Naman Shrestha
Netflix’s ‘American Murder: Laci Peterson’ and A&E’s ‘Scott Peterson: The New Evidence’ revisit the disappearance and murder case of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner. It was December 24, 2002, when the 27-year-old, 8-month pregnant woman vanished without a trace left behind. However, around the same time, the house right across the street from the missing woman was robbed, making many think that the two incidents might be connected. Thus, the burglars, Donald Glenn Pearce and Steven Wayne Todd, found themselves in a serious mess.
Donald Pearce and Steven Todd Robbed the Medina House in Modesto in Late 2002
Margaret Ellen and Norman Glenn Pearce brought a little bundle of joy into the world on October 21, 1958, in the form of Donald Glenn Pearce. Born in McAlister, Oklahoma, Donald moved to Salida, California, in 1966, along with his mother and brother, Ronnie Pearce. After graduating from Beyer High School, he relocated once again with his family, this time to Tenaya Drive in Modesto, where he worked for Campbell Soup Company. There were a few years when he lived in Las Vegas and maintained slot machines for a living, but his love for his family led him to return to Modesto.
Donald entered parenthood with the birth of his twins, whom he named Allisun Sue and Noah Austin, in 1998. Despite his free-spirited lifestyle, he was reportedly present in his kids’ lives while raising them with the help of his mother. He was passionate about automobiles, so much so that he hardly missed local car shows and could repair most broken-down vehicles. However, he also ended up on the wrong side of the law. In December 2002, he worked with Steven Wayne Todd, and they burglarized the Medina home at 516 Covena Avenue.
Susan and Rudy Medina were loving, respectable, and upstanding members of society who lived right across the street from Laci and Scott Peterson. While the Medinas were on a short trip to Los Angeles from the morning of December 24, 2002, to the evening of December 26 to celebrate Christmas with family, Donald and Steven burglarized their house. Around the same time, on December 24, Laci went missing from her residence.
Donald Pearce and Steven Todd Were Arrested Within a Week of Their Offense
In early January 2003, authorities received a tip from an informant named Mark, who claimed that the items stolen from the Medinas were with Steven. This tip proved true because when officials arrived at his residence at 1406 Tenaya Drive in Modesto, they recovered several of the burglarized personal belongings scattered around inside. They included power tools, handguns, a safe containing $3,000, jewelry valued at over $50,000, a Gucci watch, and more.
Steven and Donald were both arrested and taken into custody on January 2, 2003. However, it’s imperative to note that when the burglary was initially being investigated, it was suspected that there were 3-4 men involved in the crime. Yet, only the 2 individuals mentioned above were ever arrested and charged in connection with the matter. According to records, since the burglary occurred around the time of Laci’s disappearance, the police briefly questioned Steve about it.
However, Steven claimed that he and his accomplices only robbed the Medina house and had nothing to do with the disappearance of the pregnant woman. Moreover, as per his statements, he first claimed they had carried out the theft on December 27, by which point Susan and Rudy were already home. Then, he changed his narrative to assert they had robbed the Medinas on December 26 between 3 am and 7 am. As a result, they were cleared of any involvement in Laci’s case.
Donald Pearce Passed Away in 2019, Whereas Steven Todd Currently Leads a Quiet Life
In February 2003, Steven pleaded guilty to the December 2002 robbery of the Medina house in Modesto, California. It turned out that he was out on bail at the time of the crime and was scheduled to be sentenced to 7⅓ years in January 2003 for a few unrelated charges. Moreover, as per records, the burglary was his third strike. Given that he was a three-strike felon after the theft, he was supposed to be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison.
However, the court only handed him an additional year and four months during his sentencing, making his total term to serve in prison eight years and eight months. On the other hand, Donald was sentenced to 180 days in prison. From what we can tell, Donald stayed away from any more crimes after his release and led a happy life alongside his family in Modesto until his passing. He died on October 18, 2019, a few days short of his 61st birthday. Coming to Steven, since his release, it appears he has chosen to lead a quiet life well away from the spotlight.
Read More: Jon Buehler: Where is the Modesto PD Detective Now?
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