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NEED TO KNOW
Scott Peterson was convicted of killing his wife, Laci Peterson, and unborn son in 2004
His parents, Jackie and Lee, stood by their son's side and insisted on his innocence
Jackie died in 2013, and Lee died in 2024
It's been over 20 years sinceScott Petersonwas charged with the murder of his wife,Laci Peterson, but his family still maintains his innocence.
On Christmas Eve in 2002, Laci, who was eight months pregnant with her and Scott's first child, was reported missing from their home in Modesto, Calif. Four months later, her remains were discovered in the San Francisco Bay along with the remains of the couple's unborn son, who they had planned to name Conner.
Scott was then arrested and charged with the first-degree murder of his wife and the second-degree murder of his son. It was also revealed that Scott had been having an affair with a woman namedAmber Frey.
Scott's parents, Lee and Jackie Peterson, had seen the couple just four days before Laci's disappearance. "We were all putting our hands on [Laci's] stomach ... Scott was trying to find the baby for us so we could feel it kick," Jackie recalled during aJuly 2004 interviewwithBarbara Walters. She added that Scott and Laci were "ecstatic" about becoming parents.
Lee and Jackie stood by their son throughout the trial, including when Scott was eventually found guilty. They also continued to believe in his innocence until their deaths in 2013 and 2024. Several surviving members of Scott's family are still working to clear his name, and in 2024, his case wastaken on by the Los Angeles Innocence Project.
Here's everything to know about what happened to Scott Peterson's parents after Laci Peterson's death.
Lee and Jackie welcomed Scott in 1972
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Lee and Jackie welcomed Scott, their only child together, on Oct. 24, 1972. The couple wed the year prior and raised Scott in San Diego.
Lee worked for a trucking company before he started his own shipping and packing business, and Jackie owned a clothing boutique in La Jolla called The Put On.
During a 2004 interview withSF Gate, Lee and Jackie described Scott as the "perfect" son growing up, noting how he never got into trouble and loved golfing, fishing and Cub Scouts.
"We'd tell him, 'You're a lucky man.' He never got in a scrape," Lee told the outlet. "He was like Mr. Perfect."
Lee and Jackie had a large blended family
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In addition to Scott, both Lee and Jackie had children from previous relationships. Lee had three children from his first marriage, daughter Susan and sons Joe and Mark, while Jackie had a son named John.
Jackie also had two children whom she gave up for adoption, who reconnected with the family years later.
During their interview withSF Gate, the couple compared their family dynamic to the Brady Bunch.
Jackie's father was murdered
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When Jackie was just 2 years old, her father, John Latham, was attacked and killed outside of his tire shop in San Diego, perSF Gate.
Shortly after his death, Jackie's mother struggled to care for her and her siblings. Jackie was then sent to what she described as an orphanage when she was 5 years old, where she was raised by Catholic nuns.
Jackie opened up about her traumatic childhood while testifying during the penalty phase of Scott's trial.
Lee and Jackie saw Laci four days before she went missing
Modesto Police Department/ZUMA Press/Shutterstock
During a sit-down interview with Walters in July 2004, Scott's parents revealed that they had seen both him and Laci just days before she went missing, claiming that everything seemed fine between the couple.
Jackie added that Scott was "very excited" about becoming a father, and that he and Laci had tried to get pregnant for three years. She also recalled the moment she found out Laci was missing.
"The phone rang and I answered it. Scott was sobbing on the phone, and all I could hear was 'Laci' and 'Miss,' " Jackie told Walters. "I thought she had miscarried, and my heart just sank ... and then he told me she was missing."
Of their marriage, Jackie claimed: "They backed each other up all the way ... they were totally dedicated to each other."
Lee and Jackie testified during Scott's death penalty sentencing
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Both Lee and Jackie testified during the penalty phase of Scott's 2004 trial, urging the jury to spare him from the death penalty.
"He's an exceptional young man and he's my son," Jackie said during her testimony, perCBS News. "I know he's not perfect ... but he is genuinely a loving, caring, nurturing, kind, gentle person."
She continued: "I really feel if you were to take Scott away from us — they were like a family, Laci, Conner and Scott — it would be a whole family wiped off the face of the earth."
During his testimony, Lee described Scott as his "best friend" and said he helped bring their family "closer together," according toSF Gate. Scott's half-sister Susan also testified, noting that she was worried about her parents' health.
"I see the pain in their faces every day," she said of Lee and Jackie. "I can't imagine it getting any worse than having him put to death. We're sticking together, we're strong, we're supportive of him 100 percent, but I don't think my parents will make it if he goes."
Scott was ultimately sentenced to death. However, years later, in 2020, the California Supreme Courtoverturned his death sentence, citing significant errors in jury selection during the original trial. He wasresentenced to life in prisonthe following year.
Jackie died in 2013
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Jackie died of cancer in 2013. She had been suffering from respiratory issues for several years and used an oxygen tank throughout Scott's trial.
Lee reportedly took Jackie home from the hospital to care for her in her last days.
Lee died in 2024
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On Nov. 9, 2024, Scott's sister-in-law, Janey Peterson, shared on Facebook that Lee had died. "We said our tender goodbyes to my father-in-law last week. Rest in perfect peace, Pops," she wrote alongside aphotoof Lee holding his great-grandson.
Janey, who is married to Scott's older half-brother Joe, has beenactively working to clear Scott's nameand even became an attorney to assist with the case.
"There's evidence that was completely ignored that shows Laci was alive after he left for the day," she said during a 2021 appearance onToday. "But also, there was no evidence that he had anything to do with what happened to Laci."
"We don't have justice," Janey added. "This crime is not solved."
Read the original article onPeople
