American woman Laci Peterson unfortunately passed away in 2002. She was a devoted wife, a cherished daughter, and the mother of a child she never got to see. Upon learning the specifics of her murder, her tragedy generated outrage and attention around the country. Laci Peterson Death was December 24, 2002. Scott, Laci's husband, filed a missing person's report on Christmas Eve 2002 after she failed to come home after walking their dog near their Modesto, California, home.