Scott Peterson, the California salesman who murdered his wife and unborn son, says he was an “a–hole” for having an affair in the weeks leading up to the killing but maintained his innocence as he spoke out for the first time since his 2004 conviction.

Peterson, 49, is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the death of his wife Laci Peterson who had disappeared while eight months pregnant with their son Connor from their Modesto home on Christmas Eve 2002.

While locked up at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, Calif. Peterson recalled that the extramarital affair he had with single mom and massage therapist Amber Frey weeks before the murder was a “terrible mistake.” 8 Scott Peterson, the California salesman who murdered his wife and unborn son, says he was an “a–hole” for having an affair in the weeks leading up to Laci Peterson’s murder in 2002. AP

“It’s horrible. I was a total a–hole to be having sex outside our marriage,” Peterson said, according to People, a week before a three-part Peacock docuseries is set to launch on the infamous case.

In “Face to Face with Scott Peterson,” the 49-year-old convicted killer is seeking to appeal to the public to call out the “so-called investigation” that put him in prison.

Peterson claimed police and prosecutors ignored leads and used circumstantial evidence during his double murder trial in 2004.

Laci vanished in Dec. 2002 and her body washed up in the San Francisco Bay four months later, not far from the body of her unborn son, Conner, who was discovered days later.

Two strands of Lacis hair collected from a pair of pliers on Petersons boat were a key piece of evidence used to convict him of her murder. 8 In “Face to Face with Scott Peterson,” the 49-year-old convicted killer is seeking to appeal to the public to call out the “so-called investigation” that put him in prison. PeacockTV 8 Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant with her son Conner when she disappeared on Dec. 24, 2002 in California. AP 8 Peterson claimed police and prosecutors ignored leads and used circumstantial evidence during his double murder trial in 2004. AP

Prosecutors allege that Peterson dumped Laci’s body into the San Francisco Bay and used concrete anchors to weigh her down, according to SF Gate.

Peterson had claimed that he was fishing in the bay on the day Laci went missing.

Peterson says he regrets not testifying during his trial but is willing 20 years later.

“But if I have a chance to show people what the truth is, and if they are willing to accept it, it would be the biggest thing that I can accomplish right nowbecause I didnt kill my family, Peterson said. Start and end your day informed with our newsletters

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During the five-month trial, Prosecutors characterized Peterson as a man who regretted becoming a father and killed his wife to get out of his marriage while not having to pay child support.

“He didn’t want to be a dad, didn’t want to pay child support, didn’t want to pay his spousal, and this is the way he thought about getting out of it,” former Modesto Police Detective Jon Buehler said in a trailer for the docu-series.

That is so offensive and so disgusting, Peterson said according to People I certainly regret cheating on Laci, absolutely. It was about a childish lack of self-esteem, selfish me traveling somewhere, lonely that night because I wasnt at home. Someone makes you feel good because they want have sex with you. 8 Peterson says he regrets not testifying during his trial but is willing 20 years later. PeacockTV 8 Peterson was sentenced to death by lethal injection, but California’s Supreme Court overruled the sentencing in 2020. AP

His sister-in-law Janey Peterson alleges that Laci had a fatal run-in with burglars after she witnessed their crime across the street and confronted them.

Scott lied about cheating and that was upsetting, Janey Peterson told the outlet. But he wasnt charged with infidelity. He was charged with murder.

The Los Angeles Innocence Project took on Peterson’s case in January, arguing that new evidence would show he did not commit the murders. 8 Scott Peterson talks on “Good Morning America” on Jan. 28, 2003 about the investigation into the disappearance of his wife, Laci. Getty Images 8 Peterson smiles with his attorney during arraignment proceedings at the Stanislaus Superior Court on Dec. 3, 2003 in Modesto, Calif. Getty Images

Peterson appeared on a grainy video call wearing a white hat while in the prison’s dayroom.

He was sentenced to death by lethal injection, but California’s Supreme Court overruled the sentencing in 2020.