Scott Peterson's lawyers ask for new DNA test in push to overturn Laci Peterson conviction

Scott Peterson appeared virtually in court on Tuesday nearly 20 years after he was convicted of killing his wife Laci Peterson, and their unborn child, several outlets reported.

Peterson zoomed into a San Mateo County courtroom from Mule Creek State Prison as part of an effort to overturn his November 2004 conviction.

In January, his case was picked up by the Los Angeles Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization whose attorneys work to exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals.

The Associated Press reported that Innocence Project lawyers representing Peterson asked a judge to order new DNA tests and allow them access to evidence tied to a burglary that occurred across the street from the Peterson's home.

CBS News reported that Peterson did not speak much during the hearing except for formalities such as "Yes, your honor."

Innoncence Project:Scott Peterson, convicted of killing wife, Laci, has case picked up by LA Innocence Project, report says

What happened to Laci Peterson?

Laci Peterson, 27, was eight months pregnant when she disappeared on Christmas Eve 2002. Scott Peterson, at the time, told officials that he last saw her that morning before he went fishing at Berkeley Marina, about 90 miles from the couple's home.

When he came back home, he found their dog in the backyard, the house empty and Laci's car in the driveway. Scott then took a shower before going to ask neighbors if they had seen Laci and when they said they hadn't, he then called Laci's mom, who also had not seen her.

Laci was then reported missing to the police.

In April 2003, the body of a full-term fetus was found on the shoreline of San Francisco Bay by a couple walking their dog. The badly decomposing body of a woman was also found a few miles north of the Berkeley Marina.

The bodies were later identified as Laci's and her baby. Her body was found near where Scott said he was fishing on the day she disappeared. He was arrested on April 18, 2003, and charged with first-degree murder of his wife and second-degree murder of his child.

As investigators searched for Laci, they soon learned that Scott had an extramarital affair with his massage therapist, Amber Frey.

Frey worked with investigators and testified at Scott's trial.

New sentence:Scott Peterson gets new life sentence in wife's murder after years on death row

Scott Peterson's conviction, sentence

Scott was convicted of murder in November 2004, and a month later sentenced to death. Over the next two decades, his attorneys would launch two appeals.

In 2020, the California Supreme Court overturned Peterson's death sentence but upheld his conviction. He was resentenced in December 2021 to life in prison without the possibility of parole and in 2022 was denied another trial.

Murder of Laci Peterson:Timeline as Scott Peterson's case picked up by Innocence Project

Innocence Project takes case

Earlier this year, the Innocence Project announced that they would take on Scott's case arguing that he didn't get a fair trial.

Representatives for the Los Angeles branch told ABC News that new evidence has surfaced proving Scott's innocence and argued his constitutional rights were violated during the original proceedings.

"New evidence now supports Mr. Peterson's longstanding claim of innocence and raises many questions into who abducted and killed Laci and Conner Peterson," filings obtained by ABC News state.

The AP reported that the judge in Tuesday's hearing has set the next two hearings for April 16 and May 29 and Peterson will also virtually attend those hearings.

The Los Angeles Innocence Project did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.