- Born
- DiedFebruary 4, 2004 (natural causes)
- Vivian Mitchell was born on June 10, 1924. She was married to Bill Mitchell. She died on February 4, 2004.
- SpouseBill Mitchell(? - February 4, 2004) (her death)
- Vivian Mitchell, 79, a musician who loved playing classical pieces on her Steinway piano, told Modesto police in February 2003 that she saw Laci walking her golden retriever at about 10:15 a.m. on Christmas Eve 2002. Prosecutors contend that Peterson killed his wife in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve or the night before, then drove to Berkeley and dumped her body into San Francisco Bay.
- Mitchell's testimony was important to Peterson's defense because she was one of two people who said they saw Laci the day of her disappearance.
- Mitchell's husband, Bill, said he and his wife became inundated with media requests after they told a group of students about Mitchell's sighting. The students took Mitchell's story to the Modesto Bee and the next day the music teacher's life changed drastically.
- Vivian Mitchell's health had been deteriorating over the past year, her husband said Thursday.. She underwent double-bypass heart surgery early in 2003 and suffered a broken hip after a fall during her recovery. Bill Mitchell said the couple loved to travel, and had embarked on adventures to North Africa, Spain and Russia.
- Mother of Steve Gould.
- I had seen Laci walk by the house several times before. When she walked by on Christmas Eve, I hollered to Bill, 'Oh, look, it's the lady with the golden retriever.'
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