True Crime Cases from 2002
Cases from 2002 include criminal investigations, trials, and notable events that occurred during the year. Whether they involved new charges, breakthroughs in cold cases, high-profile trials, or tragic incidents that captured national attention, the cases documented here reflect the state of the criminal justice system in 2002. CaseSleuth provides detailed, chronological coverage of each case with timelines, evidence breakdowns, profiles of key people involved, and links to primary sources and media coverage.
4 cases found
Laci Peterson Murder
ConvictedModesto, CA · 2002
Laci Peterson, 27 and eight months pregnant, disappeared from Modesto, California on Christmas Eve 2002. Her husband Scott Peterson was convicted of her murder in 2004 and sentenced to death, later reduced to life without parole.
Scott Peterson Murder Case
ConvictedModesto, CA · 2002
Scott Peterson was convicted in 2004 of murdering his pregnant wife Laci and their unborn son Conner in Modesto, California. The case drew massive media attention due to Peterson's affair with Amber Frey.
Ariel Castro Cleveland Kidnappings
ConvictedCleveland, OH · 2002
Ariel Castro kidnapped three young women — Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight — between 2002 and 2004 and held them captive in his Cleveland, Ohio home for approximately a decade. The women escaped on May 6, 2013. Castro was sentenced to life plus 1,000 years and died by suicide in prison.
Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping
ConvictedSalt Lake City, UT · 2002
14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted at knifepoint from her bedroom in Salt Lake City on June 5, 2002, by Brian David Mitchell, a self-proclaimed street prophet. Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee held Smart captive for nine months, often moving through Utah and California. Smart was found alive on March 12, 2003 in Sandy, Utah, after a public sighting. Mitchell was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to life in prison.