Divers set to renew search in SF Bay

The Modesto Bee ^ | January 11, 2003 Posted: 04:55:09 AM PST | Ty Philips and Patrick Giblin

[runningbear]

MODBEE.COM

Looking west toward Alcatraz Island from the restored Berkeley pier, you can see the old pier stretching out into San Francisco Bay.
AL GOLUB/THE BEE

Susan Caudillo, center, sister of Scott Peterson, and Kim McGregor, a neighbor of the Petersons, watch as Laci Peterson's brother, Brent Rocha, is interviewed on KFIV 1360 AM on Friday morning in Modesto.

JOAN BARNETT LEE/THE BEE

Divers set to renew search in SF Bay

January 11, 2003 Posted: 04:55:09 AM PST

By TY PHILLIPS and PATRICK GIBLIN

Divers plan to return to San Francisco Bay today to determine if an object found two days ago is a body.

Searchers with sonar equipment spotted the object Thursday afternoon while hunting for clues in the disappearance of

Laci Peterson, the 27-year-old pregnant Modestan who has been missing since Christmas Eve.

Modesto police said they put off the object's retrieval until today to give divers a rest and to let stormy weather pass.

Nevertheless, the media showed up Friday at the Berkeley Marina on the chance that divers would go after the object. But police stuck to their plan to attempt the retrieval today.

Officials said there was a 50 percent chance of the object's being a body.

The Bee reported incorrectly Friday that a body -- not Laci Peterson's -- had been pulled from the bay. Police told of the body's recovery on Thursday, then later in the day alerted The Bee that the report was incorrect, and that no body had been found. The Bee received the corrected information before press time, but the incorrect report still appeared in Friday's editions.

"Clearly, in the media frenzy that is associated with this case, there have been a number of rumors that have made it difficult to separate fact from fiction," Police Chief Roy Wasden said. "That led to a miscommunication between The Bee and the Police Department."

Peterson's husband, Scott, 30, has told police that he last saw his wife at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 24 as he left to go fishing out of the Berkeley Marina. He said his wife had planned on taking their dog for a walk in East La Loma Park.

Family members at the volunteer search center Friday clung to hope that gets more difficult to summon with each passing day.

"As a family, we don't feel that (today's) search will end up having anything to do with finding Laci," said Amy Rocha, Laci Peterson's sister.

"They're trying to clear Scott, and they're going to have to search that area to do that. We just feel that it's been so hyped that it's going to be Laci. And we don't believe that it is."

She said the family has "the same positive attitude we've always had."

"But it has gotten harder. The days go by so quickly for us that sometimes we don't realize how long it has been."

At the marina, harbor master Ann Rial Hardinger said the mystery object was found close to the end of the old Berkeley pier, which is 2 1/2 miles long. Anglers said the water depth at the end of the pier is 12 to 17 feet.

Hardinger said searchers had been using three of the harbor's boats while operating the sonar device.

[runningbear]

"Officials said there was a 50 percent chance of the object's being a body."

A freeper posted Las Vegas odds; wonder what the odds are now?

[runningbear]

RGSpincich;pbear8;vikingchick

Who has the ping list? ;o)

[umgud]

They're trying to clear Scott, and they're going to have to search that area to do that. Said Amy Rocha, Scott's sister........

Scott's family had better figure out real quick that the cops are not trying to clear him.

[RGSpincich]

ping

[RGSpincich]

Wonder if the psychics see a picture like this for anybody in particular. A dilapidated pier leading to prison. Alcatraz didn't have a gas chamber, though.

[Lanza]

ping

[wimpycat]

That must be it. Thought by now they would be picking his story apart. Guess that's our job.

This is the comment you made to me on the other thread. I'm responding here to help get this thread going. I think the cops are trying to keep the family in the loop and cooperative. Maybe they don't want to be picking his story apart too much publicly so as to avoid alienating the family, since his and hers are sticking close together. They might start stonewalling if the cops make it too obvious.

[Doc Savage]

Had a notion that perhaps they had already recovered her body the other day. Then they run the bluff on Scotty boy waiting to see if he'd crack and run or confess. There is no reason on earth to leave a possible corpus delicti laying on the bottom other than they already had brought it up and were hoping to spook him into a confession.

The reason being that with a lawyer they know they will not be able to question him now. As long as he stays silent they would still have to tie him to the murder which could be very difficult at this stage.

[Lanza]

Mark Furhman was on Tv last night saying a lie detector if he passed it would clear him fast, but he won't take one (supposedly).

[spectre]

OK, so does anyone want to make a bet they know approximately how big the body is, remembering Laci is only 5'1?

The report I heard last night, on how they secure an underwater crime scene before removing the body was fascinating.

sw

[tubebender]

BREAKING NEWS...POLICE RECOVER WHITE BOX VAN FROM WATERS OF S/F BAY...

[RGSpincich]

I agree about the police keeping the family in the loop. My comment was directed more towards Fuhrman, the pathologist and other "experts" in the media. I expected them to be picking apart the story by now.

[runningbear]

lol....should of been a clear day for it... ;o) Ah, Fisherman's Wharf, so beautiful there, and fantastic during FleetWeek.

[runningbear]

I think the family is already feeling the pressure, to believe or not on Scott, and when I heard some excerpts on air news stories, KGO and KCBS, some family members are already getting that 'get away from me' attitude. You can hear it listening to their voices while they are being interviewed.

[wimpycat]

Well, Furhman was picking it apart last night, talking about the unaccounted for time, his access to a warehouse at a time when no employees were likely present, no (confirmed) stops for gas or coffee or food, how a polygraph might eliminate him but he doesn't seem to want to take it. I think they're trying to slowly plant the seeds of doubt, because the family will be listening or at least told what was said on these shows.

[runningbear]

LOL.... I remember that!..... LOL....

[wimpycat]

If the family gets annoyed enough by the press, they may start to pressure Scott to take the damn polygraph or at least be more forthcoming. They could also split up into two camps, his family and hers. OR they could close ranks and shut everybody, including the cops, out.

[RGSpincich]

Local NBC - Live pictures of divers in parking lot at Berkeley Marina. Boats are being launched, same boat ramp SP supposedly used. Now they say 8:30 dive time.

[runningbear]

Well, I think more pressure will come down on Scott from family members. Modesto people are pretty much close nit if long term native folks here, and if I remember right, Laci grew up on a dairy farm? Farmers and Ranchers stick close to one another, watching out for each other, and help when help is needed. Most times, pride. So, being that Scott is from San Diego area, both families will start to second questioning him, and to reassure that they are either correct or not, or start the family feuds in doubts to begin. Then Scott is up sh#t creek! But that is, if he did do the dirty little secret!

[wimpycat]

That gives me plenty of time to do my housewifely duties, i.e. laundry, shopping, vacuuming, etc. without missing anything significant.