Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary series that delves deep into the case of Laura Letts-Beckett’s drowning death on August 18, 2010, ‘In Cold Water: The Shelter Bay Mystery’ is unlike any other. That’s because this Prime Video original incorporates not just archival records but also an exclusive interview with those involved to really explore all aspects of this unfortunate matter. Therefore, of course, her husband, Peter Beckett, the sole witness and the man accused of her murder, is at the forefront, making us quite curious about his past union and family life.
Peter Beckett Was Technically a Married Father of Four When He Met Laura
Although not much is known about Peter’s personal life from before he met Laura, we do know he was married to a woman named Wendy Sail when they first met in his homeland of New Zealand in 1995. However, the couple was reportedly separated, resulting in him and the Canadian school teacher getting involved during her trip and even traveling to the local areas together. Yet, as per Peter’s own accounts, they remained in long-distance contact for a while before actually getting into a relationship because he wasn’t entirely convinced his marriage was over. After all, they reportedly shared four children and had over 20 years under their belt.
In fact, according to reports, when Peter was elected to the Napier City Council in New Zealand in 1998 after a campaign that pulled no punches, he was still married to Wendy and shared a bond with his kids. But alas, everything soon changed – his marriage officially came to an end after a long 23 years of togetherness, and he decided to visit Laura almost as soon as his term came to an end in 2002. Little did he know at the time that things would go so well that he would end up relocating to Westlock, Canada, for his love before they officially tied the knot in early June 2003 in a local Inn with 125 guests.
Unfortunately, Peter’s relocation actually resulted in him growing estranged from his ex-wife as well as their four children, with their personal issues allegedly also playing a role. After all, when Laura suddenly passed away in 2010 and questions regarding Peter’s character and temper started being raised, the detectives did reach out to them to ask a few questions. That’s when Wendy, as well as two of his adult children, revealed that he was allegedly violent during the union, with the former often being his target and having to endure many injuries on a regular basis. Even one of Peter’s friends has since conceded that she was often injured, and he regrets not noticing the signs before.
Peter Beckett’s Wife and Kids Prefer Leading a Quiet Life
Although Wendy Sails had publicly come forth to state that her children were devastated when Peter was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2017, things have changed a lot since then. After Peter’s conviction was overturned and he was released in December 2020, he reached out to his children and has even managed to reconnect with two of his daughters. Then, with the British Columbia Supreme Court ordering a stay on his retrial in 2021 and essentially rendering him a free man, he decided to work hard to establish a relationship with not just his kids but also his grandkids.
Unfortunately, though, since Peter’s ex-wife and their children all prefer to lead their lives well away from the limelight, we do not know much about the specifics of their current lives. All we know is that they seem very family-oriented and appear to have quite happy, stable personal and professional experiences these days, with one of the daughters being based out of Sydney, Australia.
Read More: Where is Laura Letts-Beckett’s Family Now?
