From Bill Lindelof:
Police hope that the recent incarceration of a criminal in Missouri will solve a 16-year-old cold case homicide in Sacramento.
Sacramento Police on Tuesday obtained an arrest warrant for Michael Peterson (left photo), 44, in connection with the 1992 murder of John Arana.
Arana died from stab wounds Nov. 5, 1992, at his home in the 5400 block of 10th Avenue. A few days after his death, his stolen truck was found about a mile form his home.
No progress was made on the case, but a review of evidence from the Arana homicide resulted in a DNA profile being developed in 2003. That DNA was compared to state and national DNA databases, but there was no match.
Then, last month, cold case detectives received a call from Sacramento County Criminalist Jeff Herbert, who told them that a DNA match with Peterson and the Arana case had been made. Peterson had recently been convicted and sent to prison in Missouri, causing his DNA profile to be entered into a database.
Peterson, according to a news release, has an extensive criminal history in California and Missouri. He was on parole at the time of the Arana murder. Sacramento Police have issued a photo (at right) of Peterson as he looked in 1992, hoping someone remembers him or details about the case.
Detectives and the Sacramento District Attorney's office are working to bring Peterson to California for prosecution.
Arana, a part-time driver for a print shop who lived alone, was discovered by a friend who dropped by the victim's home.
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