Family of Laci Peterson “Horrified” Over Court’s Order To Reexamine Case

Earlier this week, a court ruled to reexamine the case of Laci Peterson, the wife, and mother-to-be, who was killed by her husband Scott Peterson in 2002. A close source told PEOPLE, her family is “horrified.”

“This was a closed case,” says a source close to Laci’s family. “The family wasn’t moving on, of course, but they were definitely moving forward. Now they’re facing the very real possibility of having to sit through another trial. They’re horrified. They’re horrified and disgusted.”

The family is stunned by the court’s decision to look back into the case because Scott Peterson pled guilty to the crime. The now 47-year-old was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder for killing his wife and his unborn son, Conner.

According to PEOPLE, after Scott’s appeals, the Supreme Court of California overturned his death penalty conviction, a sentence he received in 2005. But now the court’s ruling will give him a new sentencing trial.

In August, the court stated that Scott’s guilty pledge would stand, but the higher court—the Supreme Court ruled that the lower court reexamine his case to see if his convictions should stand or be overturned as if he should get a new trial.

All this comes after the discovery of a juror who committed “prejudicial misconduct.” The female juror was involved in an unrelated case in 2000 when she got a restraining order against her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, whom she accused of harassing her while she was pregnant. This court said the juror’s failure to disclose this information was problematic, especially since she was asked if she was ever a victim of a crime or involved in any legal matters.

Apparently, the unidentified juror told the court no.

“Laci’s family is stunned,” says the insider. “This juror may be the reason that they have to go through this all over again. It’s a nightmare. They’ve already suffered an unimaginable loss.”

Laci Peterson went missing at 8 months pregnant on Christmas Eve. Her body was discovered 4 months later in the San Francisco Bay. Eventually, Peterson’s infidelity came to light, and with the help of Amber Frey, his mistress, who says she did not know Scott was married, police were able to solve the mystery of Laci’s death.

Since 2004, Scott has remained behind bars. In 2005, he received the death penalty. But his case has finally made its way through the appeals process, and sadly, it’s a victory for him.

Laci’s family will now have to relive the turmoil that they’ve worked so hard to move forward from.

“Right now, they’re preparing themselves that there may be another trial,” the insider says. “They haven’t even begun to consider what they’ll do if he ever walks free again. It’s just awful for them.”