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Scott Peterson’s Sister-in-Law Is Convinced He's Innocent — Here's Why
In a trailer for Face to Face with Scott Peterson, Janey Peterson claims her brother-in-law was "wrongfully convicted."
Scott Peterson was convicted of killing his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son, Conner, in 2004. Scott Peterson has always maintained that he isn’t guilty of the 2002 murders — and he has a staunch supporter in his family.
During the past two decades, a period in which Scott Peterson’s death sentence was overturned in 2020 to life in prison, his sister-in-law Janey Peterson has been one of his most steadfast defenders.
“I believe my brother-in-law Scott was wrongfully convicted of that murder,” Janey Peterson declares in a trailer for Peacock’s Face to Face with Scott Peterson, streaming August 20. The three-part special features 55-year-old Scott Peterson’s first on-camera interview in 20 years.
But who is Janey Peterson, and what is her role with the case today? Here's what to know.
Who is Scott Peterson’s sister-in-law?
Janey Peterson, now 56, is married to Scott’s older brother Joe. She has known Scott since he was 16, according to a 2021 interview with TODAY.
Janey has dedicated a significant portion of her time to investigating the case and pushing for a new trial for Scott Peterson due to alleged juror misconduct in the infamous original trial. Over the years, Janey has made public appearances and given interviews to highlight what she perceives as injustices in the case.
In her early 50s, Janey even went back to school to earn a law degree “so if Scott gets a new trial she can be part of his defense,” TODAY reported.
In the morning-show segment, evidence of Janey Peterson’s efforts on behalf of her brother-in-law can be seen in her “war room.” It is filled with relevant sticky notes, witness files, clippings and documents.
The infamous case began on Christmas Eve 2002. Laci, 27, who was eight months pregnant, went missing from home in Modesto, California. In April, her remains and those of her unborn son were found washed ashore in the San Francisco bay. Her husband, Scott Peterson, was ultimately tried and convicted for the murders.
In 2022, Scott Peterson’s appeal for a new trial based on juror issues was rejected, nbcbayarea.com reported.
Janey still maintains he isn’t guilty. Alongside the Los Angeles Innocence Project, a nonprofit known for working to free wrongfully convicted defendants that joined Scott’s defense team in January 2024, she is determined to prove Scott's claims.
Why Janey Peterson believes Scott Peterson is innocent
Janey claimed she has scrutinized the police investigation, trial proceedings, and media coverage, and that biases, errors, and overlooked or mishandled evidence led to Scott’s wrongful conviction.
Janey also believes that the commonly accepted timeline of the double homicide is wrong.
“The problem started when Laci went missing and the Modesto police department did not follow up on sightings and evidence that she was alive,” Janey told ABC7 in 2021.
According to Janey, these alleged sightings prove Scott's innocence.
“There’s evidence that was completely ignored that shows Laci was alive after [Scott] left for the day,” Janey told TODAY.
Janey Peterson’s theory is that there’s a link between Laci’s tragic fate and a burglary that occurred across the street from the Peterson home. She thinks Laci ran into the robbers as they committed the crime and that they then kidnapped and killed her.
That theory was part of Peterson’s trial and his appeal but has previously been rejected by the court.
The burglars denied any involvement in the case and were cleared by a police investigation. Janey Peterson remains resolute, however, in her beliefs.
Learn more about the case and hear the convicted killer speak when Peacock’s docuseries Face to Face with Scott Peterson streams on August 20. The series will also air on Oxygen on Monday, November 25 at 8/7c.
