto woman and her child were found washed up on the shore of a Richmond regional waterfront park.

"It's unknown whether we'll finish today or if we'll go beyond," said Sgt. Doug Pittman of the Marin County Sheriff's Office, which has 11 divers involved in the search.

He declined to say if divers were looking for anything in particular.

"All I can say is, I know the Modesto Police Department has certain objectives that they want to accomplish with this search," he said.

The Coast Guard provided security around the diving area, according to the agency's station in San Francisco.

Ted Rowlands Friday Report On Search And Autopsy

Meanwhile, a reliable source has told KTVU Channel 2 that Peterson's remains were missing her head, hands, feet and some internal organs when recovered. However, the source would not speculate on whether the missing parts were the result of the natural decay of the body or from dismemberment.

There was a broadcast report circulating Friday Laci Peterson's may have fallen victim to a satanic cult.

Speaking On Friday's Mornings On 2, Benny Del R.....

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Divers searching for Laci Peterson evidence in San Francisco Bay

Divers searching for Laci Peterson evidence in San Francisco Bay

Friday, May 16, 2003

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(05-16) 12:06 PDT RICHMOND, Calif. (AP) --

Police divers have resumed a search in San Francisco Bay for more evidence in the murder case of Laci Peterson, the 27-year-old pregnant Modesto woman who disappeared just before Christmas last year and was found dead in the Bay last month with the remains of her unborn son, Modesto Police said Friday.

Modesto Police Department Capt. Greg Savelli said police dive teams began an underwater search Friday related to the murder investigation, and added it could continue through the weekend.

Contra Costa County Sheriff's officials said their marine patrol officers and at least two divers were working at the scene at the request of the Modesto Police Department. U.S. Coast Guard officials also confirmed Friday they were providing security for police divers in an ongoing criminal investigation.

Peterson's body, and remains of her unborn eight-month-old son, Conner, washed up in San Francisco Bay near Richmond and were discovered by passers-by on April 15. Published reports indicated at the time that not all of Laci Peterson's remains were found, and that they may have been wrapped in plastic and held down by heavy material.

The bodies surfaced about three miles from where Peterson's husband, Scott, said he went sturgeon fishing on the day of Christmas Eve.

Modesto Police arrested Peterson April

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Divers return to bay in Laci Peterson case

Posted on Sat, May. 17, 2003

Divers return to bay in Laci Peterson case
MORE EVIDENCE SOUGHT IN DEATHS OF WOMAN, FETUS

By the Mercury News

Members of the Marin County sheriff's dive team returned to San Francisco Bay on Friday to search for more evidence in the Laci Peterson case, authorities said.

Stanislaus County Chief Deputy District Attorney John Goold confirmed that divers were out in the bay but said he couldn't comment about what they were seeking for fear of jeopardizing the investigation into the slayings.

``Several law enforcement agencies are involved,'' Goold said.

The Coast Guard, the Marin County Sheriff's Office and a patrol boat from the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office started the search Friday and may continue to comb the waters for more evidence today.

Peterson's body and that of her unborn son washed ashore near Richmond in April. Scott Peterson, Laci's husband, was arrested in the killings and is being held without bail in Stanislaus County Jail. There have been reports that Laci Peterson's body was not intact.

Prosecutors declined to say whether the search is designed to add to evidence against Scott Peterson, who may face the death penalty. The bodies washed ashore about three miles from the spot Peterson said he was fishing Dec. 24, the day his wife disappeared.

Autopsy reports on the bodies by the Contra Costa County coroner concluded this week were sealed Thursday by a judge in Stanislaus County Superior Court, prosecutors said. It wasn't clear whether a cause of death had been determined.

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Peterson Autopsies Complete, Clearing Way For Funerals
12 Court Records Sealed

Peterson Autopsies Complete, Clearing Way For Funerals
12 Court Records Sealed

POSTED: 4:44 p.m. PDT May 15, 2003
UPDATED: 5:56 p.m. PDT May 15, 2003

MODESTO, Calif. -- The autopsies of Laci Peterson and her unborn son were completed by the Contra Costa County coroner and sealed Thursday by a judge in Stanislaus County Superior Court, prosecutors said.

The autopsies were completed sooner than expected, but it wasn't clear if a cause of death had been determined in the homicides. Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the Contra Costa sheriff would not comment, but has said in the past that the cause of death may never be known.

Scott Peterson, 30, is being held without bail on two counts of murder and could face the death penalty if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty.

He was arrested last month after the decomposed remains of his wife and the son they planned to name Conner were found on the shore of San Francisco Bay in Richmond near where Peterson told police he went fishing on Christmas Eve, the day he reported his wife missing.

Police have not revealed how they believe Laci Peterson, a 27-year-old substitute teacher, was killed or any of the evidence they compiled against her husband, a fertilizer salesman.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers asked to seal the autopsy and Judge Al Girolami agreed. The autopsy report could be unsealed at a May 27 hearing in which news organizations are seeking the release of other court documents, including search warrants and police reports.

About 12 court records, including a wiretap and an affidavit supporting an arrest warrant, have been sealed.

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With the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, searchers cluster together Friday as divers search the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay for evidence in the Peterson case.

BART AH YOU/THE BEE

Coast Guard and Marin County sheriff's vessels meet off Point Isabel in San Francisco Bay. Officials returned to the bay Friday to search for more evidence in the Laci Peterson case. BART AH YOU/THE BEE

Divers search San Francisco Bay again

By JOHN COTÉ and GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITERS

Published: May 17, 2003, 04:30:47 AM PDT

RICHMOND -- Divers returned Friday to search murky San Francisco Bay for evidence in the slayings of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner.

Authorities declined comment late Friday on the search, and it was unclear what evidence, if any, was recovered.

Dive teams from the Marin County and Contra Costa County sheriff's departments assisted investigators from the Modesto Police Department. Coast Guard crews also took part, with their vessels taking up positions near divers south of Brooks Island, about 2 1/2 miles from where Laci Peterson's decomposed body was found last month along a rocky shoreline near Point Isabel.

Conner's body was recovered roughly a mile north of his mother. Peterson was eight months pregnant when she was reported missing Christmas Eve from her Modesto home. Her husband, Scott, has told authorities that he went fishing off Brooks Island on Dec. 24.

Stanislaus County prosecutors allege that Scott Peterson murdered his wife Dec. 23 or 24, according to court documents.

Peterson, in jail since his arrest last month near San Diego, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

Search lasted at least five hours

Friday's bay search lasted from at least 9 a.m. to about 2 p.m. Two orange buoys bobbed to the east of a diver at about 1 p.m. as three law enforcement boats maneuvered in the area.

A statement from the Marin County Sheriff's Department said the search "began early (Friday) and will continue under the direction of the Modesto Police Department investigators."

Unspecified "civilian assets" were used in the search, according to a written statement from Stanislaus County District Attorney James Brazelton.

Modesto police spokesman Doug Ridenour refused to say whether Brazelton referred to diving or sonar equipment. Police Chief Roy Wasden also refused to comment.

Gene Ralston, who conducted a side-scan sonar search of the bay in mid-March for Modesto police, said his "strong opinions on what's going on" kept authorities from inviting him back for Friday's search. He would not elaborate, saying he continues to be involved with the case.

In late April, Ralston told The Bee that he believed he saw Peterson's body during the March search, about one month before it washed up.

Waves prevented retrieval of the suspected body in March, and the object was gone when searchers returned a week later, Ralston has said. He speculated that large ships in the channel set the water churning, and that could have moved the object.

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This one is weird story, not about Laci

Cows At Marin County Ranch Run Off Cliff

Cows At Marin County Ranch Run Off Cliff

May 15 (AP) — A dozen Holstein cows grazing near Skywalker Ranch in Marin County apparently got spooked and ran off a 50-foot cliff, according to authorities.

Motorists on Lucas Valley Road saw the cows cascade over the hilltop at about 11 a.m. Wednesday, said Marin County Sheriff's Sgt. Doug Pittman.

Some of the cows tumbled end-over-end as they slid down the slate and gravel cliff, witnesses told sheriff's deputies......

All these stories are excerpted...

[Devil_Anse]

Are you Syrious?

[Devil_Anse]

She's only, like, been telling us that since, like, we've known her! Silly grain!

[Yeti]

or it's the case as indicated by toolmarks.

Concur that this is likely. I assume you mean skeletal marks.

But depending on how much the decomposition was slowed(recall the stuff alexandria has posted about that), there could be other things. For example, one might guess that if parts were rmoved by incision along ligaments and tendons, the artificial nature of those cuts could still be apparent in some areas, especially inside the ribcage.

[Velveeta]

LOL, spent it on cab fare.

[Devil_Anse]

DO report it! It may well be nothing, but you'll feel better.

I still to this day have regrets that I didn't report the bunch of 'em who were standing around a library computer one day, going on and on in their native language(s), and getting on the net! I was trying to be "cosmopolitan", too, but the heck with that, considering that 3000 people had to die horrible deaths! Preventing that should be worth a little paranoia!

[pbear8]

Hi rb & rg.

It likely a combination of things, tide - ebb or flood (Captain PBear has the tide table, if it's a strong ebb or flood the current will make staying in one spot very difficult) and wind. Although they've been threatening us with 30 knot winds for lo, these past three days, it has not happened. Light wind makes everything easier.

I heard a guy on CH2 say that they had 'closed' a section from Berkeley Marina to Angel Island yesterday. Can't do that on the weekends, too many yacht races.

[runningbear]

I thought that article was in weird timing.... lol...

[MightyMouseToSaveThe Day]

Happy Belated Birthday, RB--hope you've had a GREAT b-d with many more to come. Thanks for the ping..i'm getting so mad that Geragos has actually been able to spread the rumor that Laci was the victim of a satanic cult. I guess that's why he gets the big bucks--to start an outlandish rumor like that and actually give it some credibility. Maybe Laci was abducted by aliens, too, and used in their experiments? Geez, not even the Nat'l Enquirer has thought of that one, yet. Geragos ought to be reprimanded by the Bar for his sleezy shenanigans.

[runningbear]

thanks pbear, and RG

RG, check out if you haven't seen them already, #171 and #166 links I posted....

[runningbear]

LOL... and thanks too!

[Jackie-O]

Check out the link dighton re-posted on this thread, #31. It's hard to read if you are squeemish, but will give you and idea of the process and pay attention to the "great number of variables" as dighton says, it cause me to believe that the amount of time she was in the bay, sealife, turbulant wasters, etc are responsible for the missing organs. Connor was in better condition because he was protected from the elements by his mother, IMO
See the download and after you read the state of decompostion after day 4 you will see that it doesn't take much for the body to start breaking up, especially being where it was ...

[Devil_Anse]

Blank stare.

Are you saying that if someone had carved out the organs, that that would definitely have made a mark on the bones? B/C it looks to me like there was precious little soft tissue, external OR internal, left.

I just really, really believe that they have been unable to tell any such thing--about anyone having gutted her, or anything. I think somewhere, some medico made a comment of "the internal organs do not appear." They have to account for the major internal organs in an autopsy, you know. You've read an autopsy before, haven't you? They go down the list, and they say things like..

Wait, here, I'll quote from one:

"Cardiovascular System: The 40 gram heart contains fluid blood. The coronary arteries arise normally and follow their usual course through the epicardium." Blahblahblah...

"Liver and Gallbladder: The 277 gram liver has an intact capsule (expected weight 241-335 grams). The liver is composed of maroon tissue that is free of both mass and scar. The gallbladder wall is thin and pliant. The gallbladder contains no stones, and is free of mass." Blahblahblah...etc.


So the coroner's walking around what's left of poor Laci, with his little dictaphone, and he's saying, "Cardiovascular System: there is no evidence of the cardiovascular system; all related organs are absent. Liver and gallbladder: There is no evidence of a liver or gallbladder; they are absent." Etc.

So Geraldo's people read this, and they say, "There are no internal organs!! It says so, right in the coroner's report! So someone must have removed her internal organs!!"

That's what I think. I think sea creatures and ROTTING eliminated most of this poor victim's internal organs, and I think that Geraldo is just taking advantage of that fact in trying to inject satanism where there IS no satanism!

[Velveeta]

I will.

[Sandylapper]

Well, I am squeemish, but will try to read it. But I have a question with respect to Geraldo's speculation on cable TV. We think he's trying to plant a seed of doubt in the minds of the public, probably to help Geragos and Peterson. But all evidence and search warrants are under seal by order of a judge. They have remained under seal even though newspapers, etc. have sued to get them open. Now, if there is not good, hard evidence there that Scott is guilty, can't he (or the Mod Bee, for that matter), sue the state if they can't prove this case?

[Devil_Anse]

Good! Here's hoping they listen to you!

[Jackie-O]

LE, AG and Da have not said a word that could cause them to be sued..AG's comments "Slam Dunk" were refering to the DNA results.

[Devil_Anse]

Heck, no, they can't sue the state if there turns out not to be enough evidence that he was guilty!

Unless it was malicious prosecution, he can't do squat to the state! And certainly the Modesto Bee--why, they haven't even got standing to sue over this! What's it to THEM, whether Scott's guilty or not, whether there's evidence or not? Either way, they can report whatever there is to report!

And incidentally, in order to have a suit for malicious prosecution, you have to have been found NOT GUILTY. And this is NOT a malicious prosecution!

And besides, the state has immunity from suit when it is performing its governmental functions, such as prosecuting crimes, which is part of what it is supposed to do!!