Woman goes public

BART AH YOU/THE BEE
In a news conference in Modesto on Friday, Amber Frey of Fresno acknowledged having a romantic relationship with Scott Peterson

The Laci Peterson case took a dramatic twist Friday when a 28-year-old single mother acknowledged having a recent romantic relationship with Scott Peterson.

Amber Frey, who lives in the Fresno area, said in an emotional news conference Friday night that Peterson told her he was not married when they met Nov. 20.

On Dec. 30, Frey contacted police after seeing Scott Peterson's photo in reports regarding his wife's disappearance. She has been eliminated as a suspect in the investigation, Modesto Police Chief Roy Wasden said.

Scott Peterson did not answer his home or cell phone on Friday night, and he did not return messages seeking comment. Wasden said Peterson has not been eliminated from the investigation.

Hours earlier, Laci Peterson's family held its own emotional news conference at the Red Lion Hotel.

"Scott Peterson did admit to me that he was having an affair with a Fresno woman," said Brent Rocha, Laci Peterson's older brother. "I trusted him and I stood by him in the initial phases of my sister's disappearance. However, Scott has not been forthcoming with information regarding my sister's disappearance. I'm only left to question what else he may be hiding."

Last week, a Rocha family member said detectives had told them of Peterson's recent affair and that he had taken out a $250,000 life insurance policy on his wife during the summer.

Asked about the report the next day, Scott Peterson told a Bay Area TV reporter, "It's a bunch of lies."

Eight days later, Frey stood in front of dozens of reporters at the Police Department and spoke about her relationship with Scott Peterson. Police

revealed the woman's identity because several reporters had started to contact her, Wasden said.

"When I discovered he was involved in the Laci Peterson disappearance case, I immediately contacted the Modesto Police Department," Frey said. "I am very sorry for the pain this has caused Laci's family, and I pray for her return."

Frey's voice shook and she cried several times as she spoke, occasionally taking measured breaths before continuing with her statements.

A group of Laci Peterson's friends stood behind the rows of TV cameras and took in Frey's words. They displayed very little emotion. As soon as Frey stopped talking and left the room, most of Laci Peterson's friends also exited.

"It's emotional for these girls to see her," said Terri Western, whose daughter is a close friend of Laci Peterson's. "But they applauded her for coming forward with this information. This whole thing is absolutely the worst and most difficult thing any of them have ever had to deal with."

Janey Peterson, Scott Peterson's sister-in-law, said later on CNN's "Connie Chung Tonight" that she did not know Scott Peterson had an affair until she heard the news Friday.

"It would not change what I am doing to help find Laci," Janey Peterson said. "And, to be honest, we don't have the extra emotions and we don't have the time to chase down all these peripheries. Trusting in the Lord is all that we have."

Laci Peterson was about eight months pregnant when she was reported missing on Christmas Eve. Her husband told police he last saw her that morning as he left to go fishing in Berkeley.

The case has drawn intense media coverage. Frey implored her friends not to talk to reporters, and Wasden asked the media to respect the privacy of the woman and her 23-month-old child.

"I do believe our entire nation and possibly most of the world is aware that Laci Peterson is missing," Wasden said. "Now, what this is starting to do is border on pretty close to being destructive. We've given the information we feel we need to give so that a young woman who had the courage to come forward and give us information will not be harassed as she tries to go on with her life."

A few hours earlier, the Rocha family walked into the Red Lion Hotel together. In their hands, several family members held prepared statements.

The Rochas looked out through teary eyes that were dark around the edges, proof of the hellish month they have endured. Police later said they had told the family about Frey's planned appearance.

It was the family's first news conference in more than a week, and the first since detectives told the Rochas that Scott Peterson was having an affair.

Family friends said that disclosure appeared to divide the Petersons and Rochas. Before Friday, Laci Peterson's side of the family rarely appeared without someone from Scott Peterson's family.

"This past month has been the most painful time I've ever experienced," she said, looking down as tears flowed. She tried to say more, but the words did not come.

Her brother, Brent, stepped up. He offered his thoughts regarding Scott Peterson, then

directed his message to his younger sister, Laci Peterson, and her unborn child, who had been named Connor or Conner.

"Laci, the last month has been the most disturbing and emo- tional time of my life," he said in a voice that trembled as he struggled for control. "Your disappearance has completely changed my life as I once knew it. I miss your beautiful smile and your fun-loving personality.

"We talked about our children growing up together, spending summers at each other's house. Family events will be very lonely without you and Connor. Wherever you may be, I hope you know how much I love you and how important you are to me. My search for you will never end."

Rocha folded his piece of paper and stepped back to rejoin his family. Laci Peterson's mother, Sharon Rocha, slowly approached the mass of microphones.

MODESTO, Calif. -- In a day filled with tear-stained press conferences Friday, the woman who was having the affair with Scott Peterson came forward to offer her sympathy to the family of his missing wife, Laci, and was cooperating with police investigators.

Hours earlier, Laci's family held an emotional press conference of their own, saying they no longer supported Scott and asked him to cooperate with investigators.

The woman, Amber Frey of Fresno, said she did not know Scott was married until she heard about the case. She came forward on Dec. 30 and has been cooperating with police ever since.

"First of all, I met him on Nov. 20," the single 28-year-old mother said. "When I was introduced, I was told he was married. Scott told me he wasn't married. We had a romantic relationship. When I discovered he was involved in the Laci Peterson case, I immediately contacted the Modesto Police Department."

"Although I could have sold the photos of Scott and I to the tabloids, I didn't want to jeopardize the investigation. I knew it (going to the police) was the right thing to do. I am very sorry for Laci's family and the pain it has caused them. I pray for her safe return."

Modesto police said they had brought Frey forward because her identity had been uncovered by the media covering the case and they were hounding her. They added that Frey was not a suspect in the case.

The stunning 20-minute press conference came just hours after Laci's family met with the press in an emotion-ladden news conference of their own.

Appearing before the national media for the first time in more than a week, Laci's brother -- Brent Rocha -- said that Scott had admitted to him he was having an affair.

"On Jan. 16, 2003, by telephone Scott Peterson admitted to me he was having an affair with a Fresno woman," Rocha said. "I confronted him after viewing pictures of him with this woman."

The family was shown four photos of Scott and the woman by Modesto police a little over a week ago. They were also told Scott had taken out a $250,000 insurance policy out on Laci Peterson's life.

"I would like Scott to know I trusted him and stood by him in the intial phases of my sister's disappearance," Rocha said. "However, Scott has not been forthcoming with information regarding my sister's disappearance and I'm only left to question what he might be hiding."

Laci's mother -- Sharon Rocha -- made an impassioned plea for her daughter's return.

"Since Christmas Eve, our one and only focus has been to find Laci and bring her home to us," she said choking back tears. "I love my daughter and miss her every minute of every day. I miss seeing her. I miss our talks together. I miss the excitement in her voice when she talks about her baby...Someone has taken all this away from me."

In an exclusive interview with KTVU Friday night, Scott Peterson said he wanted to keep the lines of communication open with Laci's family. He said he watched the news conference and "was moved" by the outpouring of emotion from the Rocha family.

On Thursday night, another one-time supporter of Scott Peterson said he too now questioned the Modesto man's motives.

Brad Saltzman, who manages the Red Lion Inn in Modesto, the site of the now closed Laci Peterson search center, said Thursday night his support for Scott has waned since last weekend's efforts in Westwood.

The hotel used as the headquarters for that search is run by the same ownership group as the Modesto Red Lion and Saltzman was a key figure in setting it up.

"It's funny because last week a correspondent asked me if I had ever seen Scott cry," he said. "I thought about it, and I've seen other family members cry but I had never seen Scott cry. His demeanor was like it was empty, and he liked the attention from the media."

"I was able to take him the back way (in the hotel). I was able to take him up the service elevator, but he chose to go in front of the media and it was a media circus out there. That's why I think he intentions weren't to find Laci."

"I put in endless hours as a volunteer to help him, and when he was done with the volunteer efforts he packed his car and left," he said. "There was a thank you and goodbye, (but) it made me wonder what his real motives were."

"Unfortunately I don't think it was to find Laci. I think it was to look good in front of the media, and to show him shaking hands with volunteers, and that's not right because of all these people who have put in countless hours to help find Laci. It's not right."

Peterson's sister-in-law, Janey Peterson, defended him during a series of Friday evening calls to national television networks.

"There is absolutely no way Scott had anything to do with Laci's disappearance," she said. She was unaware of any affair and frankly, it wouldn't matter. It's a distraction from what our primary focus needs to be, and that's to bring Laci home.

"Scott's going to be OK at the end of this road, but we don't know that about Laci, and that's where our focus needs to be," she told CNN's Connie Chung.

There were other developments Friday in the case of the missing mother-to-be who vanished from her home on Christmas Eve day.

BART AH YOU/THE BEE
Friday at the Red Lion Hotel, Laci Peterson's family makes an emotional appeal for her safe return.

This is a glimpse of the Babies R Us online registry for Laci Peterson that shows gifts the pregnant Modesto woman, who's been missing since Dec. 24, had registered for.

A baby-shower date for Laci Peterson came and went with no party. The expectant mother, though, is still listed on a gift registry at Babies R Us.

Friday, the chain store's online registry showed that three gifts had been purchased: a First Years 4 Stage Bath System, a Graco Care Station Pack 'n Play and a Fisher-Price Deluxe Take Along Swing.

Hers is the only name listed on her gift- registry form, but an employee at Babies R Us in Modesto said that is not unusual.

labeled "Additional name (optional)." Some women list a maiden name, nickname or the father, Cabrera said.

Some of Peterson's girlfriends spent Jan. 11, the scheduled day of a shower, working at the volunteer search center established in the wake of Peterson's disappearance on Christmas Eve.

Her due date is Feb. 10, and she and her husband, Scott, already know the baby is a boy. They had picked a name: Connor, or maybe Conner.

Kim Petersen, spokeswoman for Laci Peterson's side of the family as it deals with her disappearance, said Laci had difficulty getting pregnant and wondered if she would ever have a baby.

Susan Medina, who lives across the street from the couple, told about the day in early December when she came outside and discovered that a tire on her car was almost flat.

Frankly, I was not trying to make anyone feel stupid. I am only suggesting that one go back and read for themselves just as I do. And misspelling, yes, I am capable of, but then, must human beings are.

Yer such a sweetie! Thanks for the picture.

But, seriously, I was discouraged by the lack of coverage of her and of her attributes---which, if presented, would have enabled the general public, locals, neighbors, etc. to provide better assistance.

The scandal aspect dominated the news. I would have preferred more media effort directed toward her behavior and appearance so as to facillitate assistance from the local, general public.

Look, I am really sorry if I have taken offense to something that I shouldn't have. Maybe I will go to the Prozac link. LOL!

Have a great night :)

I've been over there, what an interesting post that is! Good grief.

Thanks for alerting me. Anyone else here ought to go take a look too.

Here's a live link

But you know what is real freeky. There is another Amber Frey ...

According to the Census Bureau, Amber is the 139th most common female name, and Frey is the 1284th most common last name. WhitePages.com finds eight Amber Freys in the US.

I still think Amber's statement was written by the police, and it's a well-known fact that it's legal for the police to lie in order to gather information - so we can't really know right now as to how much of what she said is the truth.

Looking at her, she seems like a person who could be easily manipulated. I think the police are using her - but that's not necessarily bad if she knows it and is willing to get up front to bring the murderer to justice.

Yeah, you're right. Especially that last part where she makes an appeal to her friends and family not to speak to the media and to hopefully respect the privacy of her and her son....huh?

Written by the police???? I could see her father assisting her, or a family lawyer perhaps, but certainly not the police. I think you are being overly suspicious in this case. I suspect the police are being very cautious about this case and avoiding any possibility of her being called as a witness and having to admit that the police directed everything.

I think it works to their favor, but not at the expense of charges of "witness coercion".

Kudos to Ms. Frey...and good luck...

I'll second that. I found her very real and with a touching appeal.

I have 3 daughters and 2 stepdaughters (each of whom could probably make good use a few chapters from one or more of Dr. Laura's books), and I just hope she can come out better on the other side of this mess.

I'm hopeful, not optimistic since I'm afraid she will continue making choices with her heart instead of head.

because of the mistakes she has made, I just don't see why we need to pile on and beat her up even more

Because unless we do, the culture which is hurting so many little children won't change.

And you are going to change the culture by posting these vicious, misogynist, heartless posts on these threads? You obviously have "issues" as the pop culture would say. I think most of us would wish you to take them somewhere else (maybe to a priest or a therapist).

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