The Murder of

Cara Knott


Cara Knott

Cara Knott was born Feb 11th, 1966 to Sam and Joyce, Knott. She was the third child out of 4. Cara Graduated Valhalla High School in El Cajon in 1984. She then went on to San Diego State and was working on getting her teaching Credentials. From her parents she was described as, “Sunny, Outgoing, and close to her family.” Her mother also described Cara as, “ “tenderhearted.” She was an artist, an animal lover and a young woman who “always had time for everybody,” Both Cara and Sam are buried next to each other in the Singing Hills Memorial Park on the outskirts of El Cajon. Cara would be 54 years old as of today.


Due to the actions of Sam Knott, Cara's father, the Los Penasquitos Creek Arch Bridge was renamed the Cara Knott Memorial Bridge

The San Diego Crime Victims Oak Garden has also been created near this bridge.


The stretch of road that CHP Officer Craig Peyer's patrolled.

The abandoned Mercy Rd exit, along with the The Los Penasquitos Creek Arch Bridge, where Cara Knott's body was found.


Sam and Joyce Knott parents of the deceased, tirelessly working to see justice for their daughter

The Knott Family working in the Memorial Garden.


This video was an interview with NBC 7 the day after Cara's body was found.

Craig Peyer's

"Stay Safe Video"

"Former CHP officer Craig Peyer killed 20-year-old Cara Knott in 1986. In this report, NBC 7's Rory Devine rides along with the officer on another assignment in which he talks about how women can avoid becoming victims of a crime. SUBSCRIBE TO NBC 7 SAN DIEGO:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUPU...

The Trailer for the Movie F/X, the film that was at the center of the Traffic Ticket with the wrong time code.

Craig Peyer at trial with his defense.

Sam Knott: A Father Fight for Justice

Sam Knott was tenacious in his pursuit of justice first for his daughter and then for others so they would not meet the same fate. Here are a few of the amazing things that he worked on during the course of his life.

  • Sued the California Highway Patrol (7.5 mill)

  • He changed policy so that police /investigators /prosecutors would have more contact with families and let them know ahead of time when autopsies would be released.

  • He was extremely involved in the second trial. Like a member of the team. Talking about jury selection/court exhibits that sort of thing. The Judge Richard Huffman said: “Sam was possibly the most involved victim I’ve ever encountered.”

  • In 1987 he spearheaded the nation’s first federal grand for a university forensics lab specializing in DNA analysis in the nation

  • Established the Cara Knott Foundation to give out scholarships

  • Helped Mark Klass when his daughter went missing

  • Worked with the Doris Tate Crime Victim’s Bureau (Crime Victims assistance network)

More of the Amazing things that Sam Knott accomplished to make our state safer for everyone.

  • Changed the law to elevate missing persons above property crimes when law enforcement receives calls

  • Mandated training of handling of missing persons calls

  • Changed law to require Highway Patrol to respond to calls like the Knotts’ if it falls within their jurisdiction

  • 1st state law requiring judges to consider public safety when setting bail: prior to this mainly used if they showed up to court appts so lots of murderers got low bail

  • Helped pass a bill to include property into decisions about representation: prior to this is wasn’t and Peyer had a 250,000 home

  • Worked to, in June 1994, the Board of Supervisors approved $80 mill in funding for a radio communication pkg between law enforcement and fire that incl tracking

  • Prob: diluted 911’s ability to help. Lots of missing persons phone calls that resolve without incident/money, etc.


Sam Knott would not want us to forget the victims.

He wanted like society to stop romanticizing murderers: “Everybody can name five monsters but they can’t name five victims” (example of a perfect victim but the attention she receives is gross)

He wanted people to understand what families go through: “People say the Monster got a life sentence. They don’t realize it's a life sentence for us too.”

Works Cited Page

Cara Knott Works Cited.docx