The Realtor who purchased the Modesto home that once belonged to Scott and Laci Peterson lost his job a week after announcing that he found a 10-inch knife behind the house, the Modesto Bee reported.

Gerry Roberts, a Prudential California real estate agent, bought the home at 523 Covena Ave. on July 1, the Bee reported. The house was listed for sale by Prudential in May.

Roberts wore a dark polo shirt emblazoned with Prudential’s logo when interviewed on camera last week about his discovery of the knife, the Bee reported. Craig Lewis, majority owner of Prudential California Realty, declined to comment on the separation with Roberts, the Bee said.

The knife originally was found by people who were moving furniture or cleaning the house when it was up for sale, according to Rick Applegate, a spokesman for the Modesto Police Department.

“We still don’t know who put the knife there originally. We know through our investigation that Gerry Roberts did not put it there,” said Applegate.

Applegate said the knife was sent to a crime laboratory for forensic analysis and results wouldn’t be available for months.

“There’s zero possibility that it’s the murder weapon,” Applegate told Inman News.

Scott Peterson, 32, was convicted in December of murdering his pregnant wife Laci and their unborn son after a trial that stretched through most of last year.

***

Send tips or a Letter to the Editor to janis@inman.com or call (510) 658-9252, ext. 140.

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×