Account
Apr 30, 2013
Jul 17, 2024
Teresa
Peroni
68
27
64 inches
130 lbs
White / Caucasian
Female
In the summer of 1983, a 27-year-old woman named Teresa Joann Peroni, also known as Terry, was at a party in Selma, Oregon, when her life took a tragic and mysterious turn. On or around the Fourth of July, she was last seen with her then-boyfriend, Mark Sanfratello. Following an argument where he accused her of having another lover, the couple walked into a wooded area near the 1270 Illinois River Road. Teresa Peroni was never seen again. Her family reported her missing shortly after, which prompted an investigation by the Josephine County Sheriff's Office. Authorities deemed her disappearance to be suspicious in nature, but at the time, there was not enough evidence to proceed with criminal charges. For years, Teresa's case remained cold, leaving her family with unanswered questions and lingering grief. A significant development occurred in 1997 when a human skull was discovered on a nearby private property, less than a mile from where she was last seen. Despite a search of the area with a cadaver dog, no other remains were located. For a long time, it was suspected that the skull belonged to Teresa, but the technology at the time could not provide a definitive confirmation. The case remained stagnant for many more years, a painful and unresolved chapter in the lives of those who knew and loved her. Her missing person file was uploaded to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) in 2013, a digital footprint in a case that had long grown cold. Decades after she vanished, a renewed effort brought long-awaited answers. In 2024, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office reopened the investigation. Investigators began by re-interviewing witnesses and collecting new DNA evidence. Advances in forensic technology finally allowed for the confirmation that the skull found in 1997 was indeed that of Teresa Peroni. This breakthrough, combined with the initial investigation and witness statements, provided enough evidence for a Josephine County Grand Jury to indict Mark Sanfratello on a charge of second-degree murder in June 2025. He was arrested in Chico, California, and extradited to Oregon to face trial. Ultimately, Sanfratello pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, bringing a close to a case that had haunted the community for over four decades. The resolution of Teresa Peroni's case stands as a testament to the perseverance of law enforcement and the evolution of forensic science, finally providing a measure of justice for a life cut tragically short.
Jul 03, 1983
Selma
Oregon
Josephine County
Selma
No
13474
Josephine County Sheriff's Office
Grants Pass
Oregon
Josephine County
97526
1901 Northeast F Street, Oregon
5414745123
County
Law Enforcement
83-10577
1983-07-03
Josephine County Sheriff's Office
Brown
Blue
Blue
Yes
05/17/2026
