Man Admits Killing Girlfriend After 43 Years

An Oregon man has been ordered to serve a lengthy prison sentence in connection with a decades-old killing that went unsolved for years before investigators reopened it.

Marcus Sanfratello, now 73, admitted guilt to first-degree manslaughter in the death of Teresa Peroni, his girlfriend at the time, according to state officials. A judge sentenced him to 20 years behind bars, requiring that he serve at least 10 years. Authorities announced the outcome Tuesday.

His attorney, Elizabeth Baker, said Sanfratello chose to settle the case in part due to serious health concerns. She explained that the agreement provides a sense of closure for the victim’s family while ensuring he can receive necessary medical care during his incarceration.

Peroni vanished in 1983 at the age of 27 after attending a gathering in a rural area near Selma, a small community in southern Oregon. Investigators said she was last seen heading into a wooded area with Sanfratello. Although authorities looked into the case at the time, they lacked sufficient evidence to bring charges.

Years later, in 1997, a human skull was discovered on nearby land and sent to the University of North Texas for analysis. The case remained unresolved until 2024, when the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office reopened the investigation. Using updated forensic techniques and newly collected DNA, experts were able to confirm the remains belonged to Peroni.

Sanfratello was arrested in Chico, California, last year and returned to Oregon to face charges. He had initially been indicted for second-degree murder before ultimately pleading guilty to the lesser charge.

Oregon Attorney General Rayfield noted that the resolution comes after more than four decades of uncertainty for the victim’s family, emphasizing that investigators remained committed to finding answers despite the passage of time.