For Laci: A Mother's Story of Love, Loss, & Justice by Rocha, Sharon - 2005

New York: Crown Publishers, 2005. First Edition [stated]. First printing [stated]. Hardcover. Very good/very good. xv, [1], 335, [1] p. Illustrations (color). Index. DJ has slight wear and soiling. In this eagerly awaited book, Laci Peterson's mother tells the story of her daughter's life, her disappearance, the trial of her murderer, and the aftermath. From Wikipedia: "Laci Denise Peterson (née Rocha; May 4, 1975 c. December 24, 2002) was an American woman who was the subject of a highly publicized murder case after she went missing while seven and a half months pregnant with her first child. Peterson was reportedly last seen alive on December 24, 2002. Her husband, Scott Peterson, was later convicted of murder in the first degree for Laci's death, and in the second degree for the death of their prenatal son Conner. Scott Peterson is currently on death row at San Quentin State Prison....In December 1996, Scott and Laci became engaged, and they married on August 9, 1997, a few months before Laci's graduation. For the first two years or so of their marriage, they delayed trying to have children, but Laci began to express an interest in starting a family. In December 2000, they decided to try for a pregnancy. Becoming pregnant took longer than expected, and on the verge of scheduling fertility tests, Laci and Scott Peterson conceived naturally in May 2002. The baby was due on February 10, 2003, and the couple planned to name their son Conner Latham Peterson. Apart from her husband, the last two people known to have spoken to Laci before she disappeared were her half-sister, Amy Rocha, and her mother, Sharon Rocha. Amy cut Scott's hair, with Laci present, on the evening of December 23, 2002. Later that evening, Sharon spoke with Laci on the telephone around 8: 30 pm. Shortly after 10:15 a.m. the following morning, a neighbor found the family dog, a golden retriever named McKenzie, running loose in the neighborhood, wearing a collar and a muddy leash. The neighbor then returned McKenzie to the yard. Laci's 1996 Land Rover Discovery SE sport utility vehicle was in the driveway, and her purse, containing her keys and cell phone, was on the table inside the house. When Scott Peterson returned home from fishing that evening, he discovered Laci was not there. Some reports state he washed his clothes, ate some cold pizza, cleaned up the kitchen, and took a shower. Then, at roughly 5: 20 pm, he called Sharon Rocha to ask if Laci was with her. When Sharon replied that Laci was not there, Scott said, "Laci's missing." Sharon later said that she knew in her heart something horrible had happened to her daughter. Scott stated that when he left that morning, Laci was planning to buy groceries for their Christmas get-together and walk the couple's dog, McKenzie, in nearby East La Loma Park. Laci's parents called the police at 6 p.m.. A search of the park and surrounding areas immediately ensued. Police, family members, friends, and neighbors searched widely on foot, in all-terrain vehicles, patrol cars, and sport utility vehicles, helicopters equipped with search lights and heat sensors, water rescue units, search dogs, and horseback teams. Law enforcement agencies from several counties became involved. Police suspected foul play, doubting that Laci would vanish on Christmas Eve without contacting anyone. At a press conference, detective Al Brocchini said, "That is completely out of character for her." A $25,000 reward was offered, later increased to $250,000, and finally to $500,000 for any information leading to her safe return. Posters, blue and yellow ribbons and fliers were circulated, and the original, basic version of a website was launched by a husband of one of Laci's friends. Friends, family, and volunteers set up a command center at a nearby Red Lion Hotel to record developments and circulate information. Over 1, 000 volunteers agreed to distribute information and to help search for Laci.