Review: 'American Murder: Laci Peterson'

When it comes to the possible subject list for true crime documentaries, there are some cases which fall into the category of cat nip for viewers. They are well-known cases that most of the general public is familiar with. But despite the number of times they have been revisited in the past, any new documentary containing even the hint of a new piece of video or a new interview will bring viewers in once again.

The case of Laci Peterson is arguably one of the most covered and dissected murder cases in the past thirty years and in part it's because it has something for nearly everyone. A pregnant wife disappears, husband Scott Peterson is later discovered to have been having a serious affair with another woman and when the body of Laci and their unborn son is discovered, the location is near an area where her husband had been fishing around the time they disappeared.

And because the case is so well known, most people also know the ultimate resolution of this case. Scott Peterson was convicted of the murder of his wife and unborn son twenty years ago and he continues to proclaim his innocence to this day. So what more is there to learn about this case?

The three-part documentary American Murder: Laci Peterson comes from director Skye Borgman (The Girl in the Picture) and it's billed as "the definitive examination of the murder of Laci Peterson." And I suppose that's true, if for no other reason than it includes interviews with people who haven't commented publicly on camera in the past, including Laci's mother, Sharon Rocha, and a trio of her childhood friends. There is also a number of comments from Scott's sister, who continues to proclaim her brother's innocence in an impressive display of sibling loyalty.

There is certainly nothing wrong with American Murder: Laci Peterson, especially if you're not overly familiar with the case or have blocked out some of the details following the obsessive press coverage at the time. And the new interviews are certainly interesting to see, albeit a bit heartbreaking. 

But at least for me, I'd rather spend three hours watching a true crime documentary about a case that isn't so familiar. That's just my personal response and as the kids say, "your mileage may vary." American Murder: Laci Peterson ultimately isn't a must watch for me, but it's also not a waste of time.

American Murder: Laci Peterson premieres Wednesday, August 14th, 2024 on Netflix.