4 Jun 2003 Brown Van Could Be Missing Link
Scott's defense team hopes that stains found in a mysterious brown van that could come from duct tape and blood are the evidence they need to save Scott. That defense team strategy, details of which were obtained by ABCNEWS, stem from a Modesto police report that outlines a conversation that took place between a rape counselor and police. The report reveals that a rape crisis counselor told investigators about a woman who said she was attacked in the area a week before the young pregnant woman went missing. The counselor told police the woman she helped said she had been attacked on Dec.18, by men carrying out some sort of ritual. The rape counselor said the woman explained that the man had bragged they would murder someone on Christmas Day.
4 Jun 2003 Hair from Pliers sent to FBI lab for mtDNA testing
Senior Criminalist Bill Hudlow packaged and transported the hair from the pliers to Terry Scott of the FBI. Scott then personally transported the evidence to the FBI Trace Evidence Unit in Quantico VA to be examined for mtDNA testing. The evidence was specifically given to Jamie Nevus and Connie Fisher. Through a process of more transfers at the FBI lab, the hair samples ended up being tested first by Karen Korsberg, and then by Kim Reubush. Eventually Connie Fisher, who testified at the preliminary hearing on the mtDNA results, examined the larger hair fragment.
5 Jun 2003 Human body parts found
Yolo County authorities confirmed that parts from as many as four human bodies were discovered this week outside a trash bin in a trailer park in Davis. Scott's defense expressed interest in the find as a possible solution to Laci's murder.
6 Jun 2003 Amber's nude photos
Hustler magazine bidding for nude pictures of Amber Frey.
6 Jun 2003 Autopsy reports remain sealed
Judge Girolami refused a Prosecution request to unseal Laci's and Conner's autopsy reports. The Prosecution said leaks about the reports were drawing false conclusions favorable to the defense.
6 Jun 2003 Death Certificates filed
Death certificates for both Laci and Conner were filed and released to the public. Laci's cause of death was undetermined, but the manner of death was homicide. Time and place of death for Laci were given as the date and place where her body was discovered. Conner's certificate said he was born dead, and gave the date and place where his body was found. The death certificates were signed April 21, 2003.
12 Jun 2003 Gag order
Judge Girolami issued a gag order barring lawyers, witnesses and police officers from publicly discussing details about the The gag order did not name attorneys for witnesses, which exempted Gloria Allred, Amber Frey's attorney. Judge Beauchesne in Stanislaus County Superior Court ordered the unsealing of eighth search warrants and related documents in the case, but postponed their release until July 8.
13 Jun 2003 More wiretap calls found
Prosecutors revealed the existence of 176 audio recordings they said were stored in a computer without anyone's knowledge. The recordings were found June 13 when Detective Steven Jacobson reviewed calls from two wiretaps to be sure all the recordings requested by the court had been turned over. In his affidavit, Jacobson said he and Kevin Clements, a software company employee, listened to one of the calls and Jacobson realized he had never heard it.
16 Jun 2003 Bertalotto interviewed Harvey Kemple
The investigator for the DA's office, Kevin Bertalotto, reported on his interview with Harvey Kemple. The focus of the interview was Kemple's observations that Scott was more upset about the burnt chicken at a July 4 family barbecue than about Laci being missing. Kemple volunteered the information on Scott's comments to him on the night of the 24th, including what Laci was wearing and that Scott had been golfing that day.
21 Jun 2003 Items found near the Canal in Rydin Park
Kris Buelma, Patrol Officer, East Bay Regional Park, responded to a call about 2 p.m. on June 21, 2003, reporting objects found in the general area of the parking lot on the Rydin Road side of the park. A citizen and her dog found the plastic items. A bike/pedestrian bridge goes over the canal. Buelma said the items were between and underneath the concrete and she had to move some of the concrete to remove the items. She collected the items as evidence, which included a pair of gloves and some yellow caution tape.
23 Jun 2003 Las Vegas murder
A woman's torso was recovered from a fishing pond near Las Vegas on June 23. Perry Monroe was arrested for the Nevada murder. The dismemberment of the body and Monroe's residence near Berkeley caused many to suspect he may be a serial killer also responsible for the murders of Laci and Evelyn Hernandez.
25 or 29 Jun 2003 Greg Smith called the DA's office
Brocchini testified to a tip called in to the DA's office by Greg Smith, a realtor responsible for leasing the warehouse formerly used by Trade Corps. The date on the top of the tip marked as evidence was June 29, but the date on the bottom was Wednesday, June 25. Brocchini said he thought the tip was called in on June 29 (which was a Sunday). Smith called Brazelton, whom he knew from the Lion's Club, and Brazelton passed the tip to Carla Tias, who pass it to Brocchini. Smith called to report that Investigators from the Peterson family picked up a water bottle out of the seat of the forklift that was in the warehouse used by Trade Corps. Smith was upset that they took the bottle. The two men did not have business cards, but were William Pavelic, Investigative Consultant, and Matt Dalton, an attorney with Geragos' law firm. Brocchini interviewed Smith by telephone on August 13.
29 Jun 2003 ModBee poll
A poll conducted by the Modesto Bee demonstrated the slim chances Scott has of getting a fair trial in Modesto or anywhere in California. Other polls reported the same findings.
Sometime in Jun 2003 Evidence of Cult involvement
On September 14, 2003, the ModBee reported: "Sources close to the case say that in June, Peterson's defense team acquired a coat worn by a Modesto resident allegedly affiliated with an occult group. The man bragged about being involved in Laci Peterson's death, a source said. "The same article reported that the prosecution is "consulting with Randy Cerny, a local expert on ritualistic crimes," who may be called as a witness.