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Authors: Catherine Crier
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when she walked. Although he'd already told Brocchini that it was unusual for her to leave the house without locking the door, he now said that Laci sometimes left the door unlocked.
It was after breakfast when Scott decided to go fishing at Berkeley Marina. He'd researched the area on the Internet after purchasing his boat two weeks earlier. When asked if Laci had ever gone fishing with him, Scott said "only once." On their very first date about eight years ago, he had taken her out on the water for a deep-sea fishing trip, and she became very seasick. Laci refused to ever go boating again. This incident would give rise to one of the most poignant statements made by Sharon Rocha during the sentencing phase of Scott's trial.
Scott told the cops he was sure he'd left the house around 9:30; Martha Stewart was on TV at the time, talking about meringue and cookies. This fact would prove embarrassing to the prosecution at trial, but would also provide a devastating time line to be used against the defense.
That Tuesday morning was his first outing with the new boat. On the twenty-second, he had obtained a two-day license and some fishing lures at Big 5 Sporting Goods. Just hours before, Scott had been unable to give Officer Evers even the sketchiest account of his plans. Now, with Grogan, he was very detailed. He would be fishing for sturgeon and striper in the bay.
When he got to the warehouse, Scott said, he checked his e-mail; there was a reminder to ship a golf bag he recently sold on eBay. Scott also sent a holiday note to his employer. As he'd said before, he then assembled a woodworking tool called a mortiser- a strange use of his time for a man heading off on a fishing trip. Finally, he cleaned up the office, unloaded tools from his toolbox, and hooked up his boat. He left for the bay shortly after eleven o'clock. When Agent Mansfield asked if he'd called Laci before leaving the office, Scott replied that he "never spoke to his wife while at work."
While the timing of the e-mails could be determined, there was never any proof that Scott was cleaning or assembling tools while at his office. The prosecution would argue that he used these moments to hide Laci's body between the boat seats, then covered the boat with the brown tarp originally discovered in the back of his pickup. Once again, Scott described his drive along Highway 132 to 580 and the 1-80 North Interchange. He recalled reaching the Berkeley Marina at about one o'clock, putting five dollars into the "Iron Ranger" automated parking meter, and collecting a timed parking receipt. He loaded two fishing rods and a tackle box into the boat, but forgot the brand new lures he had purchased only two days earlier. When questioned why he hadn't brought any food or water, Scott said he knew time was limited; his main mission was simply to get the boat in the water.
Scott claimed that he'd stayed out for about an hour. Powered by a fifteen-horsepower engine, he motored northwest until he reached a shallow area along "a trash-filled island with a posting that read, NO LANDING. " He had no problems trolling for sturgeon, although he had forgotten the saltwater lures.
According to Scott, the weather turned bad and it began to rain, so he returned to the marina. While loading his boat, he ran the trailer into the dock, giving several bystanders a laugh. Once on the road, he called his wife. It was 2:15 when he left the "Hey, beautiful" message at home, then another on Laci's cell phone with the dead battery.
Traffic delays in Pleasanton and Livermore slowed his return. He wasted more time by stopping for thirteen dollars' worth of gas, duly noted on his debit card. Realizing he would never make it back in time to pick up the gift basket before four o'clock, he placed another call to Laci-again, no answer.
Driving at 55 mph because he was towing the trailer, Scott said, he arrived at the warehouse about 4:30. Quickly disconnecting the boat, he was back on the road within
It was after breakfast when Scott decided to go fishing at Berkeley Marina. He'd researched the area on the Internet after purchasing his boat two weeks earlier. When asked if Laci had ever gone fishing with him, Scott said "only once." On their very first date about eight years ago, he had taken her out on the water for a deep-sea fishing trip, and she became very seasick. Laci refused to ever go boating again. This incident would give rise to one of the most poignant statements made by Sharon Rocha during the sentencing phase of Scott's trial.
Scott told the cops he was sure he'd left the house around 9:30; Martha Stewart was on TV at the time, talking about meringue and cookies. This fact would prove embarrassing to the prosecution at trial, but would also provide a devastating time line to be used against the defense.
That Tuesday morning was his first outing with the new boat. On the twenty-second, he had obtained a two-day license and some fishing lures at Big 5 Sporting Goods. Just hours before, Scott had been unable to give Officer Evers even the sketchiest account of his plans. Now, with Grogan, he was very detailed. He would be fishing for sturgeon and striper in the bay.
When he got to the warehouse, Scott said, he checked his e-mail; there was a reminder to ship a golf bag he recently sold on eBay. Scott also sent a holiday note to his employer. As he'd said before, he then assembled a woodworking tool called a mortiser- a strange use of his time for a man heading off on a fishing trip. Finally, he cleaned up the office, unloaded tools from his toolbox, and hooked up his boat. He left for the bay shortly after eleven o'clock. When Agent Mansfield asked if he'd called Laci before leaving the office, Scott replied that he "never spoke to his wife while at work."
While the timing of the e-mails could be determined, there was never any proof that Scott was cleaning or assembling tools while at his office. The prosecution would argue that he used these moments to hide Laci's body between the boat seats, then covered the boat with the brown tarp originally discovered in the back of his pickup. Once again, Scott described his drive along Highway 132 to 580 and the 1-80 North Interchange. He recalled reaching the Berkeley Marina at about one o'clock, putting five dollars into the "Iron Ranger" automated parking meter, and collecting a timed parking receipt. He loaded two fishing rods and a tackle box into the boat, but forgot the brand new lures he had purchased only two days earlier. When questioned why he hadn't brought any food or water, Scott said he knew time was limited; his main mission was simply to get the boat in the water.
Scott claimed that he'd stayed out for about an hour. Powered by a fifteen-horsepower engine, he motored northwest until he reached a shallow area along "a trash-filled island with a posting that read, NO LANDING. " He had no problems trolling for sturgeon, although he had forgotten the saltwater lures.
According to Scott, the weather turned bad and it began to rain, so he returned to the marina. While loading his boat, he ran the trailer into the dock, giving several bystanders a laugh. Once on the road, he called his wife. It was 2:15 when he left the "Hey, beautiful" message at home, then another on Laci's cell phone with the dead battery.
Traffic delays in Pleasanton and Livermore slowed his return. He wasted more time by stopping for thirteen dollars' worth of gas, duly noted on his debit card. Realizing he would never make it back in time to pick up the gift basket before four o'clock, he placed another call to Laci-again, no answer.
Driving at 55 mph because he was towing the trailer, Scott said, he arrived at the warehouse about 4:30. Quickly disconnecting the boat, he was back on the road within
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