They married two years later. In , Laci became pregnant. The two lived in Modesto, California and planned to raise their unborn son Conner there. December 24, β Scott Peterson says that on Christmas Eve morning, he left his pregnant wife alone to go fishing about 90 miles away at the Berkeley Marina.
He says that Laci planned to walk the couple's dog, McKenzie, and mop the kitchen floor. When Scott returned home hours later, he says he found McKenzie there alone, still wearing a leash β but no sign of Laci.
That evening, Laci's stepfather called the police to report her missing. Scott Peterson was interviewed by police in the early hours of Christmas Day. December 30, β Less than a week after Laci Peterson went missing, Modesto detectives raced over to investigate an intriguing lead: a Fresno massage therapist named Amber Frey revealed that she had been dating Scott Peterson for over a month.
She told police that Peterson had lied to her and said he was single. Former Detective Buehler notes, "Her recall was fantastic. It was almost like it was a script from a Hallmark TV show or something. Hoping for clues that might lead them to the missing woman, detectives ask Frey to record phone calls between her and Scott Peterson, and she agrees.
January 24, β In an explosive press conference one month after Laci Peterson goes missing, Amber Frey publicly reveals her affair with Scott Peterson. Prior to Frey going public, Peterson had told her in a recorded call that he was in Paris when he was really in Modesto while the search for Laci was still on. Eventually Scott admitted to her, "I've lied to you that I've been traveling.
