Meet the DNA "detective" who helped solve a decades-old cold case
A 72-year-old man was indicted on murder charges this week in connection with the disappearance of his former girlfriend 42 years ago after new DNA evidence emerged.
Teresa Peroni was 27 years old when she disappeared on or around July 4, 1983, in Selma, Oregon. According to the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, she was last seen with her then-boyfriend Mark Sanfratello, who was 29 at the time, walking into a wooded area while attending a party.
Teresa Peroni was 27 when she disappeared on or around July 4, 1983 after a fight with her then-boyfriend.
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
"Following an argument over Peroni having another lover, Peroni and boyfriend went into the woods at 1270 Illinois River Rd," her profile on the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System says. "Peroni never returns."
An investigation was launched soon after her family reported her missing. Despite the sheriff's office determining that Peroni's disappearance was "suspicious in nature," the Josephine County District Attorney's Office determined there was not enough evidence to file charges. At the time, a body was not found.
Teresa Peroni was photographed about a year before her disappearance.
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
For 14 years, Peroni's disappearance remained cold until a human skull was found on a nearby property in 1997. A search with a cadaver dog did not locate any other human remains and the skull was sent for DNA testing through the University of North Texas.
In a news release last week, the sheriff's office said it had reopened the investigation last year, saying it started looking for any known individuals still alive who had "some type of involvement with the cold case." Additional DNA was obtained, which helped the University of North Texas to confirm that the skull was that of Peroni.
A grand jury indicted Sanfratello on a murder charge on June 27 after it was presented with new DNA evidence and the investigation, the sheriff's office said.
Teresa Peroni's boyfriend at the time of her disappearance in 1983 was arrested in Chico, California, on an indictment of murder 42 years after she went missing.
Josephine County Sheriff's Office
Police in Chico, California, located, detained and questioned Sanfratello. He is awaiting extradition to Josephine County.
Lucia Suarez Sang is an associate managing editor at CBSNews.com. Previously, Lucia was the director of digital content at FOX61 News in Connecticut and has previously written for outlets including FoxNews.com, Fox News Latino and the Rutland Herald.
