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Convicted killer Scott Peterson keeps swinging in court — but expert says he’s not going anywhere but his cell
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More than two decades after Laci Peterson vanished from her Modesto, California, home, the murder case that captivated the nation continues to draw legal challenges, public debate and renewed attention.
As the year comes to a close, Scott Peterson, convicted in 2004 of murdering his pregnant wife and their unborn son Conner, remains behind bars, serving life without the possibility of parole. His wife disappeared on Christmas Eve in 2002, and a few months later, the remains of Laci and Conner were found in the San Francisco Bay.
While Peterson’s conviction has stood for years, the case continues to generate headlines, as his lawyers filed a petition last April seeking to overturn his conviction.
“Scott Peterson is spending the rest of his life in California state prison,” former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, a California-based attorney, told Fox News Digital. “He was originally sentenced to death, but on appeal, the California Supreme Court said that excluding certain jurors based on their views of the death penalty was a legal error.”
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Laci Peterson and Sharon Rocha in an undated family photo appearing in the forthcoming docuseries, “American Murder: Laci Peterson.” (Courtesy of Netflix)
That ruling overturned Peterson’s death sentence, though not his conviction. Prosecutors later declined to retry the penalty phase after Laci Peterson’s family chose not to pursue it, citing California’s death penalty moratorium. As a result, Peterson’s sentence was reduced to life without parole.
It was after that resentencing that the Los Angeles Innocence Project took up Peterson’s case, arguing he did not kill his wife or their unborn son.
“When the Innocence Project takes up your case, people start to notice,” Rahmani said. “There are a lot of high-profile celebrities and lawyers who are still litigating this case more than 20 years later.”
The defense and the Innocence Project have pushed an alternative theory, suggesting Laci Peterson was abducted by burglars and later killed, and that her body was dumped in the San Francisco Bay to frame Scott Peterson once it became public that he had been fishing in the area.
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“That’s really the alternate theory right now that the defense and the Innocence Project is pushing,” Rahmani said.
Despite the continued litigation, Rahmani said the original case against Peterson remains strong.
“It’s a circumstantial case, but there was plenty of evidence implicating Scott Peterson in his wife’s murder and their unborn son,” he said.
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Scott Peterson and Amber Frey pictured at a Christmas party on Dec. 14, 2002, before the murder of Laci Peterson and before Frey knew Scott Peterson was a married man. (Superior Court of California, San Mateo County)
Rahmani pointed to several factors that prosecutors argued showed Peterson’s guilt, including his extramarital affair, the proximity of Laci Peterson’s body to the location where he had been fishing and his behavior after she went missing.
“Her body ended up just miles away from where he was fishing that day,” Rahmani said. “He had bought concrete. Her body was anchored with concrete. He dyed his hair, had cash, someone else’s ID, and camping gear — behavior consistent with someone trying to flee.”
The case has also remained in the spotlight due in part to documentaries and true-crime series that continue to revisit Peterson’s conviction. Rahmani said media attention can play a powerful role in shaping public perception and sometimes legal outcomes.
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Scott Peterson listens to the prosecutor during his trial on charges in the murder of his wife, Laci Peterson, on Jan. 4, 2004, in Modesto, California. (Bart Ah You/Modesto Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“The practical reality is that media coverage can affect a case,” Rahmani said. “Public and political pressure can change outcomes, even though every case should be decided on its legal and factual merits.”
As 2025 draws to a close, Rahmani says one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the case is that Scott Peterson is on the verge of being released.
“There’s still some legal challenges, but they’re narrow,” he said. “On the factual side, it’s really this alternate theory the defense is pushing.”
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While Rahmani acknowledges there is still a legal path forward for Peterson, he believes the odds remain slim.
“I don’t think it’s a particularly good shot,” Rahmani said. “And I do expect Scott Peterson to die in California State Prison.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Los Angeles Innocence Project.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 10 drawing
02-39-44-46-56, Mega Ball: 23
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 10 drawing
10-13-23-30, Bonus: 02
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 10 drawing
14-42-46-47-57, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
How smartphone apps turn your night sky into a space map
Astronomy apps help you spot constellations, planets and satellites in real time using your smartphone.
Skywatchers across the U.S. are about to be treated to a dazzling weekend filled with not only two active meteor showers, but a celestial alignment starring the moon.
For two nights, Earth’s only natural satellite will host a cosmic party with three planets — Mars, Saturn and Uranus.
The phenomenon, often called a planet parade, presents spectators with a rare opportunity to see not only multiple planets, but also the moon, appear close together in the night sky — at least, from Earth’s vantage.
The best part of the show? Most of the striking spectacle — with the exception of Uranus — will be visible to the naked eye.
Here’s everything to know about the rare sight, as well as when, how and where you can see it across the United States.
Moon to appear in sky with Mars, Saturn, Uranus
The moon will appear in the night sky before sunrise on Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12, NASA said in a monthly skywatching guide.
What is a planet parade?
While the term “planet parade” is not an official astronomy term, it is an unofficial way for astronomers and stargazers to refer to certain celestial events.
The planets in our solar system orbit the sun essentially along a line across the sky in a flat disc-shaped plane called the ecliptic.
Another term for a certain kind of planetary alignment, planet parades are what happens when planets line up along the ecliptic in a straight line and appear to us on Earth to be marching across the night sky, according to NASA. So, while planetary alignments themselves aren’t special, it is notable to have an opportunity to observe multiple planets at once.
How full will the moon be? What to know about lunar phase
During the celestial alignment, the moon will be entering a waning crescent phase before we have a new moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. That means Earth’s only natural satellite is getting less and less full and bright each night as its crescent gets thinner and thinner, NASA explains.
That’s good news for stargazers, as the moon will still be visible without outshining the planets nearby.
Where to see the planet parade in Nevada
Look toward the eastern sky to catch the cosmic lineup in the early morning.
While the moon will of course be the easiest to locate, Mars will look like a small reddish point of light, while Saturn is also bright and easy to spot, NASA explained in a video.
For the clearest views, there are several places that are an easy drive from Reno where you can get a clear view of the stars, including:
- Lake Tahoe: Multiple locations around the lake are excellent for stargazing that are less than an hour from Reno.
- Fort Churchill State Park The park on Alt. 95 south of Silver Springs provides a dark night sky ideal for evening astronomical events among the ruins of Fort Churchill. Park entrance costs $5 for Nevada residents and $10 for non-residents.
- Pyramid Lake: A popular spot for Renoites seeking a night of stargazing, the lake is less than an hour from The Biggest Little City. It offers beautiful natural wonders and dark skies that give a clear view of lunar eclipses, meteor showers and full moons.
Northwestern Nevada weather forecast for planetary parade
Cloudy conditions may bring relief from the recent heat wave, but they could spoil the early-morning view of the planetary parade in much of northwestern Nevada.
Reno, Carson City and Minden
- Friday: Clear and breezy overnight; lows 56-66.
- Saturday: Partly cloudy, then mostly cloudy overnight; lows 60-70.
- Sunday: Mostly cloudy overnight; lows 61-71.
Lake Tahoe and the central Sierra
- Friday: Clear and breezy overnight; lows 45-55.
- Saturday: Partly cloudy, then mostly cloudy overnight; lows 48-58.
- Sunday: Mostly cloudy overnight; lows 49-59.
Do you need a telescope to see celestial alignment?
Mars and Saturn are among the five planets in our solar system visible without optical aid — along with Mercury, Venus and Jupiter. Telescopes certainly will enhance the view but spectators don’t need any equipment to spot those planets joining the moon in the pre-dawn sky.
As for Uranus, the planet is typically not as bright — despite being the third largest in our solar system — and will require a telescope to see, NASA said.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com. The Reno Gazette Journal’s Carly Sauvageau and Brett McGinness contributed to this report.
New Mexico
NM Delegation Demands Answers On Reports Of DEA Declining To Seize Massive Fentanyl Shipments, Calls For Immediate Reforms
U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) sent a letter demanding answers from U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Terrance Cole on why the DEA allowed large quantities of fentanyl to circulate unseized in New Mexico communities.
Trafficking of fentanyl and other opioids poses one of the most severe — and often deadly — public health threats facing New Mexico and the nation. Illicit fentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance, is an exceptionally potent synthetic opioid that can be fatal even in extremely small quantities. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl has been the primary driver of the overdose epidemic in the U.S.
Whistleblower complaints allege that Albuquerque-based DEA agents declined to interdict at least 1.8 million fentanyl pills between 2023 and 2025 in hopes of taking down a larger supply chain.
“We unequivocally assert that allowing fentanyl to go unseized creates an unconscionable risk to New Mexicans,” the lawmakers wrote to DEA Administrator Cole.
In 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and DEA established “Fentanyl Protocols” directing agents to “seize or otherwise prevent the distribution” of fentanyl “as soon as practicable” to protect public safety. In 2024, the DOJ revised those protocols to provide law enforcement with greater discretion, allowing agents to weigh public safety risks against “the benefits to be achieved through preserving the investigation.” A 2024 DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigative summary further states that the U.S. Attorney’s Office acted reasonably in allowing certain drugs to remain unseized and concluded that doing so posed no “specific danger to public health and safety.”
“We adamantly disagree with this internal assessment, and we urge your agency to immediately revert fentanyl protocols to the 2017 standard of seize or otherwise prevent the distribution of fentanyl as soon as practicable,” the lawmakers underscored. “We will be taking all necessary actions in Congress to better ensure the safety of New Mexicans and expect that you will stand with us in those efforts.”
The lawmakers concluded their letter by demanding responses to a request for written documentation on all instances where the DEA declined to interdict fentanyl, and the following questions on the DEA’s fentanyl interdiction policies, investigative protocols, and enforcement practices:
- Provide comprehensive written documentation of all individual instances, occurring in New Mexico since January 2017, including dates, locations and amount of suspected contraband, during which DEA has declined to interdict fentanyl in the course of a Title III or electronic surveillance investigation. Please also indicate the extent to which fentanyl involved in these investigations was ultimately recovered.
- What are DEA’s current internal directives and guidelines dictating how federal agents manage active drug-trafficking investigations involving fentanyl? Specifically, what protocols instruct agents on whether to seize a shipment of fentanyl immediately or allow it to pass temporarily under surveillance?
- What internal DOJ or DEA documentation determines, or may supersede, official fentanyl interdiction and operational protocols both as a matter of agency-wide policy and also with regards to individual drug-trafficking investigations? How are these changes to operational protocols communicated to agents in the field? Please provide all such documentation since January 2017.
- Under what circumstances are DEA agents permitted to exercise discretion, abandoning any presumption of interdiction, allowing a fentanyl transaction to proceed without immediate seizure? What safeguards are in place to protect communities when fentanyl shipments are allowed to continue as part of an ongoing investigation?
- Must agents possess a guaranteed, continuous ability to seize the substance immediately if the operational environment changes? How is the likelihood of losing operational surveillance, and the potential number of lives impacted if the substance enters the illicit supply chain, measured against the benefits of a successful investigation?
- What circumstances mandate when fentanyl must be safely interdicted, or swapped for a controlled delivery with a substituted substance, before it is allowed to advance within the supply chain? What levels of approval within your command structure are required to bypass immediate interdiction?
- What other tactics such as controlled deliveries, enhanced surveillance, contraband substitution are available to your agency to facilitate long-term, high-level investigations without an unacceptable risk to public safety? What resources can we provide to make these tactics of more common use to your agency?
- What is the reassignment status of DEA personnel based in New Mexico to out-of-state enforcement efforts since January 2025? During the same period, have DEA agents in New Mexico maintained their primary focus on drug-trafficking investigations or have any participated in joint immigration enforcement operations not limited to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations?
For more information on the N.M. Delegation’s work to tackle the opioid crisis, click here.
The full text of the letter is here and below:
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