On Tape: Scott 'Fesses Up

Jurors in the Scott Peterson case Thursday, Aug. 12,

"I have not been traveling during the last couple weeks," Peterson says, on the Jan. 6, 2003 tape. "I have ... I have lied to you that I've been traveling."

Frey: "OK."

Peterson: "The girl I'm married to, her name is Laci."

Frey: "Uh hum."

Peterson: "She disappeared just before Christmas."

Frey: "Uh hum."

Peterson: "For the past two weeks I've been in Modesto with her family and mine searching for her."

Frey responds angrily, and Peterson tells her he can't explain everything about the situation for her "protection."

Frey: "You came to me earlier in December and told me that you lost your wife. What was that about?"

Peterson: "She... She's alive."

Frey: "Where? She's alive? Where?"

Peterson: "In Modesto. Now I know I ... This is the hardest ... I wanted to tell you in person."

Frey demands he give her an explanation as to why -- weeks before Laci Peterson's Christmas Eve 2002 disappearance -- Peterson said he would be away on business until late January.

Frey: "So where is she?"

Peterson: "That's what we are trying to find out. ...We have ... It's a nationwide search. ... I never cheated on you."

Frey: "Ha ha ha (chuckling)"

Peterson: "I never did."

Frey: "You're married. How do you figure you never cheated on me? Explain that one to me."

Peterson: "I want to explain it to you so badly, but I can't now."

Frey suggests Peterson may have been involved with his wife's disappearance.

Frey: "Of course you couldn't tell me the story about your wife because it hadn't happened yet. And you were hoping to resolve it in January. That it would be resolved and you'd have a story to tell me."

Peterson: "Sweetie, you think I had something to do with her disappearance? Amber, do you believe that? ... I am not evil like that."

Frey: "I would hope not."

Frey then raises the fact that Laci Peterson was pregnant.

Frey: "Scott, Scott, what about your baby? Laci's a missing woman, pregnant, is that what you just said?"

Peterson: "Yes. I want to explain all of this to you now. I just am not able to now."

In another call played this morning, from the same day, Frey reads Peterson the riot act.

"Save your tears," she says.

Frey: "Tell me why I should not be afraid of you."

Peterson: "I am not an evil person. I have never hurt anyone."

Frey: "What do you think you're doing to me now?"

Later, Peterson told Frey that there was a robbery in the neighborhood.

Frey: "You think a robber had something to do with her disappearance? Robbers don't steal people, pregnant people."

Frey then asked Peterson about how he had previously told her that he "lost" his wife.

Peterson: "There are many types of loss."

Frey: "Uh huh. And what kind of loss was that?"

Peterson: "Sweetie, I can't tell you."

Frey: "Why?"

Peterson: "I just ... I will be able to in the future if you listen to me then. ... God I hope she is found alive. We all hope she's found alive. We're all working for that."

Frey: "Really?"

Peterson: "Yes."

Frey: "And you think that's gonna happen?"

Peterson: "God, I hope so."

In late December 2002 and until Jan. 6, 2003, Peterson told Frey he was not married, and certainly did not divulge that his pregnant wife, Laci, had gone missing. As citizens and authorities launched massive searches for Laci Peterson, and suspicion over Scott Peterson's role in her disappearance mounted, Peterson still called Frey several times a day to chat happily about romance and their future plans.

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