Skull Found in 1997 Helps Solve a 42-Year-Old Cold Case Murder

Authorities in Oregon have announced the arrest of a 72-year-old man in connection with the 1983 disappearance and murder of his girlfriend, bringing closure to a case that had remained unsolved for more than four decades, as reported by the New York Post.

Mark Sanfratello, of Chico, California, was taken into custody without incident on Saturday. He has been indicted for the murder of Teresa Peroni, who vanished on July 3, 1983, after attending a party in Selma, Oregon, with Sanfratello, who was 29 at the time.

Peroni was 27 years old when she was last seen alive.

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— Deborah Denno (@DeborahDenno) July 3, 2025

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According to a press release from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, the couple had a tumultuous relationship. Witnesses at the party reported that Sanfratello accused Peroni of cheating, leading to an argument between the two.

They were last seen walking together into a wooded area near the party, but only Sanfratello returned.

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Peroni was reported missing by her family shortly after she failed to reappear. Investigators labeled the disappearance suspicious but, due to a lack of physical evidence and probable cause, did not move forward with charges at the time.

The first significant development in the case came in 1997 when a landowner discovered a human skull in a field near the area where Peroni had last been seen.

Law enforcement officers conducted a search using cadaver dogs, but no additional remains were located. The skull was submitted to the University of North Texas for advanced DNA testing.

In 2024, Josephine County authorities reopened the cold case and began reviewing all prior evidence. They collected new DNA samples from individuals connected to the original investigation.

In early 2025, the DNA testing confirmed that the skull found in 1997 belonged to Teresa Peroni.

Following the DNA match, investigators worked to re-interview witnesses and identify others with knowledge of the original case.

On June 27, 2025, a Josephine County Grand Jury indicted Sanfratello for murder. He was arrested the next day in Chico, California, and remains in custody awaiting extradition to Oregon.

️‍♂️ Cold Case Solved: Oregon Man Indicted for 1983 Disappearance

A breakthrough in a 42-year-old cold case has led to the indictment of a man for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Teresa Peroni, who vanished after a July 4th party in 1983. The suspect, who had been under suspicion… pic.twitter.com/RNKFmKqkbL

— GlobalWire (@global_wire_) July 4, 2025

Sanfratello has not entered a plea, and his public defender has not responded to requests for comment. No trial date has been set.

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