Hacker News Reader

steven2012

I think they would have found traces of the bodies had they not survived. Yes, I know there are extenuating circumstances, but they have eventually found bodies such as Scott Peterson's wife and child many months later. Even a femur found on the shore would lead to an investigation, so I just find it hard to believe that body parts weren't found.

View on HN

I wouldn't say it's "hard to believe" that no bodies were found. The bay currents generally tend outward; and Alcatraz Island sits basically right in the middle of the outward flow, not too far out from the Golden Gate Bridge. It's pretty much a straight shot out the bay, actually.

Meanwhile Scott Peterson seems to have made the mistake of dumping his wife's body somewhere around Richmond, where currents are more stationary. Her body was also dismembered, increasing the chance that parts of it -- such as the fetus -- would eventually be found.

It's evident to me after watching the History channel special that no traces of bodies were found because they in fact did survive. It's at the very least extremely plausible. The family provides a photo and looking at the details the evidence is there for me.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com