Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Homicide victims usually know killer
The Modesto Bee ^ | Posted: January 28, 2003 @ 04:50:10 AM PST | Patick Giblin

Posted on 01/28/2003 5:13:29 AM PST by runningbear

Homicide victims usually know killer

Homicide victims usually know killer

By PATRICK GIBLIN
BEE STAFF WRITER

If Laci Peterson has been killed, statistics say she was likely slain by someone close to her.

Police still hold out hope for the pregnant, 27-year-old woman's safe return, but veteran investigators know that with each passing day since her disappearance on Christmas Eve, the chance diminishes.

"For much of our search, when we're looking in places under water, we're looking for a body," Modesto Police Chief Roy Wasden said earlier this month.

According to the California Department of Justice, more than 63 percent of the people who were arrested in California on homicide charges in 2001 knew their victims.

That's why detectives usually start investigating family members when they suspect a homicide has occurred, said Mike Van Winkle, spokesman for the department's Division of Law Enforcement.

"About three years ago, we had a female agent who didn't show up for work," he said. "The husband said she left in the morning, but our detectives took a look at him anyway. Pretty soon, he told us where to find the body."

It makes sense statistically why police are increasingly focusing on Laci Peterson's 30-year-old husband, Scott Peterson. According to the California homicide figures:

Approximately 46 percent of victims were related to the killer in some other way.

Nearly 7 percent of victims were killed by their spouses.

About 7 percent of the victims were killed by a parent or child.

About 4 percent of the killers had an "other" relationship with the victim. That could mean they were dating or roommates, for example.

About 36 percent of the victims did not know the person who killed them.

But just because Scott Peterson is the husband does not mean he's guilty of anything, Van Winkle cautioned.

Neither does the news that he had a romantic relationship with a Fresno woman he met in late November, a criminal justice expert said Monday.

Jeanette Sereno, a lawyer and assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice with California State University, Stanislaus, warned that Scott Peterson's reported liaison doesn't make him guilty of homicide.

"In fact, just because he (might be) a suspect doesn't automatically make him the defendant," she said.

According to several studies on marriage -- including a 1998 study by the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California at San Francisco -- nearly one-fifth of spouses will have affairs during their marriages. Yet few end up in homicide.

Laci Peterson's case has another factor -- she's pregnant. Their son is due on Feb. 10.

According to a 2001 study by the American Medical Association, the leading cause of death for pregnant women is homicide. The study randomly looked at the cases of 247 pregnant women who died and found that 50 of them were murdered.

The other women died from heart problems, car accidents, previously unknown medical problems or complications from the pregnancy.

"Typically, pregnant women don't participate in risky activities such as hiking, mountain climbing or drinking in bars," Sereno said. "They are eating well and seeing their doctors, so their deaths normally would be something out of their control."

Bee staff writer Patrick Giblin can be reached at 578-2347 or pgiblin@modbee.com.

Posted: January 28, 2003 @ 04:50:10 AM PST


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: lacipeterson; scottcheaterson
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 501-514 next last
To: Velveeta
"Asked on ABC if he had murdered her, he said, "I had absolutely nothing to do with her disappearance." Noting that there is no proof she had been killed, he said the murder theory "is not one we're ready to accept." Police have not named him as a suspect but attention has focused on him, in part because of the affair."

Hummm, do I detect some play words here? Past and present tense, and only a killer would know these answers! Scott!

21 posted on 01/28/2003 5:44:53 AM PST by runningbear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: CFW
bttt.....
22 posted on 01/28/2003 5:46:04 AM PST by runningbear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: RGSpincich; runningbear
We miss ya, RG! Who knows, you may run into Scott down there soon, LOL!

Don't drink the water.

23 posted on 01/28/2003 5:46:14 AM PST by spectre (spectre's wife)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: runningbear
No "proof" that she had been murdered.

Not yet, Scott. Be patient.

sw

24 posted on 01/28/2003 5:50:15 AM PST by spectre (spectre's wife)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: runningbear
Thanks for the ping. If it is true and he told police about Amber, the affair, right away, he was probably trying to nail the disappearance on her!
25 posted on 01/28/2003 5:50:58 AM PST by BonneBlue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Tijeras_Slim
So Scotty wants the whole world to believe that after a few weeks of cheating on his pregnant wife, he tells his wife about the affair because (and I quote)"it was the right thing to do".

BUT he continues to see Amber (Scott confirmed this) and still doesn't tell Amber that he's married.

Doesn't fly Scotty boy, your goose is cooked.
26 posted on 01/28/2003 5:52:54 AM PST by Velveeta ((Please sign the Missing Adult Alert petition! http://www.PetitionOnline.com/adalert/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: spectre
LOL....
27 posted on 01/28/2003 5:53:28 AM PST by runningbear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: BonneBlue
Maybe at first glance, but after Amber came forth, SP story doesn't wash!
28 posted on 01/28/2003 5:54:04 AM PST by runningbear
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Velveeta
"Diane Sawyer asked him if he expects people to believe that a very pregnant Laci was accepting of his relationship and they
didn't fight about it! Scott stated that he and Laci didn't argue about it."

Hah! I would say this is a "pack of lies". Does he expect us to believe this? What a silly man.
29 posted on 01/28/2003 5:54:12 AM PST by BonneBlue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Velveeta
Yes, I saw it too. This guy is good. With the tears he could almost convince you he didn't do it. But your point about her being accepting of his betrayl is right on.

He HAS to say they didn't fight.......to admit they fought brings him directly to the question of December 23rd. He keeps trying to alibi his way out but he just keeps tripping over the truth.

Right! Laci LOVED the idea of her husband having sex with another woman while she was pregnant. NO PROBLEM! And they never argued about it or fought about it. It was a divinely OPEN marriage......well, at least one side of it was divine and open!!

His trying to deflect the "concept" that they might have ever argued about this PROVES beyond a doubt that he killed her. She was fine with it my foot!

Of course being a Wellesley "woman", and a flaming liberal, Diane Sawyer is probably sizing him up for one of her nieces after this dies down!

30 posted on 01/28/2003 5:55:58 AM PST by Doc Savage
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Doc Savage
Diane asks, "there was not a lot of anger?" "No," says Scott as his gaze shifts to the bottom left...
31 posted on 01/28/2003 6:02:09 AM PST by BonneBlue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Doc Savage
Right! Laci LOVED the idea of her husband having sex with another woman while she was pregnant. NO PROBLEM!

Yeah, Laci was relieved he was getting some on the side, so that he won't be bugging HER for sex...it was all very convenient, really, everybody's happy, we're all adults here, etc.,etc............NOOOOOOOOOT!!!

32 posted on 01/28/2003 6:03:06 AM PST by wimpycat (Hands off my Moral Compass!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: runningbear
Looking at the photos, IMHO, Scotty-boy traded down in the looks department with Amber.
33 posted on 01/28/2003 6:03:57 AM PST by buccaneer81 (The sheep is not a creature of the air...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: BonneBlue
Diane "wasn't there alot of anger"..SCOTT: "no"...

I'd love to hear what Laci's family has to say about how Laci might have dealt with this...no anger? LOL.

sw

34 posted on 01/28/2003 6:05:35 AM PST by spectre (spectre's wife)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: BonneBlue; runningbear
Good going, watching his eye movement.

When people tell the truth and are remembering truthful events, they'll generally look in the same direction. It's different for different people; they may always look up and to the left, or up and to the right, or down and to the left or right, but they'll be consistent.

Try it out on yourself. Think of who your 5th grade teacher was and try to be natural about it and see which way your eyes go. I look up and to the right. When I try to look up and to the left while remembering a truthful event, it feels weird.

When they switch from remembering truthful events to remembering a fabricated story, their gaze generally shifts while they are "remembering" what it is they want to say.
35 posted on 01/28/2003 6:07:51 AM PST by wimpycat (Hands off my Moral Compass!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: runningbear
I watched his reaction very closely when Sawyer asked him point blank if he had murdered his wife. The next time you see it watch him turn his head to side to deflect Sawyer's eyes, there is a pause as he tries to remember exactly how he had rehearsed his response. But the telltale signal is how he momentarily averts his eyes down and sideways before he begins to answer.

No I'm not an expert and I can't read minds, but I know when someone is lying to me and his facial expression and eyes give him away.

I also find it strange that he never postulates what might have happened re: who the hell else is a suspect???? There are no other suspects.

I mean can he point to any threatening phone calls prior to her disappearance; any indication that Laci was being stalked; any business deal that went south and the people he dealt with might attempt to strike back at his family; any similar abductions in the immediate neighborhood that had the the same MO; any reprobates or perverts or strangers seen immediately before in the vicinity of his house; any one he might know of with a vendetta against "them" or their extended families; anyone who might have been attempting to extort money from him for some reason; drug dealers who didn't get paid off; loan sharks who wouldn't hesitate to collect by force; something, anything.................but nothing!

36 posted on 01/28/2003 6:07:58 AM PST by Doc Savage
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: runningbear
Nearly 7 percent of victims were killed by their spouses.

That ain't much!

Stranger is more than 5 times as likely as that.

37 posted on 01/28/2003 6:08:36 AM PST by Yeti
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: spectre
I love this part.. He told Laci in early December about the affair ( which started on November 20) because it was The right thing to do, yet he kept seeing Amber and telling her that he was single and travelling in Europe.

So why would he do ' The right thing' by Laci, while lying and still sleeping with Amber.

If it wasn't so pathetic it would be laughable.

38 posted on 01/28/2003 6:08:39 AM PST by Hillary's Lovely Legs (Happy people live longer. I plan on living forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Doc Savage
ping to #35. We were typing at the same time.
39 posted on 01/28/2003 6:08:50 AM PST by wimpycat (Hands off my Moral Compass!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
I feel like screaming at him, "LIAR, LIAR PANTS ON FIRE!!"
40 posted on 01/28/2003 6:09:26 AM PST by wimpycat (Hands off my Moral Compass!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 501-514 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson