Woman found beaten to death 40 years ago, CA cops say. Now, 65-year-old arrested

Forty years ago, a woman was found beaten to death in California, police said. There were no arrests for decades as mystery lingered in the jarring killing.

Now, with the help of DNA, a man has been arrested after being accused of her murder, according to an Oct. 3 news release by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

In 1983, deputies were called to an area near Rohnert Park on reports of a naked dead woman later identified as Noelle Russo, police said.

Detectives collected evidence during the investigation, conducted interviews and even declared certain persons of interest, but no one was arrested, officials said.

From 2010 to 2023, detectives working the case sent evidence to the Santa Clara County Crime Lab for DNA analysis, the release said.

Alfredo Carretero, named as a person of interest in Russo’s death, was confirmed as a suspect based on DNA, officials said.

On Oct. 2, Carretero of Lakeport was arrested and booked into the Main Adult Detention Facility on a murder charge, officials said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 707-656-2185.

Rohnert Park is about 50 miles northwest of San Francisco.

This story was originally published October 4, 2023 at 11:26 AM with the headline "Woman found beaten to death 40 years ago, CA cops say. Now, 65-year-old arrested."