American Murder: Laci Peterson succeeds by keeping the story 'very Laci forward'

On Aug. 14, Netflix release one of its newest true crime documentary series, American Murder: Laci Peterson, a three-part retracing of the case that captivated the nation over 20 years ago. Over the years, Laci Peterson's story has been told in various documentaries and specials on television, and Netflix's own take on the tragic story comes a week out from another docuseries featuring an interview with convicted murderer Scott Peterson from prison.

Peacock's Face to Face with Scott Peterson drops on Aug. 20 and will surely find success with the added intrigue of hearing directly from Scott for the first time since 2003. American Murder: Laci Peterson manages to successfully share Laci's story and rehash all the ins and outs of the case without having that added perspective. But it wasn't completely off the table, as the docuseries' director reveals they spoke with Scott and he passed on participating.

As American Murder: Laci Peterson director Skye Borgman told Us Weekly:

"We did reach out to Scott and we had a couple of conversations with him in prison. He ultimately decided not to participate in our documentary. It is fine. Especially because I feel like we did get the perspective from his family and that we did want it to be very, very Laci forward."

Skye Borgman, director

Keeping the focus on Laci makes the documentary series accessible. If American Murder happens to be your first time interacting with the case, if you have never watched any documentaries on the Petersons, Netflix and Borgman have crafted a fair and balanced account of the entire investigation and outcome that provides all of the facts. From Laci's initial disappearance to the law enforcement following the evidence, it's all laid out for the viewer in black and white.

But American Murder also features a breadth of viewpoints from both sides of the story, as well as right down the middle with members of the jury and press, police officers, and detectives. Scott's sister and sister-in-law are featured in interviews throughout the three episodes, as are Laci's mother, Sharon Rocha, three of Laci's close friends, and Amber Frey, the woman who Scott had an affair with and played a large role in his trial. There's not just one story being told.

Borgman opened up with Netflix's Tudum, sharing that she wanted Laci to remain at the "forefront" of this particular retelling of her story and sought to shine a light on intimate-partner violence. As underscored in the docuseries, homicide is among the leading causes of death for pregnant women in the United States. It's a staggering statistic, but a reality that's at the center of Laci's story and carefully unpacked in American Murder by those who loved her and her unborn son, Conner.

American Murder: Laci Peterson isn't an easy watch by any means. It's heart-wrenching to watch the story unfold from her disappearance on Christmas in 2002 to Scott's eventual conviction in 2004. But those who want to learn more about this shocking case that had the country glued to the news two decades ago and hear first-hand experiences and throughts from those involved, make sure to watch.

Check out the trailer for the three-episode docuseries in the video below.

Watch American Murder: Laci Peterson only on Netflix.