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Scott Peterson arrest months after Laci disappeared Christmas Eve may have been strategic: former homicide cop

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Scott Peterson arrest months after Laci disappeared Christmas Eve may have been strategic: former homicide cop

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Laci Peterson, 27, disappeared on Christmas Eve, 2002, and her husband, Scott Peterson, was charged with murder, just days after her remains were found months later.

Law enforcement officers don’t always wait to find a body before bringing a murder charge, though, like in the cases of missing Texas realtor Suzanne Simpson and missing Massachusetts real estate executive Ana Walshe. Fox News contributor and former Washington, D.C., homicide detective Ted Williams explained why investigators sometimes pursue charges before a body is found.

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As authorities continue to search for Simpson, a 51-year-old mom of four who disappeared more than two months ago, her husband, Brad Simpson, remains behind bars, accused of killing his wife of 22 years. Unlike in the Peterson case, law enforcement did not wait to find Suzanne’s remains before charging Simpson with murder.  

“Homicides are like a puzzle,” Williams told Fox News Digital. “Investigators are forever putting together pieces of the puzzle, and once they feel that they have enough evidence – circumstantial evidence or physical evidence – they will then move forward.”

SUZANNE SIMPSON’S DNA FOUND ON MURDER SUSPECT HUSBAND’S SAW THAT CAN CUT METAL

Missing Texas mom Suzanne Simpson is pictured with her husband Brad Simpson.  (Facebook/Suzanne Simpson)

Scott Peterson and Laci Peterson in a still photo appearing in the docuseries “American Murder: Laci Peterson.” (Courtesy of Netflix)

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Laci Peterson was seven-and-a-half months pregnant at the time she vanished on Christmas Eve in 2002 from the Modesto home she shared with Scott, sparking a widespread search for the mom-to-be. Four months later, in April 2003, a pedestrian found her unborn son’s decomposed body in the San Francisco Bay, and authorities found Laci’s remains in the Bay the following day. 

Within a week of the discoveries, authorities arrested and charged Scott Peterson with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of his wife and unborn son. 

“I think in the case of Scott Peterson, they were still gathering evidence . . . they wanted to wait, and they had time on their side. And while gathering the evidence, they were able to make a very concrete case against Scott Peterson,” Williams said. 

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The former homicide detective explained why, in cases like Peterson’s, law enforcement might wait until a body is found before bringing a homicide charge, elaborating on the risk involved in charging an individual too soon. 

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“Investigators have to get it right the first time,” he said. “Once a person is charged with murder, then they are put on trial, and if they are found not guilty and later found to have actually committed the murder, they can’t be charged a second time because of what we define in this country as double jeopardy.”

Double jeopardy refers to a clause in the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits anyone from being prosecuted twice for the same crime.

WHAT SCOTT PETERSON’S RECENT COURT WIN COULD MEAN FOR HIS YEARSLONG QUEST FOR FREEDOM

Scott Peterson, left, was convicted of murdering his wife and unborn son. (REUTERS/Lou Dematteis LD/MR, California Dept. of Corrections)

Williams said investigators must gather enough evidence to sustain a murder charge, given that they only have “one shot.”

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“That’s the key . . . investigators realize that the evidence in order to go forward with a murder charge has to be strong,” he added. 

“Prosecutors realize that they only get one bite of the apple,” Williams said. “If a jury comes back and finds the person not guilty of the crime of murder, and they later subsequently find evidence that shows that the person did, in fact, commit the murder . . . because of double jeopardy in our country…they cannot retry that person again, that that person will have gotten off with the killing.”

In another homicide investigation in Massachusetts, Ana Walshe, a mother of three young children and a real estate professional who worked in Washington, D.C., disappeared on New Year’s Day 2023 and was reported missing a few days later. Though her body was never recovered, her husband, Brian Walshe, was charged in his 39-year-old wife’s murder. 

TRIAL DATE SET FOR BRIAN WALSHE, ACCUSED OF MURDERING MISSING REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVE WIFE

Brian and Ana Walshe raise a toast on their wedding day in the lounge of L’Espalier in Boston, Massachusetts on Monday, Dec. 21, 2015. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)

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Ana Walshe holds her three children in an October 2022 Instagram post. (Ana Walshe/Instagram)

Williams explained why, unlike with the Peterson investigation, authorities in both the Simpson and Walshe cases did not wait to find the victims’ remains before bringing murder charges against the suspects.  

“Over a period of time, if investigators realize that they are not going to find or come up with a body, but that they believe that they have enough physical evidence to move forward, they will move forward, and they will present that to a prosecutor, and that prosecutor will make a decision as to whether he or she wants to go forward with charges,” he said.

On Dec. 3, Brad Simpson was indicted on two first-degree felony charges – murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury to a family member. He was also indicted on charges of tampering with a corpse, two additional counts of tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a prohibited weapon. 

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Suzanne and Brad Simpson allegedly fought after a night out at The Argyle in San Antonio, Texas.

“In the case of Suzanne Simpson, it appears as though investigators have come up with physical as well as circumstantial evidence to show that she is no longer here. And as a result of that, they have moved forward,” Williams said. 

Suzanne Simpson’s DNA was reportedly found on a “reciprocating saw” that Brad Simpson is accused of hiding, according to indictment records obtained by Fox News Digital and KABB reporting. Authorities said there are no signs of Suzanne being alive since her husband allegedly assaulted her on Oct. 6, and that this has been verified by her cellphone records, financial records, family, friends and co-workers.

A neighbor reportedly saw Simpson assault his wife the night of her disappearance and later heard screams coming from the woods nearby, while the couple’s five-year-old child told a school counselor that on the evening of Oct. 6, her father allegedly had “pushed her mother against the wall, hit (physically) her mother on the face and hurt her mother’s elbow inside their residence” and also “turned off her mother’s phone because they were fighting,” according to the affidavit. 

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The home of Suzanne and Brad Simpson in San Antonio, Texas, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Suzanne Simpson disappeared under suspicious circumstances. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)

Investigators tracked Simpson’s unusual behavior in the days after his wife vanished, including shutting down his phone, driving with suspicious items in the bed of his truck, going to a dump site and cleaning his truck at a car wash. 

 

“There is a bottom line and a common thread,” Williams told Fox News Digital. “Among all of these cases . . . they happened in various jurisdictions, and those jurisdictions handle homicides differently, but all homicides are based on the evidence . . . that investigators over a period of time are able to come up with.”

Fox News’ Audrey Conklin contributed to this report. 

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Oregon

Oregon health officials warn of measles exposure at Happy Valley clinic

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Oregon health officials warn of measles exposure at Happy Valley clinic


Health officials have identified a new measles exposure site in Happy Valley.

The Oregon Health Authority and Clackamas County public health officials said people may have been exposed at Providence Immediate Care – Happy Valley, 16180 S.E. Sunnyside Road, Suite 102, between 11:05 a.m. and 3:47 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.

Officials said anyone who was at the clinic during that time should notify a health care provider about the possible exposure. Providers can determine whether a person is immune to measles by reviewing vaccination records, age or laboratory evidence of a previous infection.

Health officials urged people to monitor for symptoms and seek medical advice if they believe they may have been exposed.

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ABOUT MEASLES

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours and can infect up to 90% of unprotected close contacts. Complications can include pneumonia, brain inflammation and death.

Nationwide, measles cases have been rising since early 2025. Nearly 2,300 cases were reported last year, with most occurring among unvaccinated children.

Symptoms typically begin seven to 21 days after exposure and include cough, runny nose and conjunctivitis accompanied by a high fever. A rash usually follows, starting on the head or neck and spreading downward. People are contagious from four days before the rash appears until four days after.

A graphic from the Oregon Health Authority shows the symptoms of Measles.

HA advises health care providers to report suspected cases immediately and consider post-exposure treatment for exposed patients. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine can be given within 72 hours of exposure. Immunoglobulin may be administered within six days.

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For most people 6 months and older who are eligible for vaccination, receiving the MMR vaccine within 72 hours of exposure is recommended.

Anyone not protected against measles is at risk, according to OHA. The agency encourages residents to check their vaccination status and contact a health care provider with questions.



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Utah

Utah Weather: Increasing wind and fire dangers this weekend with a colder and wetter pattern arriving Sunday

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Utah Weather: Increasing wind and fire dangers this weekend with a colder and wetter pattern arriving Sunday


SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Happy Friday, Utah! Our Friday afternoon will feature pleasant conditions across the area.

Today’s weather: Sunshine and pleasant temps

Daytime highs will warm into the upper 70s for our Friday afternoon. Southwest Utah will see daytime highs in the low to mid 90s Friday afternoon.

Tommorow’s weather: Stout cold front

An approaching cold front will bring some extra clouds and gusty southwest winds to the state for our Saturday. A Fire Weather Warning has been issued for Grand County along with most southern Utah south of I-70 Saturday.

West and southwesterly winds will be sustained between 15-25 MPH on Saturday with wind gusts between 35-50 MPH. The gusty winds and relative low humidity levels will lead to an elevated fire danger across southern parts of the state.

A few isolated showers will develop Saturday across portions of central and eastern Utah, with partly cloudy skies developing across northern Utah. Daytime highs on Saturday will warm into the lower 70s across the Wasatch Front. Highs will warm near 90° across southwest Utah.

Looking ahead: Frost and freeze concerns

The cold front moves through Saturday evening, bringing a deeper surge of cooler conditions to Utah late this weekend. Daytime highs will only be in the 50s on Sunday and Monday. The core of the storm arrives Sunday bringing widespread rain showers across northern Utah.

As colder air rotates into the state Sunday evening, rain showers will likely change over to snow showers for our mountain locations across the state through Monday morning. Snow levels look to drop as low as around 6,000 FT, including some mountain valleys.

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Get the latest Salt Lake City weather forecasts. View live doppler radar, & closings from the ABC4 Utah weather team.

Some light to moderate snow accumulations looks possible for the mountain valleys and mountain areas, with a better shot of seeing 6″+ for places like the Upper Cottonwoods and the Western Uintas. The good news is that road temperatures will be quite warm, so no major travel impacts are expected for most areas. Still, could see the accumulations on elevated surfaces by early Monday morning.  

We will likely have to deal with a few mornings of frost and freeze concerns for some of our valleys into early next week. Currently, looks like the period to watch will be Monday morning and again on Tuesday morning.

High pressure builds behind this system by the middle of next week bringing the return of sunshine and moderating temperatures to Utah.

Stay with us for the latest updates from our 4Warn Weather forecast team on News4Utah+ and on abc4.com/utah-weather. We are Good4Utah!



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Wyoming

Wyoming cuts wolf hunt in half to buoy Yellowstone region’s disease-depleted population

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Wyoming cuts wolf hunt in half to buoy Yellowstone region’s disease-depleted population


Wyoming wildlife managers plan to reduce how many wolves can be hunted by 50% following a canine distemper outbreak that has cut the state’s wolf numbers to the lowest level in two decades.

A 22-wolf cap is the fewest number of wolves available to licensed Wyoming hunters since the state began allowing wolf hunting after Endangered Species Act protections were lifted in 2012. The limit also marks a significant decrease from last fall’s wolf hunting season.

“As far as the overall mortality limit, it’s exactly half,” Wyoming Game and Fish Department wolf biologist Ken Mills told WyoFile.

Last year, hunters could target a maximum of 44 wolves in the area around the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where Wyoming classifies wolves as trophy game during the Sept. 15-Dec. 31 season. Hunters bound to Wyoming’s relatively tight regulations in that zone managed to kill 31 wolves.

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It wasn’t hunting, however, that resulted in the lowest population since wolves were still being established after the 1995-96 Yellowstone National Park reintroduction. Biologists say a canine distemper outbreak is the primary culprit in the decline. The measles-like disease is especially deadly for puppies, and it was detected in 64% of the animals that Wyoming biologists handled during routine capture work last year.

As the calendar turned to 2026, Mills and federal biologists tallied 253 wolves and 14 breeding pairs statewide. Those are decreases, respectively, of 23% and 42% from the 330 wolves and 24 breeding pairs estimated at the end of 2024.

Wyoming’s proposed hunt for 2026 is designed to increase the wolf population in the trophy game area, located in the state’s mountainous northwest corner. The population in that zone decreased 19% to 132 wolves in 2025 — a figure that’s well below the state’s 160-animal objective.

“We want to grow the population by 28 wolves,” Mills said.

Driving Wyoming’s desire to increase numbers of the controversial native canine is the 160-wolf objective designed to ensure that the state meets its obligations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. When the state first gained jurisdiction over wolves 14 years ago, Wyoming’s delisting agreement called for maintaining at least 10 breeding pairs in the trophy game area. In 2025, there were exactly 10 breeding pairs, which shows that the margin for error is thin at the current lower population.

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The reductions to Wyoming’s wolf hunting quotas aren’t uniform.

“The wolf numbers in the Cody, Lander and Pinedale regions were relatively stable in 2025,” Mills said. “The largest reduction was in the Jackson region.”

As a result, Game and Fish is proposing to reduce the limit, from 19 to six, for wolves that can be killed in four conjoined hunt areas (units 8, 9, 10 and 11) spanning from Jackson Hole into the Green River basin. The state’s draft regulations also call for relaxing the limit on wolves that can be hunted along the west slope of the Tetons and in the Teton Wilderness (units 6 and 7) from five animals to no more than two.

There are major differences in how the three northern Rocky Mountain states hunt wolves, and it’s unclear if Montana and Idaho will follow suit and decrease hunting pressure near Yellowstone National Park. Wyoming’s distemper outbreak was regionwide and also hit Yellowstone packs, which only managed to produce 17 surviving pups — the lowest count in 30 years of careful monitoring.

In Montana, where hunters and trappers can kill 15 wolves apiece, wildlife managers do use a quota system near the Yellowstone boundary to ease impacts on wolves that leave the park. Idaho, meanwhile, allows largely unfettered wolf hunting on the western side of the ecosystem.

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Wyoming manages wolves similarly, with few regulations, on the outskirts of the Yellowstone region. Where the species is classified as a “predator” — in 85% of the state — wolves can be killed by almost any means and there are no hunting limits to be altered as a result of the population decline.

Game and Fish will host several northwestern Wyoming public meetings about its wolf hunting proposals. They’ll take place at 6 p.m. May 26 in Jackson; 6 p.m. May 28 in Cody; 6 p.m. June 2 in Pinedale; and 6 p.m. June 3 in Lander.

Public comments can be submitted at WGFD.wyo.gov/get-involved/public-input through June 10.

The state agency’s commission must also OK the draft hunting regulations. Commissioners plan to take up the issue at their July 14-15 meeting in Sheridan.

Mills anticipates hearing from detractors on both sides of the wolf hunting issue.

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“There will be people frustrated that the mortality limit is lower,” he said, “and members of the public that probably think we shouldn’t hunt wolves at all.”



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