Arrest Made in 1983 Cold Case Murder of Southern Oregon Woman

Grants Pass, Oregon- A 72-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the 1983 disappearance and murder of Teresa Peroni, a case that had gone cold for more than four decades, authorities announced Monday.

Mark Sanfratello was taken into custody without incident on June 28 in Chico, California, following a grand jury indictment in Josephine County, Oregon, on one count of murder. Sanfratello is currently being held in California pending extradition to Oregon.

According to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation into Peroni’s disappearance was reopened in February 2024 with the assistance of the Oregon Department of Justice, the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office, and the Chico Police Department.

Peroni was 27 years old when she was last seen on or around July 4, 1983. Witnesses at the time reported seeing her walking into a wooded area with Sanfratello during a party near the 1000 block of Illinois River Road. When she failed to return, her family reported her missing. An initial investigation deemed the case suspicious, but prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges at the time.

In 1997, a human skull was discovered on nearby property. Despite a search using cadaver dogs and personnel, no additional remains were found. The skull was sent to the University of North Texas (UNT) for analysis and DNA testing, but a positive identification was not made at that time.

The case was revived in 2024 when investigators began reexamining evidence and re-interviewing individuals connected to the original investigation. Additional DNA samples were collected and submitted to UNT, which was able to confirm the skull belonged to Peroni.

The indictment followed new interviews and DNA results linking Sanfratello to the crime. He was apprehended with assistance from Chico Police and questioned regarding his alleged involvement.

Peroni’s next of kin has been notified. Authorities say no additional information is being released at this time.