# Scott Peterson Killed Laci -- Are you all with me? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871 "2003-01-31T15:26:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/21 "2003-01-31T20:18:03Z")
His case reminds me of another, [Matthew Solomon](http://www.lihistory.com/9/hs9crime.htm) > [@](#): > > Huntington Station newlywed Matthew Solomon, meanwhile, was convicted of killing his wife, Lisa, on Christmas Eve, 1987, then stuffing her body into a plastic garbage bag and pretending to take part in a neighborhood search for her. He was sentenced to 18 years to life. Fortunately, we don’t throw people in jail simply on my word (else we’d need 5 billion jail cells). ---
**Author:** ![jeel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@jeel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeel)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/22 "2003-01-31T20:18:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > \*\*First of all, polygraphs are junk science. That’s why they are not admissible in court. If my wife went missing there is no way I would take a polygraph but I would certainly cooperate with the police as much as I possibly could even if it increased the chance that I would get incorrectly blamed. \*\* I agree with you to an extent. However, I have actually had to take a polygraph, and I was super nervous, but I passed, because I had nothing to lie about. After that experience, I myself, would not be afraid of a false-positive, but I see your point…and my OP was definitely tilted toward guilty due to what I have come to believe because of the media. If I was picked as a juror in a case like this though, I would definitely remove myself from what the media has presented, and listen to the facts…but I don’t have to worry about that, so I still say he’s guilty at this point. 😛 My OP pretty much only mentioned the polygraph stuff, but what really got me the other day, was the fact that a neighbor saw him loading a large object wrapped in a tarp, and he explained that it was a couple of beach umbrellas. He has no explanation that I know of for the umbrellas, and did not want to allow anybody to see inside the warehouse where he alledges he took them. The object wrapped in a tarp could be anything, but without a good explanation, it leads one to think a number of things that don’t make him look any more innocent. There is one thing though: If I was guilty of killing my wife, I probably would not give interviews to anybody on TV, and he has definitely been willing to do that…to an extent. ---
**Author:** ![stylize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@stylize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stylize)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/23 "2003-01-31T20:23:45Z")
I thought that he claimed that he told the police about the affair as soon as he reported her missing. The lovely Enquirer supposedly had a source saying he never told police about the affair. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/24 "2003-01-31T20:24:20Z")
I’d like to reiterate hajaro, RickJay and anyone else who pointed out that polygraphs are not much better than voodoo. I used to think that taking a polygraph (or _not_ taking one) _meant_ something, but I now sing a different tune. I was asked to take a polygraph for something that I knew I did not do. I was so upset and stressed out about the test, that a policeman friend of mine told me that it was better that I not take the test—lots of emotion can screw up the results of the test. My cop friend told me that polygraphs are not unlike voodoo—it all depends on how much you _believe_ in them. My opinions of polygraphs have been radically altered since that experience. As far as this Scott Peterson guy goes—he is making a lot of moves that make him “look” guilty, but how do we know? He could merely be a loutish cheating husband who was unlucky enough to have his wife kidnapped. ---
**Author:** ![Mamapotomus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mamapotomus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mamapotomus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/25 "2003-02-01T03:38:54Z")
When I was in 10th grade, my history teachers’ wife (also a teacher, across town) was murdered in their bed. He claimed to be out with friends at at a football game (at 2 a.m.) and their 16 year old son claimed to be playing basketball (again, at 2 am.). Rumors swirled… Mr. Teacher was having an affair, the son was on crack, etc. The police had no leads. The local newspaper all but came out and declared his guilt. Four years later the cops pulled over a guy for speeding and found his car loaded with stolen stuff. He freaked out and admitted to breaking into Mr. Teachers house years before and knifing Mrs. Teacher during the burglary. Without that lucky break they would have never caught him and my teacher would be under suspicion for the rest of his life. That said, I still think the husband did it. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/26 "2003-02-01T04:03:35Z")
First the polygraph-- Now I’ve heard he won’t agree to take a [tasseograph](http://216.232.71.251/~larry/miscpics/tealeaves.jpg) test, either. Hang him! ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/27 "2003-02-01T04:46:04Z")
On the morning of her disapparence, Scott drives 85 miles with his boat and spends all day fishing. . .alone. Somehow or other he cuts his hand and bleeds in his vehicle. He returns home that evening and he doesn’t find his wife. Oh yes, this was Christmas Eve. I view his story as nothing short of preposterious. Is the story possible? Yes. Is it plausible, no. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/28 "2003-02-01T06:10:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aahala \* > \*\*On the morning of her disapparence, Scott drives 85 miles with his boat and spends all day fishing. . .alone. Somehow or other he cuts his hand and bleeds in his vehicle. He returns home that evening and he doesn’t find his wife. Oh yes, this was Christmas Eve. > > I view his story as nothing short of preposterious. Is the story possible? Yes. Is it plausible, no. \*\* Well, looking at those points alone, there’s really nothing suspicious that I see. I’d like to be able to spend an entire day alone sometimes. Fishing doesn’t float _my_ boat (damn, that’s a pun, ain’t it?), but if it did, that’s be a perfect way to get away. I cut my hand two days ago at work with a knife, didn’t stop bleeding for twenty minutes. If I were in a car, that car’d be pretty bloody. And to some people, Christmas Eve just isn’t that big a deal. To me, it’s not much more than a day off work. Seems reasonable that two such people married each other. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/29 "2003-02-01T06:30:33Z")
Personally, I second **Legomancer** , **Zebra** , **Duke** , **kasuo** and agree with: > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*As far as this Scott Peterson guy goes—he is making a lot of moves that make him “look” guilty, but how do we know? He could merely be a loutish cheating husband who was unlucky enough to have his wife kidnapped. \*\* Sorry. The media ain’t a court of law - it’s goddamned entertainment. If you want to convict someone through entertainment, that ain’t law, that’s a lynch mob. I hate the media. Damned vultures. . . Tripler Sticking by his guns. ---
**Author:** ![jeel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@jeel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeel)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/30 "2003-02-03T02:05:46Z")
Okay…does everybody agree that the Media sucks donkey balls? We’ll see what the outcome is after the trial of whoever ends up charged with her disappearance. Hopefully they’ll be able to charge _SOMEBODY_. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/31 "2003-02-03T03:29:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > What is scarey is the possible connection to Elizabeth Smart. Around ten years ago this young lady disappeared off of the campus of Cal State San Louis Obispo without a trace. Scott (and Laci) attended CS-SLO at that same time. There was a report that the SLO police have been contacted by the investigators of the Laci disappearence. Elizabeth’s body has never been found. This guy could be a serial killer. Last year, I did a report on serial killers for my American Legal Systems class. Generally, its women killers that are able to wait several years before killing again. I didn’t find any examples of a male serial killer who killed and then waited 10 years before killing again. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/32 "2003-02-03T05:33:34Z")
When I first heard about this story, I thought “What kind of man goes alone on a fishing trip on Christmas Eve while his 8 month in pregnancy wife is home alone herself??” Then i heard about the affair (or affairs? Is it right that there is more than one woman coming out?). OH. That kind of man would leave his pregnant wife alone. And the kind of man who would have an affair while his wife is pregnant, and then leave said very pregnant wife alone is the type of unfeeling freako who would KILL HER!!! But then again, I join the others that hope she mentally flipped him the bird, planted evidence, and hottailed it outta there, leaving him with bunch of shit to deal with. LOLOL. ---
**Author:** ![djf750](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/33 "2003-02-03T06:15:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > \*\* > > What is scarey is the possible connection to Elizabeth Smart. Around ten years ago this young lady disappeared off of the campus of Cal State San Louis Obispo without a trace. Scott (and Laci) attended CS-SLO at that same time. There was a report that the SLO police have been contacted by the investigators of the Laci disappearence. Elizabeth’s body has never been found. This guy could be a serial killer. > > Haj \*\* First of all, isn’t Elizabeth Smart the 14 year old from Denver? The young woman in San Luis Obispo is named Kristen Smart IIRC. And they know who did it, they just can’t find her body to charge him. It was the drunken college kid who she went back to the dorm room with( she was drunk too). I know his name but I’m leaving it out. He was arrested near here (Santa Maria) for drunk driving last year. Although it is strange that a small town like San Luis Obispo has had 3 young women murdered (2 by the same guy who was caught) and now Laci , who went to school there. By the way, hell yes he did it. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/34 "2003-02-03T09:26:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SuperLorie \* > **And the kind of man who would have an affair while his wife is pregnant, and then leave said very pregnant wife alone is the type of unfeeling freako who would KILL HER!!!** Do you really mean to say that cheating ~= killing? And as for leaving her alone, what, should he be chained to her at all times? And remember folks, beware the media in cases like this… Richard Jewell and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/35 "2003-02-03T11:39:37Z")
Solo fishing trip on Christmas Eve, leaving a wife 8 months pregnant alone at home, on Christmas Eve fer chrissakes. Don’tthinkso. IMO, it is very likely that they argued that morning or the night before, and he killed her in anger. He then dumped the body and tried to arrange an alibi. Best he could do under the circumstances. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\*[Weird and as yet unconfirmed development](http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/134625389_webpeterson31.html) for those of you who care. \*\* Now THIS is the dumbest thing I read yet. > [@](#): > > the clerk told police a pregnant woman came into Market Place in this southwest Washington town and said: “This is serious. I was kidnapped. Call the authorities when I leave.” > > The 45-year-old clerk said she intended to call police but became distracted and forgot, She sees a pregnant woman, who claims to be kidnapped and needs the help of the police, and she gets distracted and FORGETS ABOUT IT??? She says she feels terrible about forgetting, as well she should. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/36 "2003-02-03T15:26:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > \*\*Solo fishing trip on Christmas Eve, leaving a wife 8 months pregnant alone at home, on Christmas Eve fer chrissakes. Don’tthinkso. > > \*\* Well he did have to pay to use the docks so the business of fishing on Christmas Eve was open and it seems that there were plenty of people there so the one lone guy on Christmas Eve. I mean if only five people showed up at the lake because _fishing on Christmas Eve is such a ridiculous idea_ then the dock people would either know he was there or know he wasn’t there for sure. Now for the ‘insurance’ arguement. Any insurance agent would tell you that adding a child is a perfect time to rethink your insurance needs. Extra life insurance for both parents is something millions of Americans do when they get pregnate. This is not suspicious in any way. Oh and **jeel** I think most people think OJ did it and got away with it because he had very good lawyers. ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871/37 "2003-02-03T18:55:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by monica \* > \*\*Last year, I did a report on serial killers for my American Legal Systems class. Generally, its women killers that are able to wait several years before killing again. I didn’t find any examples of a male serial killer who killed and then waited 10 years before killing again. \*\* Jeffrey Dahmer killed his first victim in 1978, then his next was 9 years after that. As far as the Peterson case goes, I think that Scott did it. So often, it IS the spouse who commits the murder. IMHO, he killed her and came up with an alibi afterwards. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-peterson-killed-laci-are-you-all-with-me/151871.md?page=1)