People's Exhibit 23 & 23A
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Transcript of taped phone call from Sharon Rocha to Scott, February 13, 2003
(In progress)
SHARON ROCHA: Yeah- I just have some questions I need to have answered.
PETERSON: Sure.
SHARON ROCHA: Um the night – the last night I talked to Laci—
PETERSON: Uh-hunh
SHARON ROCHA: What was going on? What happened after 8:30 that night? Were you at home when she called me?
PETERSON: Yeah I was there. We um –we watched a movie. We had um got a haircut—Amy earlier that night.
SHARON ROCHA: Yeah I know earlier but I’m talkin’ about after 8:30. After I talked to her.
PETERSON: (Overlaps above) _____________ We picked up a pizza and watched a movie and went to bed.
SHARON ROCHA: What movie?
PETERSON: Ah The Rookie.
SHARON ROCHA: And then you went to bed at what time?
PETERSON: Oh I don’t know probably 10:30 or something.
SHARON ROCHA: What was she wearin’ when she went to bed?
PETERSON: Um my pajamas—the blue ones.
SHARON ROCHA: Your blue pajamas?
PETERSON: Yeah.
SHARON ROCHA: How come she was wearin’ your blue ja—pajamas?
PETERSON: ‘Cause they—fit her.
SHARON ROCHA: And she went to bed about 10:30?
PETERSON: Think so.
SHARON ROCHA: Was she feeling okay—when she went to bed?
PETERSON: Yeah—yeah—she looked fine.
SHARON ROCHA: Did you guys have some other plans—some tentative plans—for the—for Christmas Eve?
PETERSON: No. Just comin’ to your place.
SHARON ROCHA: Because it took her—I asked a couple of times before she decided or before she told me that you guys were coming over.
PETERSON: Uh hunh.
SHARON ROCHA: So you didn’t have anything else planned for Christmas Eve—before?
PETERSON: No. No—I think the question was in her mind who was gonna be over there.
SHARON ROCHA: And she was feeling all right when she went to sleep?
PETERSON: Yeah—definitely ii I mean she was – you know she was feelin’ a little more tired—last couple days. That week—but she was fine she wasn’t sick or anything.
SHARON ROCHA: And then how was she feeling when she got up in the morning—what time did she get up?
PETERSON: She got up before I did. About seven. You know and—you know how ah she is she has to ear right away—or else she felt sick so—her breakfast then I got up and -- ___ cereal again together.
SHARON ROCHA: You ate cereal again together?
PETERSON: Yeah.
SHARON ROCHA: So she got up and had breakfast and then ate breakfast again?
PETERSON: Well had a little bit – piece of toast and I had some cereal.
SHARON ROCHA: No I mean her.
Page 3 of 6, 2-13-03, Sharon Rocha & Scott Peterson, People’s 23A
PETERSON: Yeah she got up around seven I think.
SHARON ROCHA: And then she—she
PETERSON: (Overlaps above) Had her bowl of cereal –
SHARON ROCHA: Yeah—
PETERSON: Ah I got up later – and had ah cereal and she had a piece of toast.
SHARON ROCHA: And what was she wearing when you left?
PETERSON: Ah she had on her black pants – and like a white top with long sleeves. ___.
SHARON ROCHA: A pullover or button or what?
PETERSON: Yeah. Pullover like ah—you know tee shirt kinda sweater kinda thing.
SHARON ROCHA: And what shoes?
PETERSON: (Pause) I don’t know. She maybe had slippers on I don’t know.
SHARON ROCHA: So you don’t even know what shoes she had on?
PETERSON: No not really.
SHARON ROCHA: I just wanted to know—I mean I talked to her at 8:30 at night. I need to know –everything that happened after that.
PETERSON: Sure well—
SHARON ROCHA: I mean what she—how she acted—if she was sick or if she was tired or—
PETERSON: No she was I mean she was feeling good you know that morning. You know her- she was you know excited to be baking you know she was into her gingerbread thing and going to—helping _____and you know get ready for Christmas Day. She felt like she had – all her French toast stuff and she was gonna make _______ French toast for Christmas Day.
SHARON ROCHA: Well how come you didn’t notice when you walked__
PETERSON: (Overlaps above) _________ set the table on Friday.
Page 4 of 6, 2-13-03, Sharon Rocha & Scott Peterson, People’s 23A
SHARON ROCHA: How come you didn’t noticed when you walked in the door that – she hadn’t been baking or the lights were off or anything?
PETERSON: ‘Cause I was late and I was rushing -- ________ yeah.
SHARON ROCHA: I mean surely McKenzie came up to you when you walked in the back gate with his—leash on.
PETERSON: Yeah—
SHARON ROCHA: But you didn’t—
PETERSON: I took it off of him and I didn’t—it didn’t even register.
SHARON ROCHA: Didn’t even register that Laci wasn’t in the house when you walked in--it was a dark house—didn’t smell like she’d been cooking—everything was cleaned up and neat and tidy—and nothing even registered to you.
PETERSON: No I – again—ah I grabbed a piece of pizza out of the fridge and jumped into the shower immediately and when I got out then I looked at the messages – I assumed she was over – you know – at your place.
SHARON ROCHA: I mean we’ve never even had this conversation all this time.
PETERSON: True. I know. And it wasn’t until yeah you asked about McKenzie thing – and I – even if I remember I – you know mentioned to you – yeah and he had his leach on he – go to the park.
SHARON ROCHA: I didn’t mention it – you told me he had his leash on it.
PETERSON: Right well you asked about McKenzie if he was in the yard.
SHARON ROCHA: No you told me he was.
PETERSON: Okay I mean either way.
SHARON ROCHA: I mean that’s how I knew all that stuff there as no reason for me to ask about that. I didn’t even know she was going for a walk until later that night when I asked you when we were standin’ in the driveway I asked you –what were her plans for the day and that’s when you told me – that she was – planned on going for a walk. (Pause) So she was wearing your blue pajamas? Is that a blue top and bottom?
PETERSON: Yeah. But she was wearin’ the --_____.
Page 5 of 6, 2-13-03, Sharon Rocha & Scott Peterson, People’s 23A
SHARON ROCHA: Is that what she normally wears to bed?
PETERSON: Oh that whole past month yeah.
SHARON ROCHA: Were they like flannel pajamas or –
PETERSON: No—not___-- cotton.
SHARON ROCHA: Okay well that’s what I wanted to know. I mean these are questions that I’ve had and I’ve never – had them answered I mean just what she was doing that night.
PETERSON: (Overlaps above) Uh-hunh—yeah.
SHARON ROCHA: She went to bed about 10:30 and everything was just fine.
PETERSON: Yeah.
SHARON ROCHA: And everything was fine at seven o’clock when she got up.
PETERSON: Oh yeah—great____. She was excited about you know doing the cooking stuff so - _______________.
SHARON ROCHA: (Overlaps above) But you said she set the table.
PETERSON: setting it up for Christmas Day. Oh yeah the table was set.
SHARON ROCHA: No it wasn’t.
PETERSON: Three or four days ago.
SHARON ROCHA: All that was on there was the um—the little cracker things. What did she set on the table?
PETERSON: Well the cracker things and the candles and all that stuff.
SHARON ROCHA: ‘Cause there wasn’t anything on there but the crackers and the candles. There weren’t any plates or silverware or anything else set out there.
PETERSON: Okay—I mean (pause)
SHARON ROCHA: Was that what you’re saying she did all that?
Page 6 of 6, 2-13-03, Sharon Rocha & Scott Peterson, People’s 23A
PETERSON: Well I don’t know – I don’t recall if there were plates out there or not I do remember the crackers and the candles and – you know obviously the presents and the tree and all the –
SHARON ROCHA: You just said she had the table set for three or four days.
PETERSON: Yeah it was like it was ready – you know she had – she had those red berry things out there – all that. You know we were just ready to have people over Christmas Day. That’s what – you know—she was excited about – Christmas Eve. Getting’ prepared ____.
SHARON ROCHA: Um like I said I just – it’s just odd that you didn’t notice anything when you walked in the house—I mean the dog had his leash on – the house is dark—she hadn’t cooked—and you went ahead and took a shower and didn’t bother to call until afterwards. I would a thought – you would a called right away. There was no note for you or anything so—
PETERSON: No.
SHARON ROCHA: Okay—well that’s what I wanted to know for now unless I think of something else.
PETERSON: Okay.
SHARON ROCHA: Okay thanks.
PETERSON: Bye.
SHARON ROCHA: Bye.
(End of call)
(Faint voice) This conversation was recorded at about __35—Thursday, February 13th.