Teresa Peroni, who went missing at the age of 27, has finally been arrested over 40 years later.
The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon announced on Monday, June 30, that they had arrested Peroni’s then-boyfriend Mark Sanfratello in connection with her 1983 disappearance and murder after reopening the case in February 2024.
Police said Peroni was last seen on or around July 4th, 1983, walking into a wooded area with Sanfratello, who was 29 years old at the time, while attending a party in the 1000 block of Illinois River Road. Shortly after, her family reported her missing, and police began an investigation.
Police stated that during their initial investigation, they considered Peroni’s disappearance suspicious. However, the department and the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office determined that “there was not enough probable cause to move forward with criminal prosecution.”
The investigation into Peroni’s death would remain quiet for over a decade until 1997, when a human skull was discovered by “individuals on a nearby property.” Police then searched with personnel and a cadaver dog but found no other remains.
The skull was sent to the University of North Texas (UNT) for examination and DNA testing, and it was later determined that it belonged to Peroni. Authorities discovered this after reopening her case in February 2024 and gathering additional DNA samples.
During their most recent investigation, police stated that they contacted “known individuals still alive who had some type of involvement with the cold case” and were aware of the initial investigation’s findings. This continued for several months before a breakthrough was made.
“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,” a statement from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office read.
According to police, the following day, Sanfratello, 72, was “located and taken into custody without incident” with the assistance of the Chico Police Department. Investigators then questioned him about his “involvement with the disappearance and murder of Peroni.”
Police did not say if Sanfratellom, who was living in California, admitted to the crime. However, authorities stated that he remained in custody and was scheduled to be extradited back to Josephine County.
The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office stated that Peroni’s family has been updated on the case and that no further information will be released at this time.
