Scott Peterson strangled his pregnant wife in their kitchen on Christmas Eve 2002, according to a book written by a woman claiming he confessed to her 15 months ago during a prison visit.
In a previous self-published book written under a pen name, Donna Thomas of Colorado claimed having romantic encounters with the Modesto fertilizer salesman over 14 years, including while he was married and after Laci Peterson, nearly eight months pregnant, vanished Christmas Eve 2002.
But Thomas, 45, told The Bee during an April interview in Los Angeles that she would publicly deny the affair. She describes herself as a legal advocate, though her new book, "'I'm Sorry I Lied to You: The Confession of Scott Peterson," does not explain how she might have gained his trust and access to him at San Quentin State Prison.
The book contains several inconsistencies with her first book and with statements she made to The Bee in interviews over 19 months.
Peterson, on death row since March 2005, did not respond to repeated written requests for comment.
His appellate lawyers in October issued a terse statement confirming that their client had had contact with Thomas, but denying that Peterson made statements attributed to him in publicity for the book.
"It is unclear what the motivation was for Ms. Thomas' initial contact with Mr. Peterson," East Bay attorneys Larry Gibbs and Cliff Gardner wrote to The Bee. "We are unsure of her motive in writing the book after Mr. Peterson broke off contact with Ms. Thomas, but it was not the search for truth."
Thomas claimed to be among Peterson's most ardent supporters before his alleged confession.
"I'm Sorry I Lied to You" purports to unveil mysteries not explained in a blockbuster trial stretching through most of 2004. Authorities speculated but provided no evidence of when or how Laci Peterson was killed.
According to the 219-page book, Peterson, now 35, strangled his 27-year-old wife, tied four cement weights to her wrists and ankles and drove to the Berkeley Marina. He cast off and read Playboy magazine for about 35 minutes to make sure no boaters were nearby, then dropped the body overboard, nearly capsizing his newly purchased fishing boat, according to the book.
"I'm Sorry I Lied to You" makes no mention of the first book. An edited e-mail exchange between Thomas and The Bee appears in the second, with references to the first book redacted.
Thomas told The Bee she had passed a polygraph regarding the alleged confession but later backed off on a promise to share results. Her former attorney forwarded copies of purported letters to Thomas from Peterson's cell, but Thomas reneged on a promise to produce originals.
Thomas pledges in "I'm Sorry I Lied to You" to donate a portion of her proceeds to "Haven/Stanuslaus (sic) Women's Refuge." But Belinda Rolicheck, executive director of the Haven Women's Center of Stanislaus, said recently she has never spoken with Thomas or her publisher.
"I don't know enough about her or the book to say we will or won't take it, but I'm really leery," Rolicheck said. "I'm skeptical about the whole thing. "
Literary agent convinced
Thomas' previous agent, Sandra Bond of Colorado-based Bond Literary Agency, said Thomas convinced her that Peterson had confessed. But an imminent book deal with a mainstream publisher unraveled when Thomas refused to pay a ghostwriter to clean up Thomas' substandard prose, Bond said.
Thomas told Bond about her alleged longtime affair with Peterson but instructed Bond not to reveal it when pitching the book idea to publishers, Bond said. Thomas never told her about the steamy self-published book, Bond said.
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