New Evidence Revives A Chilling Case From Selma, Oregon

Selma, Oregon isn't the first place you think of when talking about the 'Beaver State'.  The town of just over 650 may be best known as one of the places where Rooster Cogburn was filmed in 1974.  John Wayne fell in love with Deer Creek Ranch (now Vineyard) and would return to visit from time to time.

In 1983, Selma would become known for something more sinister.  July 3rd marked 43 years since a 27 year-old Oregon woman disappeared from the town.  Teresa Peroni was last seen at a party at a home in Selma celebrating the 4th of July holiday.  She returned to her home state not long before that after getting a divorce from her husband.

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Teresa was at the party with a man she was dating at the time, Mark Sanfratello.  Different details from the party revealed that Teresa and Mark may have been discussed another man in her life before the two were seen walking into the woods and away from the house at 1270 Illinois River Rd.

That was the last time Teresa was seen alive.  Her family reported her missing not long after.  The Josephine County Sheriff's Office began an investigation, but at that time they did not have enough evidence to files charges or make an arrest.  It would be 14 years before investigators got their first break in the case.

A Human Skull Is Found And The Case Is Reopened

In 1997, a human skull was found on private property not far from where Teresa was last seen.  No other remains were found, and at that time it wasn't known to whom the skull belonged.  In the meantime, Sanfratello relocated to California.

It took over 25 more years (2024) for the DNA from the skull to be tested and confirmed that it was the skull of Teresa Peroni.  The Josephine County Sheriff's Office, along with the County District Attorney, the Oregon Department of Justice, and the Chico Police Department (CA), reopened the investigation.

That led to a Josephine County Grand Jury indicting Mark Sanfratello on Friday June 27th on a charge of murder in the second degree and his arrest in Chico, CA the next day. Sanfratello was extradited to Oregon and was arraigned last Wednesday (July 16th).  Sanfratello, now 72, is being held in the Josephine County Jail, without bail,  while he awaits trial.