In Hyde Park, Vermont, a 70-year-old man named Carroll Peters was arrested for the murder of his estranged wife, Cheryl Peters, 31 years ago. He pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges in the death of Cheryl, who was found shot in the head at her Morrisville home in September 1993. Despite no new evidence in the case, Peters was taken into custody and is being held without bail.

State’s attorney Aliena Gerhard stated in an interview that the Vermont State Police employed two cold case specialists, one of whom had been investigating the case for six years and alerted the county prosecutor’s office a few years ago. Gerhard expressed a strong desire to seek justice for Cheryl’s family and the community, emphasizing the devastating impact of the violent crime on the local residents.

Cheryl Peters’ five children suspected their stepfather of being involved in her death, leading them to file a lawsuit in 1996 to hold him accountable. The lawsuit, which included allegations of sexual assault, battery, and wrongful death, resulted in a civil judgment against Carroll Peters. Despite the wrongful death claim being dismissed due to exceeding the statute of limitations, the jury awarded Cheryl’s estate $125,000 in compensatory damages and $480,000 in punitive damages.

Carroll Peters later admitted to sexually assaulting his wife prior to her murder. The Vermont Supreme Court upheld the $605,000 civil judgment against him, shedding light on the tragic events that transpired leading up to Cheryl Peters’ untimely death.