192:(CHP) vehicle, directed Knott to pull off the freeway on an isolated, unfinished offramp. It was later discovered that Peyer also had been harassing several other female drivers in the same area by pulling them over on the same offramp, supposedly trying to pick them up as dates. In the Knott case, it was believed that the situation escalated to physicality when Knott threatened to report Peyer for his inappropriate actions. When he attempted to grab her, she slashed and scratched at his face. Peyer then bludgeoned her with his flashlight and
374:, which is considered a "country club" and "garden spot" among California prisons. At the time of his second parole hearing in 2008, he had "a nearly unblemished prison record" and "worked as an electrician at the facility" for years, making $ 52 per month in salary from the job in 2003. He had worked briefly as an apprentice electrician after getting fired from CHP while on bail before the trial. His third wife, Karen, whom he married 18 months before the murder and who visited him regularly divorced him around 2007.
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331:, after a 7-5 split in favor of conviction. Upon retrial, testimony regarding a potential second suspect and a hearsay explanation for the defendant's scratches was ruled inadmissible, and Peyer was found guilty of murder, the first conviction of murder by an on-duty CHP officer. On August 4, 1988, Peyer was sentenced to 25 years to
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that while Peyer may have been friendly with them, he also made them uncomfortable. In some cases, he gently stroked their hair and shoulders, which caused them some distress. In addition, several women had made complaints about Peyer before the murder, but these were dismissed because of his positive reputation within the CHP.
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caused when he fell against a fence in the CHP parking lot, but the fence was found to be too high to have caused them. Moreover, within about the hour of when the murder was thought to have occurred, witnesses at a gas station saw a disheveled Peyer drive in at high speed. One of them, an off-duty
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Peyer's fellow officers testified to the defendant's strange actions following the murder, with his continuous requests for updates on the investigation's status and his attempts to justify the perpetrator's crime as a mistake. An internal investigation showed that while Peyer stopped many drivers
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fiber—found to have been made using a yellow pigment instead of a dye—found on Knott's dress matched a shoulder patch Peyer wore on his CHP uniform. Tire tracks on the bridge showed a car had pulled out hastily, leaving black marks on the pavement. A drop of blood also was found on one of Knott's
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Just after the KCST broadcast, nearly two dozen telephone calls, mostly from women, were received by authorities, with the callers reporting that Peyer was the officer who had pulled them over on the same offramp, even though in these cases Peyer was not hostile or violent towards them. They said
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interviewed Peyer during a ride-along segment about self-protection for female drivers. At the time of the interview, Peyer had scratches on his face which, as details of the case unfolded, were thought to have been inflicted by Knott during the struggle with him. Peyer claimed the scratches were
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gas station just two miles away from the murder scene. The attendant remembered seeing a marked CHP patrol car making a U-turn on the road just after Knott had driven away. Furthermore, Peyer's own logbook revealed a hasty falsification about the time of the murder, as well as changes he made to
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Peyer has been denied parole two additional times: in 2008 (after serving 21 years), and 2012 (after serving 25 years). His next eligibility for a parole hearing was set for 15 years later, in
January 2027, when he will be almost 77 years old. Peyer is serving his sentence at
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Peyer refused to provide DNA for the test. At an initial parole hearing in 2004 after having served 17 years, when asked why he wouldn't provide a DNA sample, Peyer refused to answer. For this reason and his lack of remorse, the board denied his parole request.
156:(CHP). At his trial, it was revealed that Peyer had been targeting women along the interstate and had made predatory sexual advances on multiple female drivers during traffic stops. He was convicted of Knott's murder in 1988.
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to a San Diego County program, which had been designed and initiated to use DNA samples to possibly exonerate wrongfully imprisoned persons as such testing was not yet available at the time of his trial and conviction.
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Norman
Sperber examined the rope found in Peyer's patrol car and determined they seemed to match the rope marks around Knott's neck, although Sperber was later barred from testifying about his findings in court.
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for various legitimate violations, most of them were females who were driving alone. Additionally, they were of the same age group and physical description as Knott.
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Shortly after the trial, a wave of incidents was reported when female drivers traveling alone refused to stop when ordered to by the police.
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only a few yards from the site where Cara's body was discovered, where the family had constructed a memorial garden for her.
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testing was not available at the time of the investigation. Microscopic purple fibers also linked Peyer to Knott's murder.
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several traffic tickets that had been written sometime later, according to the motorists to whom the tickets were written.
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After conviction, Peyer continued to claim his innocence. In 2004, Peyer was asked if he would contribute a sample of his
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Video showing the SD Crime
Victims' Oak Garden built at the scene of Cara Knott's murder. Directions included
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137:. The following day, December 28, Knott's car was found on a dead-end road at the Mercy Road offramp from
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725:"Former CHP officer who killed San Diego State student in 1986 could see early release from prison"
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1988: A California
Highway Patrolman Is Tried Once Again for a Shocking Murder Under the Freeway
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Coincidentally, two days later, while covering the investigation of the murder, a reporter with
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On the night of
December 27, 1986, twenty-year-old Cara Knott was driving south on
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who disappeared on
December 27, 1986, while driving from her boyfriend's home in
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The case was also the subject of a few episodes of different television shows:
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boots, which was found to be consistent with Peyer's blood type (AB negative,
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Badge of
Betrayal: The Devastating True Story of a Rogue Cop Turned Murderer
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by Judge
Norbert Enrenfreund and Lawrence Treat (Holt Paperbacks 1992)
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her to death with a rope. He then threw her body over the edge of an
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One Day: The
Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary 24 Hours in America
145:. Her body was recovered at the bottom of a 65-foot ravine nearby.
121:(February 11, 1966 – December 27, 1986) was an American student at
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612:"An Emotional Judge Gives Peyer 25 Years for Killing Cara Knott"
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On
November 30, 2000, Sam Knott, Cara Knott's father, died of a
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1125:
Asphyxia-related deaths by law enforcement in the United States
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223:
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Knott's killer, Craig Alan Peyer (born March 16, 1950), was a
643:"Top Forensic Dentist Sinks His Teeth Into Tough Crime Cases"
874:"Parole board declares Peyer a risk, keeps him imprisoned"
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2004: Killer Peyer refused prosecutors' offer to test DNA
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by Joe Cantlupe and Lisa Petrillo (Avon Books (Mm) 1991.)
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Murders by law enforcement officers in the United States
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The Craig Peyer case has been covered in several books:
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California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
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by Kevin Dwyer and Juré Fiorillo (Berkley/Penguin 2007)
547:"Craig Alan Peyer: Where is Cara Knott's Killer Now?"
997:"Firm's Owners to Keep Peyer on Job Despite Threats"
904:"Board Denies Parole for Ex-CHP Officer Craig Peyer"
432:: "Betrayal of Trust" (2011, Season 1, Episode 2) -
444:: "Badge of Betrayal" (2004, Season 9, Episode 08).
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311:) and other genetic markers, although conclusive
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573:, caselaw.findlaw.com. Accessed 18 October 2022.
906:. ABC 10 News. January 11, 2012. Archived from
188:when Craig Peyer, who was on duty in a marked
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592:"Badge of Betrayal (Season 9, Episode 18)".
1045:2004: Parole board to revisit Knott murder
842:"Former CHP Denied Parole Four More Years"
31:
1145:December 1986 events in the United States
752:"Killer in 1986 Knott case denied parole"
273:Learn how and when to remove this message
1067:Memorial page for the victim, Cara Knott
705:from the original on September 20, 2015
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200:, where she fell into the brush below.
764:from the original on December 10, 2020
750:Littlefield, Dana (January 11, 2012).
687:"Jurors Told Fibers Link Peyer, Knott"
465:Police misconduct in the United States
790:from the original on November 7, 2009
545:Sinha, Shivangi (November 13, 2023).
7:
1175:Violence against women in California
932:Petrillo, Lisa (February 20, 2007).
811:"Sam Knott; Father of Murder Victim"
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663:from the original on October 5, 2018
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387:True Stories of Law & Order: SVU
1062:2012: Parole denied for CHP officer
1007:from the original on March 16, 2021
976:from the original on March 16, 2021
641:Menn, Joseph (September 16, 1988).
514:Bledsoe, Greg (December 27, 2011).
495:from the original on March 16, 2021
460:List of solved missing person cases
1160:Missing person cases in California
821:from the original on March 7, 2016
622:from the original on March 7, 2016
526:from the original on March 4, 2016
25:
1120:1986 murders in the United States
516:"Mom to Face Cara Knott's Killer"
152:and thirteen-year veteran of the
872:Moran, Greg (February 1, 2008).
809:Perry, Tony (December 2, 2002).
685:Reza, H. G. (February 2, 1988).
228:
42:
485:"Cara E Knott, Born 02/11/1966"
302:A distinctive and unusual gold
289:Knott last was seen alive at a
1135:Deaths by person in California
610:Reza, H. G. (August 4, 1988).
327:The first trial resulted in a
1:
1170:People murdered in California
176:from her boyfriend's home in
995:Reza, H. G. (June 5, 1987).
424:: "Badge of Dishonor" (2003)
84:San Diego County, California
1050:2008: No Clemency for Peyer
878:The San Diego Union-Tribune
757:The San Diego Union-Tribune
372:San Luis Obispo, California
250:needs additional citations.
248:. The specific problem is:
133:, to her parents' house in
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1110:1980s missing person cases
455:Cara Knott Memorial Bridge
244:to meet Knowledge (XXG)'s
184:, to her parents' home in
123:San Diego State University
1130:California Highway Patrol
190:California Highway Patrol
154:California Highway Patrol
41:
1140:Deaths from asphyxiation
214:San Diego police officer
105:December 28, 1986, near
1155:Formerly missing people
434:Investigation Discovery
411:(Blue Rider Press 2019)
368:California Men's Colony
571:Profile of Craig Peyer
489:California Birth Index
169:
1150:Female murder victims
1055:June 6, 2014, at the
884:on September 15, 2018
167:
1035:2004: The Killer Cop
255:improve this section
946:on November 4, 2018
848:on October 21, 2013
168:Scene of the crime.
92:Cause of death
65:Ventura, California
1115:1986 in California
1105:1980s in San Diego
939:San Diego Magazine
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1001:Los Angeles Times
970:Los Angeles Times
815:Los Angeles Times
731:. August 25, 2020
691:Los Angeles Times
648:Los Angeles Times
616:Los Angeles Times
421:City Confidential
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246:quality standards
237:This section may
119:Cara Evelyn Knott
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107:Mercy Road bridge
76:December 27, 1986
61:February 11, 1966
36:Cara Evelyn Knott
16:(Redirected from
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1009:. Retrieved
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966:"The Region"
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78:(1986-12-27)
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950:November 3,
257:if you can.
27:1986 murder
18:Craig Peyer
1099:Categories
914:August 18,
852:August 18,
825:January 1,
530:January 1,
499:January 2,
471:References
182:California
131:California
57:1966-02-11
699:0458-3035
657:0458-3035
436:TV series
351:Aftermath
329:hung jury
205:San Diego
194:strangled
178:Escondido
127:Escondido
1053:Archived
1005:Archived
974:Archived
819:Archived
788:Archived
762:Archived
729:cbs8.com
703:Archived
661:Archived
620:Archived
596:. truTV.
524:Archived
493:Archived
449:See also
263:May 2018
239:require
207:station
186:El Cajon
135:El Cajon
1082:YouTube
556:May 29,
291:Chevron
241:cleanup
209:KCST-TV
67:, U.S.
697:
655:
323:Trials
160:Murder
86:, U.S.
378:Media
304:rayon
1069:via
1013:2018
982:2018
952:2018
916:2014
890:2018
854:2014
827:2016
796:2009
770:2020
737:2021
711:2018
695:ISSN
669:2018
653:ISSN
628:2015
558:2024
532:2016
501:2016
333:life
73:Died
51:Born
1080:on
407:by
370:in
340:DNA
313:DNA
141:in
109:on
1101::
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