(Image Credit: IMAGN)
San Diego, California – More than two decades after the dismembered remains of a woman were found in a Rancho San Diego dumpster, her husband has been sentenced to prison for her murder, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Jack Dennis Potter, 72, was sentenced Friday to 15 years to life in state prison for the 2003 killing of his wife, Laurie Diane Potter, then 54. The sentencing marks the resolution of a chilling cold case that went unsolved for 18 years.
In February, Potter pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting to smothering his wife before dismembering her body. On October 5, 2003, a maintenance worker discovered Laurie’s severed legs in a dumpster at the Country Hills apartment complex in Rancho San Diego, setting off a years-long investigation.
For nearly two decades, the victim’s identity remained unknown until 2021, when investigators used investigative genetic genealogy to identify the remains. This marked the first time the technique had been used to identify a homicide victim in San Diego County, District Attorney Summer Stephan noted.
Authorities later determined that Laurie Potter had been living in Temecula at the time of her death, but had previously lived at the apartment complex where her remains were found. Her husband, Jack Potter, became a suspect as investigators learned of a disturbing post-crime pattern.
According to prosecutors, shortly after his wife’s death, Potter became “obsessed” with another woman—also named Laurie—whom he had met at a strip club. He opened multiple credit accounts in his wife’s name and bought himself a pickup truck. He also lavished the new girlfriend with expensive gifts, including a Hummer SUV, a ski boat, and a high-limit credit card. He rented her an apartment in Corona Hills, while continuing to maintain the illusion that his wife was still alive.
Using forged family court documents, Potter claimed to have spoken with his wife and subsequently sold their Temecula home, keeping the profits.
At Friday’s sentencing, Laurie’s son, John Carlson, expressed heartbreak and regret over trusting Potter. “He was the last person that I suspected would ever do something like that,” Carlson said. Despite the betrayal, Carlson offered forgiveness, citing a letter from Potter expressing remorse.
“I just want to apologize for what happened,” Potter said in court. “I loved my wife very much … I let my emotions get the better of me that one time. I don’t know why. It just happened and I’m sorry.”
District Attorney Stephan commended law enforcement’s persistence. “This case is a stark reminder that the pursuit of justice never stops,” she said.
