Peterson Refuses To Take Lie Detector Test

Scott Peterson continued Tuesday to refuse to take a lie detector test despite the urging of his missing wife Laci's family and Modesto investigators, his family told KTVU.

Speaking with KTVU's Ted Rowlands, Peterson's family said they continued to support Scott and his decision not to take the test.

It was also learned Tuesday that Peterson had severed his ties with his Modesto-based attorney, who had advised him not to talk to the media.

The developments came just hours after the case reached an emotional milestone -- Laci Peterson's due date for son Connor.

At a candlelight vigil in a park near Laci and Scott's Modesto home, friends and her sister, Amy, marked what should have been a joyous occasion with prayers.

"On behalf of Laci's family and friends, this day means a lot to us," Laci's friend Heather Sutton told the gathering. "We thought it would be appropriate to join together and light candles to honor Laci and Connor, and to carry this message to everyone praying for their safe return."

All day long across the city, people stopped and remembered the missing Modesto woman who vanished without a trace on Christmas Eve.

Her husband, Scott Peterson, marked the day privately, journeying out of the house only to place a box full of Laci Peterson buttons on his front lawn.

The box joined a giant yellow sign announcing a reward for information in the case as a strange makeshift memorial. Someone had placed a small bouquet of flowers in front of the sign.

Laci's family -- the Rochas -- meanwhile were to hold a private service later in the day.

Across the Central Valley town, Laci wasn't far from local residents minds.

Chano Tovar stopped in front of the house to grab a button from the box.

"Today's the due date," the Turlock resident said. "I really feel for the child. I just hope she's still alive that way the child can have a life too."

Krista Mackey, a Modesto resident, also said she was hopeful.

"Yes, I've followed the news and know today's the day," she said. "I'm just hoping they find something soon."

A man, who asked not to be identified, also stopped by and hoped the best for the families involved.

"It's really a sad day, I hope it gets resolved soon," he said. "There's a whole lot of people in pain about this."

The arrival of the date also had an emotional impact on police investigators, but Modesto Police Sgt. Ron Cloward said it would not change anything they were doing to investigate Laci's disappearance.

"Everybody's aware of it," Cloward said. "Everybody's aware that that's the due date."

On Saturday, nearly 500 volunteers searched for any clue of Laci in a wilderness area west of Modesto. They found a discarded dress and other items, but nothing with a confirmed connection to the case.

"As far as anything good or solid, they didn't find anything like that," Cloward said.

The Rochas had organized the search -- the first of three planned for consecutive weekends in February.

The areas of those searches were determined with the help of the Modesto police. They will be the Delta Mendota Canal area this week, the Lake Don Pedro area on Feb. 15 and the Lake Pardee area on Feb. 22.

Authorities had already searched each of those areas, but appreciated the family's help in taking a second look.

"We welcome all the help we can get in trying to locate Laci Peterson," Police Chief Roy Wasden told the Modesto Bee.

Meanwhile, a Texas-based missing person search organization -- the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children -- had posted a poster of Laci Peterson on its web site at the request of Scott Peterson's mother, Jacqueline Peterson.