Investigators in Laci Peterson’s disappearance once considered the possibility the pregnant schoolteacher was poisoned by her husband to explain the absence of a bloody crime scene, according to testimony Tuesday.
Defense attorney Mark Geragos, who has sought to discredit the investigation into Laci’s death, asked lead Detective Craig Grogan if at one point investigators theorized that Laci had been poisoned — a theory that never panned out and has not been presented by prosecutors in court.
“Yes, we looked into that,” said Grogan, who has been on the witness stand for more than a week.
Prosecutors allege Scott Peterson killed his wife in their Modesto home on or around Dec. 24, 2002. Grogan said police considered the poison theory because they were unable to find any signs of a struggle and found none of Laci’s blood in the home.
Grogan testified that during a Feb. 18, 2003, search of the Petersons’ home police seized a mortar and pestle to examine them for the existence of any drugs. None was found, he said.
Prosecutors allege Peterson killed Laci, then dumped her weighted body into San Francisco Bay. Her remains — and that of her fetus — washed up in April 2003, not far from where Peterson launched his boat that Christmas Eve morning for what he claims was a solo fishing trip. Investigators have not determined the cause of death.
Peterson’s lawyers maintain someone else abducted and killed Laci while she walked the couple’s dog in a nearby park. The dog was found by a neighbor in the street the morning Laci vanished, according to previous testimony.
The judge has said the prosecution would not wrap up its case this week as previously intended.