MR. DISTASO: And I'm going to call Detective Evers,Your Honor.
THE CLERK: Please raise your right hand.  JON EVERS, called as a witness for and on behalf of the People, having been duly and regularly sworn, testified as follows:
THE WITNESS: I do.
THE CLERK: Please have a seat. Put the microphone around your neck.

DIRECT EXAMINATION -  MR. DISTASO: Q. Detective, would you state your full name, spell your last name for the record?
A. Jon Evers, J-O-N E-V-E-R-S.
Q. And were you present at 523 Covena Avenue during the evening hours of December 24th of 2002?
A. Yes.
Q. Is that location in the city of Modesto?
A. Yes, it is.
Q. Is that in Stanislaus County?
A. Yes.
Q. During the break, have you had an opportunity to look at People's Exhibits 48 through 70, should be 80.
THE COURT: Seventy-eight are the photographs.
MR. DISTASO: There were 78, Your Honor?
MR. GERAGOS: 48 through 78; right?
MR. DISTASO: Okay. Q. 48 through 78?
A. Yes.
Q. And do those photos accurately depict the condition of 523 Covena Avenue, as you remember seeing it, on that night?
A. Yes.
MR. DISTASO: Your Honor, for the record, we have the next exhibit marked as People's 81. I have not marked -- these are the only exhibits I marked, so I'm wondering if this should be People's 80.
THE COURT: I thought 80 was a diagram according to the note that was given to me.
MR. DISTASO: Oh, I'm sorry. That's right. 80. Let me show you People's 80 and 79. Do you recognize this diagram?
THE WITNESS: Yes, I do.
MR. GERAGOS: I'm sorry. Is 79 the reverse?
MR. DISTASO: It's on the back. I'm looking at 80 right now.
THE COURT: So what you have clipped together are both of them?
MR. DISTASO: That's right.
MR. GERAGOS: Got it.
MR. DISTASO: Q. People's 80, is this an accurate schematic diagram of 523 Covena Avenue as you remember seeing it on December 24th of 2002?
A. Yes, it is.
Q. People's 79, same question. Is that also an accurate schematic diagram?
A. Yes.
Q. Just for the record, the only difference in the diagrams is the position of furniture in the house?
A. Correct.
Q. People's 81, is this a copy of a missing person's report form?
A. Yes.
Q. And did you fill that out on December 24th of 2002?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. And who gave you the information for that form?
A. Scott Peterson.
Q. And do you recognize the defendant as he sits in the -- I'm sorry -- as he sits in court here today?
A. Yes, I do.
Q. Okay. And if you could, just state the color of his suit.
A. He's wearing a brown suit.
MR. DISTASO: Your Honor, again, for the record, identifying the defendant.
THE COURT: So noted.
MR. DISTASO: Q. Okay. Let's go back now and start at the very beginning. What were your duties with the Modesto Police Department on December 24th of 2002?
A. I was working a patrol assignment.
Q. And you have since changed to the detective division; is that right?
A. That's correct.
Q. On -- back on -- back on the 24th, however, what shift were you working that day?
A. Be fourth platoon, which would be 4:30 at night until 3:30 in the morning.
Q. And how long have you been a sworn police officer in the state of California?
A. About 16 years.
Q. Tell me what happened in -- on the evening of the 24th. You came on duty, and then did you receive a call regarding a missing woman by the name of Laci Peterson?
MR. McALLISTER: Objection. Compound question.
THE COURT: Sustained.
MR. DISTASO: Q. All right. Did you come on duty that day?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Did you receive a dispatch regarding a missing woman by the name of Laci Peterson?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. And tell me what happened next.
A. According to the call, the husband last saw the missing person, Laci Peterson, this morning about 9:30, and she was last seen taking her dog on a walk at the Dry Creek Park area.
Q. And did -- did you respond to that area, or did you go to that area?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. What happened next? Did you meet up with someone?
A. Yes. I went to the East La Loma Park where I met  Scott Peterson and several other family members.
Q. Okay. What happened next?
A. I spoke with Scott. He then told me briefly that his wife was missing. He had been fishing all day long in the Bay Area.
Q. Did he tell you -- well, okay. Where did you speak to him? Where were you physically located?
A. Well, in the park, in the parking lot of the park closest to the covered park bench areas.
Q. Okay. And what park was that?
A. East La Loma.
Q. And tell me -- or as you -- did you interview the defendant about what was going on?
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. Tell me what you -- what did you first ask him and what were his responses?
A. Well, I asked about his wife. I asked him -- you know, "When was the last time you saw her?"
Q. And what did he say?
A. He said when he --
MR. McALLISTER: Objection. Hearsay.
THE COURT: Overruled.
THE WITNESS: He said when he last saw her at home before he went fishing this morning.
MR. DISTASO: Q. Okay. And did he say what time that was?
A. Said it was about 9:30.
Q. And did he say what time he left his home to go fishing?
A. About 9:30.
Q. Did he tell you during this conversation where he was going fishing?
A. I don't believe, not at that time.
Q. Okay.
A. Just to the Bay Area.
Q. Okay. And what happened next? What else -- what's the next thing he told you?
A. That Laci liked to come down to the park, you know, routinely and walk their dog. And he went fishing. He came back this afternoon, she wasn't home, and he did find their dog, the golden retriever,at the house.
Q. Okay. Did -- was this an initial interview with him?
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. Did you take a more detailed statement later, or was this the only statement that you took of him that night?
A. I spoke to him there, and I spoke to him again at his residence.
Q. Did he tell you what he did after he left home?
A. Yes.
Q. What did he say he did?
A. He said he had to go to his warehouse where he worked, and that's where he stored his boat.
Q. Okay. Did he tell you what the address of that location?
A. I'm not sure of the number. I think it's 1022 or 1024 North Emerald.
Q. Okay. Did you write a report regarding this contact with the defendant?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. And at the time you wrote the report, was this incident fresh in your mind?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you write the report for the purpose of recording your recollection of what happened on that day?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you have a copy of it with you?
A. Yes.
Q. Go ahead and take a look at it.
A. Okay.
Q. Looking at about the third paragraph down, does that refresh your recollection as to what the address the defendant gave you of the warehouse was?
A. Yes.
Q. What was that?
A. 1027 North Emerald.
Q. And did he tell you what he did when he got there?
A. That he picked up the boat and he went out to the marina.
Q. And so at that time he -- did he tell you which marina he went to?
A. Yes.
Q. What did he say?
A. He said he went to the Berkeley Marina.
Q. And did he say what time he arrived there?
A. About noon.
Q. And did he say what he did there?
A. Said he fished for about two hours.
Q. Did he say that anyone was present with him while he was fishing?
A. He said he was by himself.
Q. Did he say what ended his fishing trip, why he decided to stop?
A. Started to rain, started to get cold.
Q. And what did he say he did next?
A. Well, he came back to Modesto.
Q. Did he tell you whether or not he made any attempts to contact his wife? Did he tell you the name of his wife?
A. Yes.
Q. What was that?
A. Laci.
Q. Okay. Did he tell you whether he made any attempts to contact Laci while he was either at the marina
or on his way home?
A. Yes.
Q. What did he say?
A. He said he attempted to call her two times on his cell phone.
Q. And did he say whether he was ever successfully able to reach her?
A. He said he was not able to reach her.
Q. Okay. What did he tell you about -- did he tell you what time he arrived home?
A. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon.
Q. And did he tell you what he did?
A. He didn't find Laci or she wasn't home at the time.  She took a -- or he took a shower, you know,
changed his clothes, tried calling some more friends, relatives, see if  they've heard from her. They hadn't.
Q. Okay. Did he tell -- let's go back. Did he tell you whether or not he went straight home from the marina
with the boat at home or whether or not he took the boat first to his shop? Did he mention that to you?
A. Yes.
Q. What did he say?
A. That he dropped the boat off back at the warehouse.
Q. And then you said he told you that he went home?
A. Yes.
Q. And the 16 -- the 4:30 time, did he tell you, was that the time he arrived at his house or was that the time he arrived at his shop?
A. I believe it's when he arrived at his house.
Q. And did he tell you whether or not he observed anything unusual upon coming home?
A. That his dog was in the backyard with the leash on him.
Q. So he told you that his dog was in his own backyard?
A. Yes.
Q. But it had a leash attached?
A. Yes.
Q. And did he say anything about the condition of the rear doors to his home?
A. That they were unlocked.
Q. And did he tell you anything about where his wife's vehicle was located?
A. It was still parked in the driveway.
Q. And then did he -- so then he told you that he went inside the house?
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. And what did he tell you he did next?
A. Well, he -- he was hungry, so he took the pizza out, had a couple slices of pizza, and then he changed his clothes, and he took a shower.
Q. Did -- were you one of -- were you the first officer to respond to this particular call?
A. Yes.
Q. And what other officers were also dispatched to the call?
A. Officer Derek Letsinger, Officer Matt Spurg -- Spurlock, and Sergeant Byron Duerfeldt.
Q. Now, this interview with the -- with the defendant, was this taking place in the park?
A. The initial interview was, just real briefly, and then a decision was made to go back to their residence over on Covena.
Q. Okay. And why was that decision made?
A. Because that's the last known location that Laci was seen. So I thought it would be best to start there.
Q. Okay. And did -- did you then continue the interview with the defendant at the house?
A. Yes.
Q. And so what you've told us took place kind of in two different locations?
A. Yes.
Q. Did -- how did -- you first met up with the defendant at the park?
A. Yes.
Q. How did you all then get back to the house?
A. Everyone took their own vehicles.
Q. Okay. So you didn't transport the defendant?
A. No.
Q. You just met back up with him at the house?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you fill out -- sometime during the evening, did you fill out a missing persons form for the Modesto Police Department?
A. Yes.
Q. And is that a -- is that a standard kind of -- standard form that's used in circumstances like this?
A. Yes.
Q. Is there a copy of it in front of you?
A. Yes.
Q. It's marked as what? People's 81?
A. That's correct.
Q. Okay. If you could take a look at that, who gave you all of the information on that report?
A. Scott Peterson.
Q. And just going down that report from -- kind of from the beginning, what -- what information did you ask him for? Did you ask him for the name of his wife?
A. Yes.
Q. And it was Laci Peterson; correct?
A. That's correct.
Q. And it's -- you've checked a box on there, "adult." There's a box for "adult or juvenile"; right?
A. Correct.
Q. And then you put the Modesto Police Department case number on there?
A. That's correct.
Q. And then going down, it looks like you've got the date and time that she was reported missing, and that was December 24th, 2002, at 6:04 PM?
A. Correct.
Q. And is that the time when you spoke to defendant, or is that the time when the initial call came in?
A. I believe that is the time when I spoke with him initially.
Q. And then you got her sex, her race, height, weight, her date of birth, general identifying features; right?
A. Correct.
Q. And her age was 26 years old?
A. Correct.
Q. Did you ask the defendant when he last saw Laci Peterson what clothes she was wearing?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. And how did he describe that?
A. It was like a light long-sleeve shirt.
Q. Well, you wrote W-H-T. What does that mean?
A. White.
Q. Okay. Long-sleeve shirt. And what color of pants?
A. Black pants.
Q. Did you ask him for any greater description than that, like the manufacturer or any of that kind of specific detail?
A. No.
Q. Is that -- is this form a normal -- all right. Did you fill out this form the way you would in any other missing persons case?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you ask her -- him what jewelry that Laci Peterson was wearing when the defendant last saw her?
A. Yes.
Q. And what was that?
A. Wearing a diamond ring, diamond earrings, and a diamond necklace.
Q. And you asked him for any identifying marks on her body, correct, like a tattoo or a scar?
A. That's correct.
Q. And Laci had a sunflower tattoo on her left ankle and a scar on her torso; is that right?
A. That's correct.
Q. And did you ask him the location where he had last seen Laci Peterson?
A. Yes.
Q. And where was that?
A. At the residence, 523 Covena.
Q. And you asked him for a probable destination; is that right?
A. Yes.
Q. Is that a standard question?
A. Yes.
Q. And what did the defendant tell you?
A. That she was going to go walk the dog that morning at the park.
Q. Okay. And the park that you've been describing, is that also referred to as Dry Creek Park?
A. Yes.
Q. And then at the bottom of the narrative section,you asked the defendant -- it says "narrative." Is that just like a brief summary of the circumstances of what you're investigating?
A. Exactly.
Q. And what -- what narrative did you put in for that?
A. "The RP," reporting person, "husband left the MP," which is the missing person, "at home about 0930 hours and went fishing. RP returned home at 1630 and discovered eight month pregnant wife, missing person, was missing."
Q. And then where does this information go once you've filled it out?
A. I -- I took it to records and they enter it into the missing person database.
Q. And did you do that in this case?
A. Yes.
Q. Now, did -- you asked the defendant for permission to enter his home and basically look through it?
A. Yes.
Q. And what was the reason for that?
A. Well, wanted to eliminate the residence, make sure she wasn't there, definitely she wasn't at the
house or the surrounding area around the house.
Q. Is that standard procedure in a missing persons case?
A. Yes.
Q. To -- let me even go further. If you have a last  known location of an individual, is it standard procedure
for the Modesto Police Department to search that last known  location?
A. Yes.
Q. So, for example, if the last known location was the  swing set down at La Loma Park, would it be
normal procedure  then for the Modesto Police Department to search the  surrounding area around
the swing set at La Loma Park?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you go into 523 Covena?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. And who was present with you?
A. Officer Spurlock and Officer Letsinger.
Q. And what about the defendant?
A. Not the initial entry.
Q. And why was that?
A. I -- we just kept him outside in front of the house while we went in and, you know, looked around.
Q. Okay. And did you tell him that you were going to  go into the house?
A. Yes.
Q. And did you ask his permission to do that?
A. Yes.
Q. And he did consent; I mean, he did allow you to do  that?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you look through the entire house?
A. Yes.
Q. By saying that, did you look in great detail,  opening drawers, lifting up carpets, you know, overturning
furniture? Did you do that type of search?
A. I only looked in areas that a person might be able  to be.
Q. Okay. So you looked in rooms probably?
A. Yes.
Q. And did you look in the bathrooms?
A. Yes.
Q. And did you pull the shower curtains back?
A. Yes.
Q. And did you look in closets?
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. Any other place I missed?
A. That about covers it.
Q. Okay. And did it appear in the home that anything  was out of place?
MR. McALLISTER: Objection. Calls for speculation.

TESTIMONY CONTINUED - PAGE 2

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Friday - October 31, 2003
TESTIMONY OF DETECTIVE JON EVERS
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Rick Distaso