AMBER FREY WAS JUST A SINGLE MOM TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET
WHEN SHE WAS SWEPT OFF HER FEET
BY THE HANDSOME AND CHARMING SCOTT PETERSON.
HE WAS FUNNY AND SMART AND GOOD-LOOKING...
DEFINITELY, THERE WAS CHEMISTRY.
SHE FELL IN LOVE. IT WAS THE REAL DEAL.
BUT WHEN AMBER DISCOVERED HER NEW LOVE
WAS AT THE HEART OF A HUGE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION...
HE WAS NOT THE PERSON THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT THAT HE WAS.
IT WAS ABOUT ADULTERY. AND IT WAS ABOUT MURDER.
...AMBER WOULD FIND HERSELF A STAR WITNESS
IN ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY PUBLICIZED
AND HORRIFIC CRIMINAL CASES THE NATION HAD EVER SEEN.
I WAS JUST IN SHOCK. I JUST WAS SHAKING AND CRYING.
WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
AS A SINGLE MOM, 27-YEAR-OLD AMBER FREY
KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTED IN A MAN.
I WAS DOING MASSAGE THERAPY.
AND MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT QUITE 2.
I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY THAT WANTED A COMMITMENT.
JUST SOMEBODY TO SPEND MY LIFE WITH.
SO IN THE WINTER OF 2002,
WHEN A FRIEND SAID SHE'D FOUND THE PERFECT GUY,
AMBER WAS HOPEFUL.
30-YEAR-OLD SCOTT PETERSON WAS HANDSOME AND CHARMING
AND, BEST OF ALL, HE WAS SINGLE...
OR SO HE CLAIMED.
SHE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THERE WOULD BE A CONNECTION
OR A GOOD FIT.
HE WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO SPEND HIS LIFE WITH.
THAT NOVEMBER, AMBER AGREED TO MEET SCOTT
IN FRONT OF A LOCAL BAR IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.
WHEN SCOTT WALKED UP, AMBER COULD HARDLY BELIEVE HER EYES.
I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.
I THOUGHT HE WAS HANDSOME AND NICE SMILE AND POLITE.
FROM THERE, THE TWO WENT OUT TO DINNER
AND FOUND THEIR CONVERSATION FLOWED
AS FREELY AS THEIR DRINKS.
I SHARED THAT I WAS A MASSAGE THERAPIST.
I SHARED ABOUT MY DAUGHTER.
AND HE WAS INTERESTED HEARING ABOUT HER.
I FELT THERE WAS A MUTUAL INTEREST IN ONE ANOTHER.
DEFINITELY, THERE WAS CHEMISTRY.
SCOTT TOLD AMBER HE WAS A FERTILIZER SALESMAN
WHO TRAVELLED FOR WORK
AND LIVED ALONE IN A BIG 1940s HOUSE IN SACRAMENTO,
ABOUT THREE HOURS AWAY.
I SAID, "WELL, THANKSGIVING'S AROUND THE CORNER.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS?"
AND HE HAD SAID HE WAS GOING TO GO FISHING
WITH HIS UNCLE AND HIS DAD IN ALASKA.
CHRISTMAS, HE HAD PLANS WITH HIS FAMILY.
HE ALSO HAD A BUSINESS TRIP PLANNED.
HE WAS GOING TO EUROPE.
HE SOUNDED LIKE HE HAD A VERY BUSY HOLIDAYS COMING UP.
THE DATE WENT WELL.
AND THE NEXT MORNING, SCOTT TOLD AMBER
HE WAS WOULD BE LEAVING FOR ALASKA SOON
BUT HE PROMISED TO CALL.
I WOULD SAY ALMOST DAILY WE TALKED.
EVERY TIME, IT WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
SCOTT WAS JUST EVERYTHING. HE LOOKED GOOD, PHYSICALLY FIT,
POLISHED, SAID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS,
DID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.
HE WAS PERFECT.
A COUPLE WEEKS LATER,
SCOTT INVITED AMBER AND HER DAUGHTER ON A PICNIC AND HIKE.
I WAS EXCITED HE'S GONNA MEET HER.
HE HELD HER HAND. AND SHE HELD MY HAND.
HE WAS VERY SWEET WITH HER.
THAT WAS BIG IN HER MIND.
SHE JUST WAS VERY EXCITED AND VERY HAPPY
THAT HE WAS TAKING AN INTEREST IN HER DAUGHTER.
THE NEXT EVENING, AMBER INVITED SCOTT OVER
TO HELP HER DECORATE FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
WE WERE JUST HAVING CASUAL CONVERSATION.
AND SCOTT HAD TOLD ME HE'D NEVER BEEN MARRIED.
AND I ASKED IF HE HAD CHILDREN. HE SAID NO.
I DEFINITELY WAS FEELING CLOSER TO HIM
AND FEELING THAT THERE COULD BE SOMETHING MORE.
SO WHEN SCOTT SHOWED UP AT AMBER'S HOUSE A WEEK LATER
IN TEARS, SAYING HE HAD A CONFESSION TO MAKE,
AMBER'S HEART SANK.
HE WAS NOT THE SCOTT THAT I'VE SEEN.
HE WAS VERY EMOTIONAL AND UPSET
AND SAID THAT HE HAD LIED TO ME ABOUT SOMETHING.
THROUGH TEARS,
SCOTT ADMITTED TO AMBER THAT HE HAD BEEN MARRIED BEFORE
HE HAD SAID THAT HE HAD LOST HIS WIFE
AND THAT THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST HOLIDAYS WITHOUT HER.
HE WAS VERY UPSET. IT DEFINITELY TOOK ME BY SURPRISE.
SCOTT SEEMED SO DISTRAUGHT
THAT AMBER DECIDED NOT TO PRESS HIM ANY FURTHER.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
IF MAYBE SHE HAD DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT OR IF SHE HAD CANCER.
I HAD TOLD HIM, WELL, I COULDN'T IMAGINE, YOU KNOW.
I UNDERSTAND WHY IT'D BE DIFFICULT.
AMBER COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER
IF SCOTT WAS READY FOR ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP SO SOON.
AND HE REASSURED THAT HE DID.
I STILL WANTED TO CONTINUE OUR RELATIONSHIP
AND SEE WHERE THINGS WOULD GO.
SO AMBER CARRIED ON WITH THE RELATIONSHIP.
SHE WAS SURE SHE WAS FALLING HARD FOR SCOTT.
BUT BEFORE THE YEAR WAS OVER,
AMBER'S HOPES FOR A PERFECT PARTNER
WOULD BE DESTROYED IN A MOST UNIMAGINABLE WAY.
ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 29, 2002,
AMBER WAS VISITING SOME FRIENDS OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
IT WAS A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE NEW YEAR'S,
AND I WAS OVER AT MY FRIEND'S
CELEBRATING THEIR DAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY.
AND I GOT A CALL FROM MY FRIEND.
HER FRIEND WAS A FRESNO POLICE OFFICER.
AND HE HAD URGENT NEWS FOR AMBER.
IT SEEMED THAT HER NEW BOYFRIEND, SCOTT PETERSON,
WAS HIDING A HORRIBLE SECRET.
AND WHAT HER FRIEND TOLD HER NEXT
WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE.
THIS WAS A MAN WHO WAS LEADING A DOUBLE LIFE.
I COULDN'T TALK. I WAS COMPLETELY DISTRAUGHT.
IN DECEMBER OF 2002,
NEARLY A MONTH BEFORE A TERRIFYING PHONE CALL CAME IN,
AMBER FREY'S NEW BOYFRIEND, SCOTT PETERSON,
HAD JUST CONFESSED THAT HE HAD BEEN MARRIED BEFORE
AND HAD RECENTLY LOST HIS WIFE.
I DIDN'T ASK ANY DETAILS ABOUT HIS LOSS.
I UNDERSTOOD, YOU KNOW, THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING DIFFICULT,
AND I WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THAT.
AMBER FORGAVE SCOTT FOR NOT TELLING HER SOONER
AND TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD
BY INVITING HIM TO HER CHRISTMAS PARTY.
WHEN SCOTT ARRIVED FOR THE OCCASION,
HE BROUGHT AMBER SOMETHING SPECIAL.
HE SHOWED UP WITH A DOZEN ROSES.
AND HE SAID ALL HE COULD THINK ABOUT WAS ME.
AND THEN HE WENT BACK OUTSIDE
AND CAME BACK IN WITH TWO MORE DOZEN ROSES FOR ME.
THEY WERE VERY BEAUTIFUL.
SO IT DEFINITELY PUT A SMILE TO MY FACE.
BUT AFTER THE NIGHT ENDED IN INTIMACY,
AMBER HAD AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH SCOTT
ABOUT CHILDREN.
HE HAD SAID THAT IF THINGS DEVELOPED
THAT MY DAUGHTER WOULD BE ENOUGH.
HE HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING A VASECTOMY.
IT DEFINITELY DIDN'T SETTLE WELL
TO THINK THAT HE WOULD HAVE A VASECTOMY
AND NOT EVER WANT ANY MORE CHILDREN.
I DEFINITELY WAS OPEN TO HAVING MORE CHILDREN.
BUT SCOTT TOLD AMBER
HE WAS WILLING TO DISCUSS THE MATTER FURTHER
BEFORE MAKING A FINAL DECISION.
AMBER WAS RELIEVED.
THINGS STILL FELT REALLY GOOD AND WHERE THINGS WERE GOING.
HE WANTED TO ACCEPT HER DAUGHTER AS HIS... A FAMILY SITUATION.
JUST A COMPLETE PACKAGE IS WHAT HE WAS OFFERING.
AMBER KNEW THAT IN THE WEEKS COMING UP
SHE WOULDN'T SEE MUCH OF SCOTT.
SO IN AN EFFORT TO STAY IN TOUCH,
SHE ASKED HIM FOR HIS ADDRESS OVERSEAS.
HE SAID HIS FAMILY AND HIM
WERE GONNA SPEND THE HOLIDAYS IN MAINE.
AND THEN FROM THERE HE WAS GOING TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE.
I HAD ASKED HIM,
"IF I WANTED TO SEND YOU SOMETHING WHILE YOU'RE AWAY,
HOW DO I GO ABOUT DOING THAT?"
AND HE HAD SAID, "I HAVE A P.O. BOX NUMBER,"
BUT IT WAS BEING SENT TO MODESTO.
AND I HAD ASKED HIM, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
"HOW IS IT IF I SEND IT TO MODESTO
IS IT GONNA GET TO YOU IN EUROPE?"
SCOTT EXPLAINED THAT HE PLANNED TO USE A COURIER SERVICE
TO DELIVER HIS PACKAGES, BUT AMBER HAD HER DOUBTS.
IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
I REMEMBER I GOT VERY TEARY EYED ABOUT IT.
I WAS FEELING VERY SENSITIVE AT THAT POINT.
BEFORE LONG,
AMBER BEGAN TO NOTICE A FEW MORE THINGS
ABOUT HER INTERACTIONS WITH SCOTT
THAT SEEMED A LITTLE OFF.
SEVERAL TIMES, WHEN I TALKED TO HIM,
HE WAS LIKE OUT IN THE JACUZZI OUTSIDE IN THE WATER,
OR HE WAS GETTING READY TO TAKE A SHOWER.
AND THOSE THINGS WEREN'T REALLY SETTLING WELL
AFTER IT WAS MULTIPLE TIMES.
AND WHEN SCOTT CALLED AMBER ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT,
SHE HEARD A FEMALE VOICE IN THE BACKGROUND
CALLING HIS NAME.
AND HE SAID, "THAT'S MY MOTHER.
I WAS QUESTIONING WHETHER THAT WAS HIS MOTHER,
OR MAYBE IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE, AND I DEFINITELY HAD DOUBTS.
THERE WAS ABOUT A ONE-WEEK PERIOD OF TIME.
IT ALL CHANGED.
THERE WASN'T BUBBLY, HAPPY AMBER.
AMBER WAS DISTANT FROM EVERYBODY.
FIGURING IT WOULDN'T HURT
TO RUN A QUICK BACKGROUND CHECK ON SCOTT,
AMBER ASKED A FRIEND OF HERS FOR HELP.
THINGS WEREN'T MAKING SENSE TO ME.
I WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE,
BUT WASN'T SURE HOW TO GO ABOUT IT.
AND SO I CONTACTED ONE OF MY FRIENDS
THAT WORKED AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS A MOVE THAT WOULD CHANGE AMBER'S LIFE FOREVER.
I WAS AFRAID TO GO HOME.
I WASN'T SURE WHAT I MIGHT WALK INTO.
SHE WAS DEVASTATED WITH WHAT SCOTT TRULY WAS.
IN LATE DECEMBER OF 2002,
AMBER FREY SUDDENLY HAD A FEW DOUBTS
ABOUT THE MAN WHO HAD STOLEN HER HEART.
WHEN SHE ASKED A FRIEND AT THE FRESNO POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO LOOK INTO SCOTT PETERSON,
SHE WASN'T SURE WHAT HE WOULD FIND.
I SHARED THE DIFFERENT THINGS WITH MY FRIEND
ABOUT WHAT I WAS QUESTIONING.
AND HE THOUGHT, "YEAH, IT SOUNDS A LITTLE... LITTLE SHADY."
HE GOES, "I'LL MAKE SOME CALLS."
ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 29th,
AMBER WAS CATCHING UP WITH HER GIRLFRIENDS
WHEN HER FRIEND CALLED BACK WITH DISTURBING NEWS.
HE CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE
AND SAID, "I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO MAKE OUT OF IT YET,
BUT I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND BRING IT TO YOU."
THE ARTICLE WAS IN REFERENCE TO A MISSING PREGNANT WOMAN
IN MODESTO AND THE DETAILS OF HER HUSBAND.
HIS NAME WAS SCOTT PETERSON.
AND WHAT REALLY STOOD OUT FOR ME WAS JUST THE DESCRIPTION,
THAT HE WAS A FERTILIZER SALESMAN.
I CAN'T SAY THAT IT LOOKED GOOD.
ALTHOUGH IT WAS ALMOST 2:00 A.M.,
AMBER IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE MODESTO POLICE
TO SEE IF IT WAS THE SAME SCOTT PETERSON.
I GAVE THEM MY INFORMATION, SO I WAS ON HOLD.
SECONDS SEEMED ENDLESS.
AND THEN SHE GOT BACK TO ME AND SAID, "YES."
AND I SAID, "YES, IT IS THE SAME PERSON?"
SHE SAID, "YES."
AT THAT POINT, I THINK I WAS JUST IN SHOCK.
I JUST WAS SHAKING AND CRYING.
LATER THAT MORNING, DETECTIVES INTERVIEWED AMBER
AND TOLD HER WHAT THEY KNEW ABOUT HER BOYFRIEND.
ACCORDING TO POLICE,
SCOTT WAS STILL VERY MUCH MARRIED
TO A 27-YEAR-OLD WOMAN NAMED LACI
WHO WAS EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT WITH THEIR UNBORN CHILD.
WORST OF ALL,
LACI HAD BEEN MISSING SINCE CHRISTMAS EVE.
AND DETECTIVES NOW SUSPECTED THAT SCOTT WAS INVOLVED.
WE DID LEARN FROM SCOTT
THAT HE CAME HOME FROM FISHING ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
HIS WIFE LACI WAS NOT THERE. EVERYBODY WAS JUST GOING CRAZY.
SCOTT WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS CALM.
HE SEEMED LIKE JUST THE PERFECT GUY...
UNTIL AMBER CAME ALONG.
10 DAYS BEFORE LACI WENT MISSING
SCOTT TOLD AMBER THAT IT WAS GONNA BE
THE FIRST HOLIDAY WITHOUT HIS WIFE.
THAT WAS EITHER AN INCREDIBLE COINCIDENCE
OR A PREMONITION THAT DEFIES LOGIC.
WITH LACI STILL MISSING,
DETECTIVES HOPED THAT AMBER WOULD ASSIST
IN THEIR INVESTIGATION.
WE ASKED HER IF SHE'D BE WILLING TO LET US
PUT A RECORDING DEVICE ON HER CELLPHONE,
SO THAT ANY CONTACTS THAT SHE HAD WITH SCOTT
WOULD BE RECORDED.
THE BIG PICTURE WAS THAT THERE WAS A MISSING PREGNANT WOMAN.
I WAS OPEN WITH THE POLICE TO DO WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY
IN HELPING FIND HER.
AMBER DID MAKE COMMENT
THAT SHE WAS GONNA WORK WITH THE POLICE.
WE WERE TOTALLY SCARED FOR HER.
IF HE COULD MAKE HIS WIFE DISAPPEAR,
WHAT COULD HE DO TO AMBER?
IMMEDIATELY, AMBER BEGAN RECORDING
EVERY CONVERSATION SHE HAD WITH SCOTT,
CAREFULLY WALKING THE LINE
BETWEEN GIRLFRIEND AND INFORMANT.
WE TALKED QUITE A BIT, LIKE NOTHING HAD CHANGED.
IT WAS NERVE-RACKING. I WAS DEFINITELY VERY NERVOUS.
ON DECEMBER 31st, SCOTT CALLED AMBER
AND CLAIMED HE WAS IN PARIS AT A LARGE NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY.
WHEN HE WAS TALKING TO ME ABOUT PARIS AND NEW YEAR'S,
HE WAS, IN FACT, IN MODESTO AT A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR LACI.
IT'S JUST SO UNREAL.
HE WOULD CALL AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND SHE WOULD JUST HAVE TO REACT.
SHE HAD AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF COURAGE.
SUDDENLY, ON JANUARY 6, 2003,
TO EVERYONE'S SURPRISE, SCOTT CAME CLEAN TO AMBER.
HE CONFESSED THAT HE HAD A PREGNANT WIFE
WHO VANISHED FROM THEIR HOUSE WHILE HE WENT OUT FISHING.
AND HE TOLD AMBER HE HADN'T GONE TO EUROPE...
HE WAS OUT SEARCHING FOR LACI INSTEAD.
I DEFINITELY WAS CRYING AND ANGRY
THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING...
JUST THE LIES THAT HE HAD TOLD ME.
MY RESPONSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN,
"I FIND VERY LITTLE INNOCENCE IN YOUR BEHAVIOR."
A TEARFUL SCOTT STILL HOPED FOR A FUTURE WITH AMBER,
BUT IT WAS FAR TOO LATE.
AMBER KNEW THE TRUTH ABOUT SCOTT.
AND ON JANUARY 24, 2003, THE REST OF THE COUNTRY DID, TOO.
THAT DAY, AMBER GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE
THAT SHOCKED THE NATION.
OKAY, FIRST OF ALL,
I MET SCOTT PETERSON NOVEMBER 20, 2002.
SCOTT TOLD ME HE WAS NOT MARRIED.
WE DID HAVE A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP.
SHE LOOKED VERY FRIGHTENED.
SHE LOOKED ANXIOUS. SHE LOOKED STRESSED.
I COULDN'T CATCH MY BREATH.
AND I KEPT SAYING, "I CAN'T BREATHE.
I'M HYPERVENTILATING. I CAN'T BREATHE."
NOW THAT SCOTT KNEW AMBER WAS WORKING WITH INVESTIGATORS,
POLICE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HE MIGHT DO.
THERE WAS ALWAYS A CAUTION
THAT WE FELT THAT AMBER COULD BE IN DANGER.
SCOTT WAS UNDER SURVEILLANCE ALL THE TIME.
INCREDIBLY, OVER THE NEXT MONTH,
SCOTT CONTINUED TO CALL
AND AMBER RECORDED THEIR CONVERSATIONS.
SCOTT ACTUALLY WAS COMMENDING ME FOR MY BRAVERY,
AND THAT HE WAS SORRY THAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS.
INVESTIGATORS HOPED SCOTT WOULD SAY SOMETHING
THAT WOULD LEAD THEM TO LACI.
BUT AS THE EVIDENCE MOUNTED AGAINST HIM,
SCOTT SEEMED MORE CAUTIOUS WITH HIS WORDS.
I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT REALLY WAS GOING ANYWHERE,
OR I WOULD GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER.
BUT TWO MONTHS LATER,
WHEN A STORM HIT THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA,
AMBER AND THE NATION
WOULD FINALLY HAVE THE ANSWERS THEY NEEDED.
AMBER JUST FLIPPED.
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE AN ACT OF GOD FOR US.
ON APRIL 13, 2003,
TWO MONTHS AFTER AMBER FREY STOPPED RECORDING
HER PHONE CALLS WITH SCOTT PETERSON,
A COUPLE WALKING THEIR DOG NEAR THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY
MADE A GRUESOME DISCOVERY.
TWO BODIES HAD BEEN DISCOVERED IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY...
A UNBORN CHILD
AND THEN THE NEXT DAY, AN ADULT FEMALE.
THE BODIES CAME TO SHORE,
WE BELIEVE, IN RESPONSE TO A STORM.
THE BODIES WERE FOUND
NEAR THE AREA WHERE SCOTT HAD CLAIMED TO BE FISHING
THE NIGHT OF LACI'S DISAPPEARANCE.
INVESTIGATORS FELT CONFIDENT
THAT THEY WERE LACI AND HER UNBORN CHILD,
BUT THEY NEEDED DNA RESULTS TO BE SURE.
FINDING BOTH BODIES WASHED ASHORE
PRETTY MUCH CINCHED IT FOR ME
THAT SCOTT WAS PROBABLY INVOLVED IN THIS.
I WAS AT WORK, AND I GOT A CALL THAT
THEY MAY POSSIBLY HAVE FOUND LACI'S BODY.
I REMEMBER I WAS VERY TEARFUL THAT DAY.
MEDICAL EXAMINERS COULD NOT DETERMINE A CAUSE OF DEATH
BUT INVESTIGATORS HAD THEIR THEORIES.
THERE WAS AN ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE
OF A VIOLENT STRUGGLE IN THAT HOUSE.
BUT THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF WAYS THAT HE COULD HAVE KILLED HER.
THERE WERE REMNANTS OF CONCRETE ANCHORS.
WE NEVER FOUND THE ANCHORS.
WE CAN ONLY SPECULATE
THAT THEY WERE USED TO WEIGH DOWN THE BODY.
AS INVESTIGATORS WAITED FOR THE DNA RESULTS,
THEY CONTINUED TO FOLLOW SCOTT.
HE GOES PRETTY QUICK ON THE FREEWAY.
AND AS WE CONTINUED TO FOLLOW HIM,
WE STARTED TO GET WORRIED
THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH
WAS GONNA GET HURT, TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH HIM.
SO THE DECISION WAS MADE
THAT WE WERE GONNA PLACE HIM INTO CUSTODY.
ON APRIL 18,
POLICE ARRESTED SCOTT IN SAN DIEGO,
EVENTUALLY CHARGING HIM WITH TWO COUNTS OF MURDER.
A FEW HOURS LATER, DNA RESULTS CONFIRMED
THAT THE BODIES WERE LACI AND HER UNBORN SON.
SCOTT'S REACTION DIDN'T REALLY SURPRISE ME
BECAUSE THE GUY IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL.
HE SHOWED VERY LITTLE EMOTION.
DURING A SEARCH OF SCOTT'S VEHICLE,
POLICE WERE SURPRISED BY WHAT THEY FOUND.
THERE WAS OVER $14,000 IN CASH.
HE HAD FOUR CELL PHONES IN THERE.
HE HAD HIS BROTHER'S DRIVER'S LICENSE WITH HIM.
HE HAD, LIKE, A FILET KNIFE AND CAMPING STUFF.
LAW ENFORCEMENT FOUND A MAP TO AMBER'S WORKPLACE...
AND ROPES AND OTHER ITEMS
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO KILL HER.
AND SO, OUR WORST NIGHTMARE CAME TRUE,
IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAD ALWAYS BELIEVED
THAT THERE WAS A RISK OF HARM TO AMBER.
EVEN SCOTT'S APPEARANCE HAD CHANGED.
NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE WHAT SCOTT WAS PLANNING,
BUT POLICE SUSPECTED HE WAS ON HIS WAY OUT OF TOWN.
IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT HE WAS THINKING OF
FLEEING THE UNITED STATES AND GOING TO MEXICO.
I MEAN, NOTHING REALLY WOULD HAVE SURPRISED ME AT THAT POINT.
ON NOVEMBER 18, 2003 SCOTT WAS ORDERED TO STAND TRIAL
FOR THE MURDERS OF HIS WIFE AND UNBORN CHILD.
HE PLEADED NOT GUILTY.
THAT'S CORRECT, YOUR HONOR, I AM INNOCENT.
AMBER BECAME THE PROSECUTION'S STAR WITNESS.
I WAS DEFINITELY NERVOUS.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THEY ASKED ME TO DO
IS TO POINT AT SCOTT PETERSON.
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE I DON'T KNOW THAT PERSON SITTING THERE.
AND THAT'S HOW I FELT IN MY HEART.
AS AMBER CONTINUED HER TESTIMONY,
THE PROSECUTION PLAYED THE TAPED PHONE CONVERSATIONS.
SCOTT PETERSON WAS A LIAR.
AND I THINK THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE,
FOR MANY ON THE JURY, A TURNING POINT.
ON NOVEMBER 12, 2004,
TWO YEARS AFTER AMBER FIRST MET SCOTT PETERSON,
HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF BOTH MURDERS.
I WAS RELIEVED THAT I FELT
THERE'S JUSTICE IN THE COURT SYSTEM.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A VERY EMOTIONAL DAY FOR ME.
PROSECUTORS BELIEVED SCOTT WANTED TO BE A BACHELOR,
NOT A FATHER.
AND THEN HE MET AMBER.
I THINK HE DID NOT WANT TO LOSE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH AMBER.
I THINK HE WAS LIVING HIS FANTASY LIFE.
HE WANTED TO BE DON JUAN. HE WANTED TO BE MR. ROMANCE.
I DON'T FEEL THAT I WAS ANY DIFFERENT THAN LACI...
BEING SWEPT OFF HER FEET,
AND THIS POSSIBLY BEING THE MAN OF MY DREAMS.
HE WILL ALWAYS BE A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.
ON MARCH 16, 2005,
SCOTT PETERSON WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY LETHAL INJECTION.
TODAY, AMBER IS NOW THE SINGLE MOTHER
OF TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN.
MY DAUGHTER IS NOW 10, AND MY SON'S 7.
THEY KEEP ME VERY BUSY.
BEING A SINGLE MOM,
THAT DEFINITELY COMES FIRST IN MY LIFE.
AMBER KNOWS HER NAME WILL ALWAYS BE ATTACHED TO SCOTT PETERSON'S,
WHICH HAS MADE FORMING NEW RELATIONSHIPS A STRUGGLE.
I DON'T THINK SHE'S REALLY QUITE CAPABLE OF HAVING
A COMPLETE RELATIONSHIP WITH ANYBODY RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T THINK IT GETS MUCH WORSE
THAN WHAT SCOTT PETERSON DID TO HER.
THAT WAS THE LOVE OF HER LIFE.
AMBER IS STILL A MASSAGE THERAPIST
AND SPENDS HER DAYS BEING ACTIVE AND HEALTHY,
FOCUSING ON HER FAITH AND FAMILY.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO A PLACE THAT HAS CARDIO KICKBOXING.
AND SO I DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THIS YEAR IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME IN MANY
THAT I FEEL MORE MYSELF.