Alternative Suspects & Theories

[marlene]

LACurry - I also think it could have happened later. I remember trial discussion about Laci buying the challah bread - I think the store manager testified - so was there a receipt and/or time for that purchase? Something happening to her later in the day would also make sense about her having on different clothes than the black pants and white shirt Scott remembered her having on when he left - she would have had plenty of time to change and out for errands.

I've always wanted to know way more about Ron's son, and why Laci didn't want to go to her mothers with the rest of the Grantski family on Christmas Eve. I always thought it may have had something to do with the son. And, then I remember - wasn't Scott asking people (later when everyone was beginning to look for Laci) if anyone saw a white truck (can't remember the brand or anything) in the neighborhood?

I need to go back and re-read so many of the transcripts! I had really good notes on my computer at that time, but 2 news ones later - managed to not get everything copied over. I'll try to hold off on 'dumb' questions until I have a chance to go back and read

I guess I'm not very informed, was Ron's son the one who made it difficult for Laci to answer to Sharon promptly as to whether they were coming to Christmas Eve? I need to find some info on this son.

I always thought the reason Laci didn't answer Sharon as to if they were coming over was because Scott indeed told her about the affair and she was ticked and didn't want to ruin Christmas.

Scott and Sharon discussed that in one of the recorded phone conversations -- Sharon said it was because Laci hadn't bought any gifts for Ron's family members that were going to be there, his other, his sister and her son Zack. Scott said it was because of someone on the guest list, but I don't recall who exactly it was, but I don't think it was because of his mother, sister, or nephew.

[News247]

LACurry - I also think it could have happened later. I remember trial discussion about Laci buying the challah bread - I think the store manager testified - so was there a receipt and/or time for that purchase? Something happening to her later in the day would also make sense about her having on different clothes than the black pants and white shirt Scott remembered her having on when he left - she would have had plenty of time to change and out for errands.

I've always wanted to know way more about Ron's son, and why Laci didn't want to go to her mothers with the rest of the Grantski family on Christmas Eve. I always thought it may have had something to do with the son. And, then I remember - wasn't Scott asking people (later when everyone was beginning to look for Laci) if anyone saw a white truck (can't remember the brand or anything) in the neighborhood?

I need to go back and re-read so many of the transcripts! I had really good notes on my computer at that time, but 2 news ones later - managed to not get everything copied over. I'll try to hold off on 'dumb' questions until I have a chance to go back and read

I guess I'm not very informed, was Ron's son the one who made it difficult for Laci to answer to Sharon promptly as to whether they were coming to Christmas Eve? I need to find some info on this son.

I always thought the reason Laci didn't answer Sharon as to if they were coming over was because Scott indeed told her about the affair and she was ticked and didn't want to ruin Christmas.

Scott and Sharon discussed that in one of the recorded phone conversations -- Sharon said it was because Laci hadn't bought any gifts for Ron's family members that were going to be there, his other, his sister and her son Zack. Scott said it was because of someone on the guest list, but I don't recall who exactly it was, but I don't think it was because of his mother, sister, or nephew.

LACurry - or maybe miss innocent amber called to let laci know

Marlene - i remember discussions about ron's son and laci - not being a positive relationship - but i don't remember exactly and don't want to start any unnecessary rumors, so i'll let that go until and/or unless i can find anything factual about it.

[Lsmith510]

I think Geragos implied in his cross-examination of Sharon Rocha that it was her (Sharon's) brother that Laci did not want to see.

GERAGOS: Okay. She told you I don't, I don't have gifts for Ron's mom, Ron's sister, you said?

ROCHA: That's correct.

GERAGOS: Okay. Was your brother going to be there as well?

ROCHA: No.

http://www.pwc-sii.com/CourtDocs/Transcripts/RochaSharon-Guilt.htm

But I too have often wondered if Darrin Grantski was in Modesto when Laci disappeared.

[Kyle]

The 10:08--10:18 timeline never made any sense to me. The Medinas were still at home. (and they and the judge are the only ones on the street that I DON'T suspect). I remember the short conversation Scott had with a women (Dempewolf?) who was walking her dog that morning. I remember the van parked directly in front of the Medina's driveway and a city worker who had to carefully drive around it to exit. Both Scott and the woman saw the van. I believe Laci left the house with McKensie shortly after 10:30 and was abducted by person or persons in that van which had moved to the entrance to the park. The screams 'coming from the direction of the park', the barking dogs heard by the Medina's neighbor at around 10:34, and the immediate reaction of the scent dog, Merlin (and where he went), tell me Laci left that yard at least 15 minutes after the 10-minute window. Please be patient. I'm 10 years older now. Any help with names will be greatly appreciated.

[Lsmith510]

A very plausible theory for me is that Laci left to walk McKenzie shortly after Scott left the house. During the walk, McKenzie got away from Laci and returned to the house before Laci did. Karen Servas put the dog in the yard and Laci stumbled across the burglary in progress across the street just after the Medinas left. The only way Todd could have known the Medinas were not home was to either have had inside info that they would be gone - or he/they saw them packing up their car and leave.

It's hard to believe it's been 10 years!!!

[LACurry]

Lots of interesting discussion here...thanks everyone!

You know, I have always thought Ron Grantski was a little strange too. Here is one reason that I found him not behaving as most men would have. The night Laci went missing, Sharon was a mess, naturally. But why then, did he have her heading to Scott and Laci's house without him? Every one of them had cell phones, it just isn't plausible that a man would let his woman walk into what could be (and was) a horribly disturbing mess with Laci missing and helicopters and police and so on in the area of Scott and Laci's home. He could have easily called 911 on his way with Sharon so she would not have had to call Gwen or whomever it was, to accompany her. Just doesn't make sense. I also see Ron as a very heavy drinker. I am wondering if something didn't happen with him and Laci and, quite possibly, he never stopped trying and it made her uncomfortable. Certainly, it is not something that would have been easy to tell her mother about. I could see Laci just becoming more distant over the years in an effort to avoid the situation. I have no proof, of course, but he was the first one in the family to have jumped onto the "hate Scott" bandwagon. He jumped on the first few hours within Laci's disappearance. Sometimes, it is the guiltiest that begin dissing others in an effort to conceal their own shortcomings.

Also, I do believe the Medina burglars were in that area for a good part of the day. They could have had opportunity to go to the Peterson house as well, knowing that Scott had already left the home. Laci might not have gone to the Medina's to try to stop them, maybe they went to her house thinking she was gone. She may very well have taken the dog for a short walk, and they entered thinking she would be gone awhile and she came home and all heck broke loose. The burglars were very experienced in their trade, they would have been able to grabLaci without leaving any evidence in the house.

I have always wondered if Laci did not go into an early labor and it just freaked out whomever she was with at the time. I had that experience once and there was no minute to spare in getting help. Stress from walking into your yard and finding burglars there might very well have scared her so badly that it got the ball rolling. The facts outlined in the Aponte tip weren't errors or exagerrations...I believe those calls were made and that the Modesto police department lost the tape they had been given. If that were the case, they would have all suffered tremendous shame in the public eye if they acted like they took that information serious. As a result, they could have just gone in save their arse mode and make it look like they were really on the case by focusing on Scott. If you think about it, other than breaking the news about Amber to Sharon and the family, everything else they told wasn't even factual. When you look at it, it would seem that there were several people that had a lot more reason to have motive than Scott ever did. Sad thing is, we may not ever know the truth.

[jane]

There's no doubt in my mind that Laci's abduction is directly connected to the Medina burglary. Todd, Pearce, and the 3 men seen with the van by Diane Jackson are the ones who should have been held accountable for Laci's death. And it doesn't stop there. There may have been other people directly involved in the Medina burglary and Laci's abduction. The people seen by DJ at 11:40 a.m. most likely were returning to collect the loot at the end of the burglary. But were they the same people who were there at the beginning of the burglary?

MPD did not investigate the connection between the burglary and Laci's disappearance at all. Instead, they lied and focused only on Scott Peterson.

IMO Karen Servas' timeline is wrong. There is no proof that the 10:34 a.m. Austin's receipt was accurate. There is no proof that Servas had left her house at the time she made the 10:37 a.m. call to Tom Eakin.

However, at this late date there is no clear-cut way to refute Servas timeline. So I think the appellate attorneys made a judgment call not to try to disprove the Servas' timeline. Instead they are focusing on this fact:

p. 48 The state relies on this argument to rebut the defense theory that
Laci was alive when Scott left by assuming that when Karen Servas found McKenzie
outside, Laci had already been abducted and or killed. In fact, not only did the state never
offer any evidence to support this assumption, but the evidence which does exist directly
undercuts it.

[News247]

not a lot of luck on darrin, but i did find his obit (below) and also found that he worked for 'Carmark Theatres' (I believe at the time of his death, b/c i found a link where fellow employees posted a remembrance in his name):


Darrin Frank Grantski

February 19, 1969 - March 21, 2008

Darrin Frank Grantski, 39, of Silverton died March 21.

Darrin was born in Honolulu on Feb. 19, 1969. He attended Silverton High School where he played football. Darrin was in the Army and served in Desert Storm. He was a Raiders football fan and enjoyed fishing.

Darrin is survived by his mother, Donna Sue Kidd of Salem; father, Ronald Grantski of Modesto, Calif.; grandmother, Sara Grantski of Modesto, Calif.; aunts and uncles, Ron and Donna Barnhart of Barstow, Calif., Carol Zwald of Modesto, Calif., Jack and Sue Kidd of Othell, Idaho, Tom and Sherry Kidd of Silverton; and several cousins.

A memorial service was held March 26, at the Assembly of God Church in Silverton.

[News247]

ok - one last wild speculation - does anyone remember the story going around about scott wanting/hoping to get laci's vehicle stolen as it really wasn't worth anything and he would do better collecting the car insurance rather than to try selling it. supposedly - amber knew of some people who could help with that type of thing, and that is why they went one night to a 'less than reputable bar' - i always wondered if something happened with that - maybe the 'white truck' scott was asking about that day was one that HE may have thought came to tow/steal laci's car and somehow, there was an altercation, and they took laci?

it isn't my intent to post lies and/or stories already disproven as gossip. there were SOOO many message boards going around back then, and it was difficult to always know if one could, in fact, trust what one read.

so anyway - Darren Grantski and the possible theft of laci's car scenerio (which would have caused scott to remain around amber for longer than the first date, lol) are and have remained, 2 of my favorite 'who did its' for all these years.

[News247]

not a lot of luck on darrin, but i did find his obit (below) and also found that he worked for 'Carmark Theatres' (I believe at the time of his death, b/c i found a link where fellow employees posted a remembrance in his name):


Darrin Frank Grantski

February 19, 1969 - March 21, 2008

Darrin Frank Grantski, 39, of Silverton died March 21.

Darrin was born in Honolulu on Feb. 19, 1969. He attended Silverton High School where he played football. Darrin was in the Army and served in Desert Storm. He was a Raiders football fan and enjoyed fishing.

Darrin is survived by his mother, Donna Sue Kidd of Salem; father, Ronald Grantski of Modesto, Calif.; grandmother, Sara Grantski of Modesto, Calif.; aunts and uncles, Ron and Donna Barnhart of Barstow, Calif., Carol Zwald of Modesto, Calif., Jack and Sue Kidd of Othell, Idaho, Tom and Sherry Kidd of Silverton; and several cousins.

A memorial service was held March 26, at the Assembly of God Church in Silverton.

sorry - didn't see a way to edit my post, so requoted - it was 'Carmike Cinemas" that darrin worked for, and employees of that business posted a remembrance here: http://www.wrpioneers.org/files/wrpione ... %20Web.pdf