Suspect Arrested and Charged in Cold Case Disappearance from 1983

A man suspected of involvement in the disappearance and presumed murder of his girlfriend in the early 1980s has been formally charged after extradition to Oregon. Mark Sanfratello, 72, was arraigned in a court in southern Oregon following a grand jury indictment for the second-degree murder of Teresa Peroni, who vanished in 1983.

Sanfratello is currently detained without bail. His defense attorney, Elizabeth Baker, stated that he is exercising his legal rights during the process.

Peroni was last seen attending a party in a rural area near Selma at age 27. Authorities believe she entered the woods with Sanfratello, her boyfriend at the time, but investigation at the time yielded insufficient evidence to press charges. In 1997, a skull was discovered nearby, leading authorities to revisit the case.

The skull was sent to the University of North Texas for analysis, where DNA testing confirmed it belonged to Peroni. The case was reopened in 2024, utilizing updated forensic techniques and new DNA evidence. These efforts led to the identification of her remains, providing crucial new insights into the case.

Sanfratello was arrested last month in Chico, California. Investigators continue to seek witnesses who attended the original gathering and may have information about Peroni’s disappearance.

The sheriff’s office emphasized that despite the passage of decades, advancements in forensic science are helping bring closure. “What happened to Teresa Peroni left her family with decades of uncertainty and grief. This arrest exemplifies how persistent efforts and new tools can help resolve cold cases,” said Oregon’s Attorney General.