'Secret' prison conversation proves Scott Peterson wasn't responsible for Laci's disappearance, doc claims

Scott Peterson's lawyers claim a tip from a prison officer that was disregarded during his trial could prove he didn't kill his wife Laci and their unborn child on Christmas Eve 2002.

Peterson was convicted in 2004, but over two decades later, the Los Angeles Innocence Project filed 14 new evidentiary claims in a bid to prove his innocence.

In April, Judge Elizabeth M. Hill of the Superior Court of San Mateo County rejected their petition, saying the claims were 'neither new, admissible nor material'.

Now, the rejected claims are the focus of a new A&E documentary, Scott Peterson: The New Evidence, which has the nation talking.

The evidentiary claims include eyewitness accounts, plus alleged handwritten notes from Laci, and an inmate phone call which they claim 'could have changed the outcome of the case'.

Scott Peterson was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife and second-degree murder in the death of their unborn son (Photo by Al Golub-Pool/Getty Images)

One theory that is revisited is the connection between Laci's disappearance and the reported burglary at the home of Rudy and Susan Medina, who resided on the same street.

Also known as the Medina burglary, the occupants of the house were on holiday at the time, and although the defence argues that Laci could have gone over to confront the burglars, leading to her murder and disappearance, authorities have rejected claims the two are linked. They say the burglary took place on Boxing Day 2006, two days after Laci's disappearance.

The LAIP filing contains an alleged witness account from a former reserve police officer, who says he saw a pregnant woman being pushed into the back of a van, three and a half miles from her home.

Along with eyewitness accounts, the documentary speaks about a tip from Lieutenant Aponte, at Norco Prison in California, which they say 'connects the murder with the burglary'.

He claims that a dorm officer brought an inmate phone call recording to him, between inmate Shawn Tenbrink, and his brother Adam.

During the call, it was claimed that Adam said he had heard that Laci had heard that Steven Todd and his co-conspirators committed the burglary, and then made a verbal threat to Laci.

This would also support the theory that Laci was still alive, and home, when Peterson left to go out on December 24.

Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant at the time of her death (Netflix)

Aponte claimed he had phoned the Modesto police tip line twice, and did eventually speak to a detective. However, the Modesto police and prosecution dispute this claim of events and denied ever receiving the recording.

Laci's last reported communication was with her mother on December 23 2002. Peterson claimed that she was alive on the morning of December 2002, and was going to walk her dog, as he left to go fishing on the San Francisco Bay.

In April 2003, the bodies of Laci Peterson and her unborn child were found on a San Francisco Bay beach. Peterson was arrested days later.