Peterson tackles rumors, reports

The Modesto Bee ^ | Jan 30, 2003 | Ty Phillips

[runningbear]

Peterson tackles rumors, reports
ADRIAN MENDOZA/THE BEE

At center, Los Angeles radio station KFI radio personality Ken Chiampou broadcasts live as he and other members of the media go to Scott Peterson's side gate after he arrives home Wednesday afternoon. Peterson later ordered the media off his property.

Scott Peterson talks with Modesto police officers Billy Hamilton, left, and G.E. Paglione as they arrive at his house to answer a complaint.

Peterson tackles rumors, reports

By TY PHILLIPS
BEE STAFF WRITER

Scott Peterson conducted several televised interviews at his home on Wednesday, address-ing numerous allegations and rumors surrounding the investigation into the disappearance of his wife, Laci.

By 5 p.m., more than a dozen TV trucks had set up camp near the Petersons' house on Covena Avenue in Modesto's La Loma neighborhood.

Wednesday night, Peterson called police when other reporters -- hopeful for an interview -- followed him to his back gate and remained on his property after he told them to leave. Officers arrived, stayed 10 minutes and left, making no arrests.

Peterson declined to be interviewed by The Bee, saying that he was upset with two articles the newspaper had published.

One of the articles described Peterson at a New Year's Eve vigil for his wife, saying he was laughing and smiling a good deal of the time. He did not say what the other story was.

"With the feelings I have about the newspaper right now, I am not interested in talking," Peterson said by phone. "The articles need to have more with Laci in them and not be focused on me."

Laci Peterson's family reported her missing Christmas Eve. The 27-year-old is more than eight months pregnant with her first child.

Scott Peterson, 30, said he last saw his wife at 9:30 a.m. the day before Christmas when he left for a fishing trip and she prepared to go for a walk with their dog.

Police say they have not named Scott Peterson as a suspect, nor have they ruled him out of the investigation.

Wednesday began with the second part of Peterson's videotaped interview on ABC Television's "Good Morning America," with co-host

Diane Sawyer talking not only with Peterson but with his family.

In the interview, Peterson said:

Both he and Laci have $250,000 life insurance policies, taken out two years ago. He called untrue a report that he took out such a policy on his wife only last summer.

His wife may not have opened the drapes Christmas Eve morning because it was probably 40 degrees outside, and keeping the drapes closed helps keep the house warm. Family members and neighbors have said that Laci Peterson opened the drapes every day.

He routinely cuts his hands in his work on farms. Peterson, a fertilizer salesman, made the comment and showed his hands in response to reports that police had found blood in one of his and Laci's vehicles.

He loaded large umbrellas to take to his warehouse on Christmas Eve. A neighbor reportedly saw Peterson putting something into a vehicle that day.

During the interview, Peterson described his marriage as "glorious" even though he admitted to cheating on his pregnant wife. "We took care of each other very well," he said. "She was amazing. She is amazing."

Asked about the baby boy due within weeks, he responded: "That was, it's so hard."

At his home, Peterson sat down with several news outlets. He went through the interviews alone, without an attorney.

Speaking with Gloria Gomez of Sacramento TV station KOVR, Peterson explained why he said he told his wife about his affair with Amber Frey: "It was the right thing to do. And, as you know, when you're not doing the right thing, it eats you up. You know you feel sick to your stomach and you can't function. And you have a hard time, you know, looking at someone."

Throughout Wednesday, people drove and walked by the Peterson house, apparently to get a closer look.

"It's innocent until proven guilty in a court of law," said Elvira Varse, who lives a few streets away. "But he's guilty until he's proven innocent in this neighborhood."

Among the media throng was a pair of shock jocks from a Los Angeles radio station. When Peterson came home, one of them yelled into a megaphone: "Nobody believes your story."

Lyanne Melendez, a reporter with San Francisco radio station KGO, walked up to the shock jocks' radio van and told the DJs: "That's just bad journalism."

One of them responded: "We're not journalists. We're entertainers."

Bee staff photographer Adrian Mendoza contributed to this report.

Bee staff writer Ty Phillips can be reached at 578-2331 or tphillips@modbee.com.

Posted: January 30, 2003 @ 05:30:15 AM PST

[Yeti]

He said he then decided to go fishing. He tried calling Laci to let her know, could not get a hold of her and decided to go anyway.

You know what just occurred to me -- if he didn't plan on going fishing when he left for work, why did he have the boat connected to the truck?

[Velveeta]

I thought the boat was at the warehouse??

[Yeti]

He hardly took more than a few steps and was totally overcome by fumes and died, as did the calf.

Is it ammonia or methane or what that is so overpowering?

[valleygal]

Kim, I am bookmarking this because I have to go. Thanks for the ping.

[Wednesday's Child]

I certainly hope the PD is checking out all the farms Scott does business at, especially those with manure pits. Thanks again for the picture and information.

[Rheo]

LOL...thanks..missed that in the story..was too busy thinking about how smart that clerk was...lol

Isn't Longview the same place that the Elizabeth Smart "note on bathroom door at gas station" took place?

[cherry]

"Hmmm, was it the NE that stated Scott called Amber and said, "my wife is dead."?"

no, it was a poster here on FR that first reported that from an inlaw of some sort....I recall it circulated alot of forums and was widely disputed ....

infact, some were denigrating FR and basically implying that posters here were not to be believed....

But we all know that FR , being so "adversarial" , that anyone can say anything, but be prepared for incoming when you do.....it keeps us all towing the line ...

[pbear8]

I agree about the tarp. If I took a walk right now along the shore I'd probably come across one.

If they really are interested in the one they found they'd be looking for blood, etc.

[alexandria]

OK did some PI work.
For Del Rio Country Club at 801 Stewart ave Modesto. the initiation fee is $25,000 plus $195.00 monthly dues then another $290.00 towards "capital spending" for the bar and food and things.
BTW this might be slightly off as I was on the phone and had a serious distraction in the other room at the same time. If anyone else wants to call the phone number is (209) 545-0723

[Freedom2specul8]

I can't get over it either. I keep thinking..license plate #, car description, 911..etc..

I don't know about Longview..sorry.

[Freedom2specul8]

"infact, some were denigrating FR and basically implying that posters here were not to be believed.... "

Am sorry to hear that.

[pbear8]

Tip #3: Anchor with great care. Sloppy anchoring will spook a large area and render a "hot spot" useless. If the boat swings with the tide, don't be afraid of using a second anchor.

Scott must have read this as he was so busy making anchors! Still wondering where they are though.

[cinFLA]

>i?Speaking with Gloria Gomez of Sacramento TV station KOVR, Peterson explained why he said he told his wife about his affair with Amber Frey: "It was the right thing to do. And, as you know, when you're not doing the right thing, it eats you up. You know you feel sick to your stomach and you can't function. And you have a hard time, you know, looking at someone."

If he really cared and really told her, he would NOT have gone fishing Christmas Eve. His story stinks!

[homeschool mama]

The check was taken back by one of the men...and they paid with cash.

[Yeti]

I thought the boat was at the warehouse??

Ah, ok .... nevermind.

[texasbluebell]

We only recently learn, that Scott went to the office/warehouse and after a couple of hours, and on the spur of the moment, decided to "go fishing".... But NOW, there is at least another hour or two added to the mystery. All he really accomplished with this new revelation, was to give himself less time to actually fish. He cast more suspicion on to himself.

Spec, take a look at this comment I put on an earlier thread (you may have missed it the other day...)

link--post 258

I agree with you, SP just dug the hole deeper for himself.

[iaf97]

Re: reported sighting of Laci
Apparently driving time from Modesto to Washington is 11 hours. If she got in a car on the 23rd she could have been in Washington Christmas Eve.I would love to know what the surveillance tapes show. Maybe that is why SP is so smug that she won't be found in the area. Never know but still leaves SP as an accomplice.

[Wednesday's Child]

I always believed it was mainly the methane but I just did a search and this is what I found out...A pit is filled with toxic and oxygen displacing gas. The gasses present are hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, carbon dioxide and methane. The most dangerous of all is hydrogen sulfide which will cause death in seconds. It is most dangerous when the pit is being agitated........

[Doc Savage]

Two points about the 9:30am time: One, he could have been in and out of the home several times during the night without being seen or heard. Two, HE told the police 9:30am before anyone came forward to corroborate the time.

Now maybe he did leave at 9:30am. But talk about taking a chance! Any friend or relative could have stopped over at that time to drop off gifts, a bottle of wine, return something, just say hi, for coffee with Laci to say Merry Christmas............and if they did, what exactly does he say,............she's out walking the dog (ok, I'll wait) or she went to the store (ok I'll wait).

I would be more skeptical about the neighbor relating an accurate time. I see my neighbors coming and going constantly, but I don't immediately glance at my watch and make a mental note each time they back out of their driveway!

9:30am says alot without saying alot. It says WE had a leisurely morning, We had a quiet wake-up and breakfast, WE were ready to begin our day etc. 7am says no way a woman who is 8 months preggy is going to get up on a cold drizzly day and say, "Hey, I can't wait to take the dog for a walk!" OTOH if he strangled her in her sleep (or suffocated her) during the early morning hours of the 24th, he may have been so busy prepping the body and getting prepared for the drive to Berkely that he didn't get away until 9:30. But if that's true, he was certainly one lucky stiff no one interrupted him.

[iaf97]

Sinnett's clerk thinks she saw Laci Peterson
By Leslie Slape
Jan 30, 2003 - 08:41:04 am PST



A clerk at a Longview grocery store believes she may have waited on a pregnant woman who vanished from Modesto, Calif., on Christmas Eve and whose case has come to national attention.

"This is serious," the Market Place clerk recalled the woman as telling her sometime in December. "I was kidnapped. Call the authorities when I leave."







The clerk initially intended to call police but became distracted and forgot. She didn't act until late last week after a CNN report on Laci Peterson, 27, jogged her memory.

Longview police are reviewing all video surveillance tapes for the month of December. If the woman on the tape appears to be Peterson, officers will advise Modesto Police.

Peterson's husband has told investigators he last saw his wife the morning of Christmas Eve. Peterson is due to give birth to a boy on Feb. 10.

While watching the CNN report, the clerk suddenly recalled a strange pair of customers who passed through her checkout line at the Commerce Avenue store.

In her statement to Longview police, the clerk, 45, recalled that the woman appeared to be in her 20s and in a late stage of pregnancy. She said the woman was a "classic beauty" with sleek brown hair.

The clerk said the woman was accompanied by a much older man with "strong features" and a ruddy complexion.

The man's apparent age doesn't correspond with that of Peterson's husband, Scott Peterson, who is 30.

Police have not named Peterson as a suspect in his wife's disappearance, but attention has focused on him, in part because he admits he told his wife he was having an affair shortly before she vanished.

The clerk said the couple bought the sort of food which could be eaten easily on a trip, such as containers of yogurt. After the man stepped out of line to get something he forgot, the clerk remarked to the woman that she should be wearing a coat on such a chilly day.

The woman told the clerk she didn't have time to take a coat because she was kidnapped. She said the man had a weapon.

The clerk told police she wasn't sure whether to take the woman seriously.

The woman then quickly put some candy on the counter, signed her name to a check and gave to it the clerk, telling her to fill out the rest for the price of the candy.

The clerk told her she wasn't allowed to do that. The report does not indicate whether the clerk looked at the name or address on the check.

The woman hurriedly completed the check, but the clerk had no time to ring up the purchase because the man returned. He took the check and insisted on paying cash for the candy along with the rest of the groceries.

He asked what the women talked about while he was gone.

"She said you kidnapped her," the clerk said.

That made the man angry, she said.

The clerk teasingly added that her husband always kidnaps her to take her to dinner. The man relaxed and laughed.

"Yeah, I guess I kidnapped her," she recalled him saying.

After they left, the clerk unsuccessfully tried to find a phone book to call police, then became distracted and forgot about the incident. She told police she feels terrible about it now.

The Daily News Wednesday was unable to contact the clerk or the Modesto officer in charge of the investigation.

Detective Sgt. Dan Jacobs said he didn't know how long it would take to review the videotapes.

© 2003 The Daily News
Lee Publications, Inc.