How would you react if you were told that a police officer killed a student? Scared – right? Yet, it is a hard fact of our society. Craig Peyer, the former CHP officer killed a San Diego state student in 1986. Peyer was called the most notorious killer of that time who took the life of 20-year old Cara Knott. But Why?

Let’s Rewind

It was 27th December 1986 when California Highway Patrol officer Craig Peyer was on duty and met Cara Knott. The police believed that Peyer estranged Knott and later threw her off the bridge on Interstate 15 near Poway. What surprises more is Peyer continued his left-over shift, assuming that nothing ever happened.

Peyer killed Knott between 9 pm and 10 pm and threw her 65 feet into a dry creek bed. Her body was found the next morning, and Craig was arrested on 15th January 1987. An on-duty police officer not following law and order is the worst thing that can ever happen to normal people. 

Who Testified Against Craig Peyer?

How did the police come to know that Craig was the killer? Who testified against him, and how did they learn about it? Craig’s wife Karen Peyer saw scratches on her husband’s face when he came home the night Cara was killed. Karen was the last witness in the stands to testify against her husband before the jury came up with the verdict.

As per Karen, Craig showed no different emotions when he came home that night for dinner after his shift. He came home at 11.15 pm and had scratches on his face, which he showed her. However, there was no blood coming from those wounds. The scratches were on both sides of the face in a criss-cross pattern. However, Karen said the scratches were not alarming enough to sound suspicious of anything.

Knott was self-defense trained, and she knew that she should scratch the eyes and face in case someone tried to harm her. That is the reason his scratches were of much talk during the trial. However, Craig’s attorney said he fell off a chain-link fence and got those scratches.

There were 36 witnesses called during the trial to ensure the jury was not biased and gave a verdict only based on truth. The jury members also went to the site of the killing and tried recreating and rebutting the different testimonies that they heard. 

What Happened to Craig Peyer?

The case of Cara Knott was prosecuted in 1988, where the jury convicted Craig on the counts of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He was also given the option of parole. However, his parole has always been denied as he continues to call himself innocent.

During COVID-19, there was news that Craig may be released early due to the fear of infection. Cara’s family was upset and wanted him to be behind bars. He was in the category of high-risk medical needs and could get the infection easily. 

Knott’s sister had appealed to the Governor to keep Peyer behind bars, who is not eligible for parole until 2027. He is still in prison and waiting for his parole.