After 42 years, a long-awaited breakthrough finally arrives in Teresa Peroni’s cold case with cutting-edge DNA technology and the charging of former boyfriend Mark Sanfratello.
At a Glance
- Mark Sanfratello, 72, has been indicted for the 1983 murder of his then-girlfriend, Teresa Peroni, 20.
- Peroni vanished after attending a party with Sanfratello on July 4, 1983, in Selma, Oregon.
- The 42-year-old cold case was reopened in 2024, with new DNA analysis and witness statements leading to the indictment.
- Sanfratello has been arrested in California and is awaiting extradition to Oregon to face the murder charge.
A 42-Year-Old Mystery
The mystery of what happened to Teresa Ann Peroni on July 4, 1983, has haunted her family and investigators in Josephine County, Oregon, for over four decades. Peroni, then 20 years old, disappeared after attending a party with her boyfriend, Mark Sanfratello. According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, the couple had an argument after Peroni allegedly spoke with another man. They “went into the woods… Peroni never returned.”
Her skeletal remains were discovered by hunters in a remote area in 1997, but for decades, there was not enough evidence to bring charges, and the case went cold.
A Breakthrough Thanks to New Technology
In 2024, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office reopened the investigation into Peroni’s murder. Now, thanks to advances in DNA forensic technology and new interviews with witnesses, a grand jury has indicted Mark Sanfratello for the crime.
“On June 27th, 2025, after locating multiple individuals associated with Peroni, DNA results, and the original case/investigation, a Josephine County Grand Jury indicted Sanfratello on the charge of Murder,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement reported by People magazine.
An Arrest After Four Decades
Following the indictment, Mark Sanfratello, now 72 years old, was located and arrested in Chico, California. He was taken into custody “without incident” by the Chico Police Department and is currently awaiting extradition back to Oregon to finally face trial for a murder committed 42 years ago.
The arrest marks a stunning breakthrough in a case that many feared would never be solved. It highlights the power of modern forensic science and the persistent dedication of law enforcement to deliver justice for victims and their families, no matter how much time has passed.
