American Murder: Laci Peterson

Clicked on the Laci Peterson series without knowing much of the back story other than recognizing her name as a woman who had gone missing. I didn't know she was heavily pregnant when she disappeared. I got drawn in to this limited series immediately, and found it well put together - 3 episodes each dealing with a critical aspect of the story and investigation . I unexpectedly ended up watching all 3 episodes in one sitting and, whilst being captivated by the storyline and how it was told, it was ultimately profoundly heartbreaking learning about both Laci and Conner and also seeing the terrible impact on the families who were interviewed for the series.

This case riveted the American news in the late 1990's. A beautiful young pregnant woman goes missing on Christmas Eve and the most obvious suspect is her husband, Scott. I am very familiar with the story because I followed it closely at the time it happened. This documentary does not really offer anything new; however, it does a good job of summarizing all that happened in and around the disappearance, investigation, arrest, and trial. The documentary is filled with modern interviews with investigators and family. It is also filled with archival news footage. It is sad, but good. I know Peterson is still actively trying to overturn his conviction and claiming his indiscretions had nothing to do with her murder. This is three episodes but not too long.

If you already know this case inside out, there is nothing new or noteworthy here, other than getting caught up with people you've come to care about like Laci's mom Sharon (what a fierce lady), Laci's friends, the detectives, the reporters and the bada$$ Amber Frey. This film doesn't cover too much of the trial, if you want to deep dive on the evidence presented in court and other details I recommend the podcast 'The Prosecutors' starting with Episode 51. It is a 6 part series on this horrific crime and one of the best deep dives on this case. This is a Skye Borgman production and the focus and title stay focused on Laci. The difficult part to watch (and hard to swallow) is the delusion of Scott's sister and sister-in-law. They are really disconnected from what happened to Laci and the obvious fact that their brother did it. When they start complaining about how they were treated walking out of court after the guilty verdict you just want to fast forward. But in true Skye Borgman fashion, she makes sure to give a voice to both sides. At least this documentary wasn't paid for by the Peterson family or the shameful innocence network in LA (not the original innocence Project) that skewed the facts in evidence on that documentary that came out a few years ago before his appeal. Thank god the courts denied it.

Laci Peterson disappears, husband Scott contacts The Police to report it. Laci's family are keen to support Scott, who's behaviour seems curious to say the least, until details of an affair come to light.

I've seen a few documentaries about this story, some decent, some not so, this is the best one so far. I was worried that it would be overlong, Netflix does have a habit of padding out documentaries, here though they get the balance just right.

I think it's a very balanced examination of the case, they give both sides of the argument, we hear from the loved ones of both Laci and Scott, we also hear from the legal teams on both sides, you're given enough information to form your own opinion.

Scott's interviews, worth checking out, he genuinely looks blank, somehow dead behind the eyes, it seems almost impossible to believe a word he says, I just didn't get why he didn't show any signs of being upset.

I was impressed by the strength of Laci's family, it must have been such a harrowing effort to speak about poor Laci.

8/10.

This documentary is well done in a way that respectfully honors Laci's memory. Hearing first hand from Laci's friends and family brings you through the whole emotional rollercoaster they experienced and the nightmare that they lived. It also does a great job of portraying how the media played a role before the time of smart phones.

I watched the three episodes in one sitting because I was so invested in the process of the family finding answers and getting closure. If you're looking for brutal details of the actual murder, then this documentary isn't for you. It was made with Laci's family and friends, who want you to know who Laci was as a person. I also appreciated the filmmakers decision to add resources and information for domestic violence victims.