5 chilling details about Joann Peterson's crime

The Spokane Valley murder of Peter Zeihen, tied to Joann Peterson, was covered by Snapped on season 31 episode 3, which aired July 31, 2022. The case centers on a bitter custody dispute, an earlier masked ambush, and the close-range shooting of Peter Zeihen outside his Spokane Valley apartment. Season 31, episode 3 of Snapped is set to re-air on August 14, 2025, at 2 pm ET on Oxygen.

Set against this backdrop, the case traces the 1991 close-range shooting of Peter Zeihen in his parked car, an earlier masked ambush, and a stolen pickup with a shotgun left near the scene. The investigation went quiet for years until a friend of Peterson and two of her adult children gave statements that described planning and named Peterson as the shooter, according to Oxygen (2022).

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5 facts from Snapped about Joann Peterson

1) Joann Peterson was at the center of a custody dispute

Joann Peterson was charged with Peter Zeihan's murder (Image via Pixels)

Zeihen met and married Orinne Goldberg, Peterson’s daughter, and they had a daughter in 1988. The marriage fell apart, and a custody battle soon followed.

Police later found that claims of abuse made against Zeihen were unsupported, and he pushed to keep his visits with his daughter. Tension rose as hearings neared.

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2) Joann Peterson and an earlier masked attack raised the stakes

Weeks before the murder, a gunman in a Richard Nixon mask ambushed Zeihen while he filled a deflated tire. When shots rang out as he ran for his safety. He survived, and later told police he feared his ex-wife’s family was behind it.

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3) Joann Peterson's case details include a stolen truck and a 12-gauge left at the scene

On November 18, 1991, Zeihen was shot point-blank in his car. He had been wearing body armor. Detectives noted that it was unusual and took it as a sign that he feared an attack.

A Winchester 12-gauge lay nearby, and a gold or tan pickup that had been stolen weeks earlier was seen leaving the scene of the crime. The family provided a group alibi that night, and for years, the case stalled.

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4) Joann Peterson was linked by a friend’s account and her children’s statements

In 1999, a friend of Peterson, named Shirley, came forward. She claimed Peterson had admitted to the killing and had even shown her the scene. According to the account, Peterson wanted Zeihen to look her in the eyes before she pulled the trigger. A month later, Peterson’s son, Theil, and a sister contacted the police.

Theil said he supplied the shotgun and that the family, including Orinne, helped plan the attack. He later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify.

Joann Peterson was linked by a friend’s account and her children’s statements (Image via Pixels)

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5) Joann Peterson and her ex-husband were convicted years after the killing

Arrests followed after this new evidence emerged. Peterson pleaded guilty to murder and received a sentence of 25 years. According to Seattle Weekly, her ex-husband, Morris “Mel” Goldberg, was convicted at trial and got 26 years; however, he died in prison in 2020.

Their son, Theil, was released in 2004 after his plea deal. According to the Spokesman-Review(May 2, 2020), Orinne Goldberg was never charged and passed away from brain cancer in 2005.

These details are based on the episode record and contemporaneous reports. The investigation remained inactive for much of the 1990s but progressed significantly after family members came forward with key testimony.

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Snapped Season 31 streams on fuboTV, Peacock Premium, YouTube TV, NBC, Peacock Premium Plus, and Oxygen. Episodes are available to buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.