'Justice System Has Failed Here': Scott Peterson's Sister-In-Law Says She Has Evidence That Could Exonerate Him
MODESTO (CBS13) – There's a push for a new trial with claims of new evidence nearly 20 years after Scott Peterson was convicted of killing his pregnant wife and unborn son.
He was back in court this week to appeal his murder convictions and death sentence. His sister-in-law now says she has evidence that exonerates him.
Janey Peterson says Modesto police ignored a handful of tips and leads in this case, including a burglary across the street from Scott and Laci's home.
"There is no series of circumstances that fits the evidence where he could possibly have done it," she said over Zoom.
It's another surprising twist in a case that has captivated the country for nearly two decades.
"This board behind me is events of the day he allegedly murdered his wife," Janey Peterson said on Zoom.
Over the years, she's become an amateur sleuth creating a "war room" of sorts full of clues she says that point to Scott's innocence.
"The justice system has failed here, and a lot of aspects have failed," she said. "And it started with the Modesto Police Department. And it started with the fact that they didn't follow up on evidence that showed Laci was alive the morning of December 24."
Part of that evidence, she says, are neighbors who saw Laci the morning she vanished and a burglary across the street from the Petersons' Modesto home.
"There was an anonymous tip that came in that named five people being involved in the burglary, but only two of those people were arrested and questioned," Janey Peterson said.
Peterson theorizes Laci saw the crime in action, approached the burglars and was kidnapped and killed.
"A Lt. Aponte who worked at Norco Prison in California called the Modesto police in January and said they had an inmate at their prison who was overheard discussing exactly that, that Laci had confronted the burglars at the Medina home," she said.
It's information the original jury didn't hear, information Janey and Scott's defense team believe could be a gamechanger as they push for a new trial.
"It's been a long road. It's been a difficult road," Janey Peterson said.
While prosecutors say the timeline doesn't make sense, police have said the burglary happened two days after Laci disappeared. Still, there are new questions in an old case that continues to capture headlines.
So far, authorities have not commented on Janey Peterson's claims.
You may remember Scott Peterson's death sentence was overturned last summer, meaning he will get a new sentencing trial. Two hearings in the case are set for June.
