The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon has announced a significant development in the cold case disappearance of Teresa Peroni, who vanished in 1983 at the age of 27. Her then-boyfriend, Mark Sanfratello, who was 29 at the time of her disappearance and is now 72, has been arrested and charged with her murder.
After reopening the investigation in February 2024, authorities collected additional DNA samples and interviewed individuals with knowledge of the case. Over 40 years since Teresa Peroni went missing, an arrest has finally been made in connection with her case.
Peroni was last seen in July 1983 entering a wooded area with Sanfratello during a party on Illinois River Road. Her family reported her missing shortly after, prompting a police investigation. Despite deeming her disappearance suspicious initially, law enforcement did not have sufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges.
In 1997, a human skull believed to be Peroni’s was discovered on a nearby property, but no other remains were found despite a search. Through DNA testing, the skull was confirmed to belong to Peroni, reigniting the investigation in 2024.
After locating individuals connected to the case and analyzing DNA evidence, a grand jury indicted Sanfratello for murder on June 27, 2025. He was apprehended the following day in California and taken into custody without resistance. Sanfratello is currently in custody and faces extradition to Josephine County.
The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office has informed Peroni’s family about the developments in the case and has stated that no further information will be disclosed at this time.
