Murder of Laci Peterson

Laci Denise Peterson (née Rocha; May 4, 1975 – c. December 24, 2002) was an American woman who was the subject of a highly publicized murder case after she went missing while eight months pregnant with her first child. She was reportedly last seen alive on December 24, 2002. Her husband, Scott Peterson, was later convicted of murder in the first degree for her death, and in the second degree for the death of their prenatal son, Conner. Scott is on death row at San Quentin State Prison.

Early life and marriage

Laci Denise Rocha was born in Modesto, California. Her parents, Dennis Robert Rocha and Sharon Ruth Anderson, met in high school and married shortly after graduation. Their first child, Brent Rocha, was born in 1971. Laci was their second child, born in 1975. Her parents separated after her first birthday. Dennis later remarried and had another daughter, Amy. Laci grew up visiting her father's dairy farm in Escalon, California, and she was a cheerleader in junior high and high school. After graduating from Thomas Downey High School, she attended California Polytechnic State University. At Cal Poly, she majored in ornamental horticulture. She hoped someday to open a specialty plant shop. While at Cal Poly, she met Scott Peterson at a small restaurant called Pacific Café in Morro Bay.