Overview

• On June 16, 1978, Peterson was found with a single stab wound in a hallway at Branham High School one day after classes ended for summer.
• This year, the DA’s cold case unit matched crime-scene DNA and a relative’s statement to conclusively identify 16-year-old Harry “Nicky” Nickerson as her killer.
• Prosecutors say Nickerson confessed minutes after the murder and wielded a knife marked “Teacher Dear,” with investigators linking the attack to Peterson discovering an on-campus drug deal.
• Between 2023 and 2024, extensive DNA analysis and earlier witness leads failed to yield charges until the family disclosure provided crucial corroboration.
• Nickerson died by suicide in 1993, and authorities will not prosecute the family member who revealed his confession because they played no role in the crime.