Cold Case Cracked: 1978 Murder of San Jose Teacher Diane Peterson Solved After 47 Years
After nearly five decades, the brutal 1978 murder of Diane Peterson, a beloved 26-year-old English teacher at Branham High School in San Jose, California, has been officially solved. Authorities have identified her killer as then-16-year-old Harry “Nicky” Nickerson, who confessed to a family member minutes after the crime.
A Tragic Day in 1978
On June 16, 1978, just after the school year had ended, Peterson was found fatally stabbed in the chest near her classroom. She had been preparing her classroom for the summer break when the attack occurred. The murder weapon was never recovered, and despite initial suspicions, the case went cold due to a lack of conclusive evidence.
Breakthrough in the Cold Case
In 2025, a significant development emerged when a family member of Nickerson came forward, revealing that Nickerson had confessed to the murder shortly after it happened. This confession, combined with earlier witness accounts and a police sketch resembling Nickerson, provided the breakthrough needed to close the case. Nickerson had a history of criminal activity and died by suicide in 1993.
Community Closure
The resolution of this case has brought a measure of closure to Peterson’s family and the San Jose community. Authorities expressed their commitment to seeking justice, regardless of the time passed, and thanked the persistence of investigators in solving the decades-old case.
Peterson is remembered as a dedicated educator whose life was tragically cut short. Her family expressed gratitude to investigators for not giving up over the 47 years since her death.