DNA From Skull Found in 1997 Leads to Arrest in 41-Year-Old Oregon Cold Case
JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. — A 72-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the murder of Teresa Peroni on the 4th of July 41 years ago, after the cold case was reopened by the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO).
Mark Sanfratello was arrested in California with the assistance of the Chico Police Department.
He was charged after questioning regarding his involvement in the disappearance and murder of Peroni, who was 27 years old at the time. Sanfratello remains in custody and will be extradited to Josephine County to stand trial.
She Was Last Seen Walking Into a Wooded Area
The cold case dates to the 4th of July 1983 when Peroni, who was in a relationship with Sanfratello, was last seen walking into a wooded area while at a party in the 1000 block of Illinois River Road.
Her family reported her missing shortly afterwards, and JCSO investigators found the circumstances of her disappearance suspicious. However, it was later determined that there was insufficient probable cause to move forward with a criminal prosecution.
Human Skull Found 14 Years Later
The cold case briefly resurfaced in 1997 when a human skull was found on a property near where Peroni was last seen alive. A search was organized using a cadaver dog, but no other human remains were found. The skull was sent for DNA testing to the University of North Texas (UNT).
In February 2024, the JCSO, assisted by the Oregon Department of Justice, Josephine County District Attorney’s Office, and the Chico, California Police Department, reopened the cold case.
The JCSO searched for and interviewed several individuals known to have had some involvement in the case and who were aware of the original investigation into Teresa Peroni. Additional DNA was collected and sent to the UNT, which was able to confirm that the skull found in 1997 was that of the young woman.
This led investigators to Sanfratello, who was 29 years old at the time of Peroni’s disappearance. He was indicted on a murder charge by a Josephine County Grand Jury last Friday (27 June).