In the days following the 1978 stabbing, Nickerson was arrested for an unrelated incident.
At the time, he spontaneously denied killing Peterson and denied owning a knife. Yet detectives now say he carried a blade engraved with the chilling words: “Teacher Dear.”
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The Role of the Cold Case Unit
The Santa Clara County Cold Case Unit, re-established in 2011, played a pivotal role in solving the case. While DNA did not ultimately crack it, unlike many recent cold case resolutions, a family tip provided the key breakthrough.
Since 2011, the Cold Case Unit has solved over 30 murder cases, some dating back to 1969.
In 2021, the unit expanded to investigate cold sexual assault cases after receiving a $500,000 federal grant. So far in 2025 alone, the unit has resolved four cold case homicides and five sexual assault cases.
“No matter how much time passes, we will continue to seek the truth,” said San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph. “Every victim matters, and every life deserves justice.”
