After 47 years of mystery, police have identified Harry 'Nicky' Nickerson as the killer of Branham High School teacher Diane Peterson, who was stabbed in 1978. Initially a person of interest, Nickerson had been overlooked until a relative revealed his admission to the crime. Despite early witness accounts linking him to the murder, the case remained unsolved until now. Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen expressed relief as the conclusion brings closure to a long-standing tragedy, marking a haunting memory for the Peterson family and the community.
"This marks the end of a terrible and tragic mystery," said Santa Clara Dist. Atty. Jeff Rosen in a statement. "Ms. Peterson would have been a senior citizen today if she had not crossed paths with this violent teenager. I wish she was."
Nickerson became a person of interest in the case just days after Peterson was killed, when he was arrested in an unrelated crime and detectives noticed his booking photo bore a striking resemblance to a police sketch of the teacher's killer.
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