Vermont man arrested for 1993 murder of estranged wife

Carroll Peters, a 70-year-old man, was arrested for the murder of his estranged wife, Cheryl Peters, who was found dead in her Morrisville home in September 1993. The police reported that she had been shot in the head, and her body was discovered on September 2, 1993. Despite the long passage of time, the case remained unresolved until recently when cold case specialists from the Vermont State Police revisited the investigation. One specialist had been working on the case for six years, ultimately leading to Peters' arrest. Cheryl Peters was a lab technician at Copley Hospital and had five children who believed their stepfather was responsible for her death. In 1996, they pursued civil action against Carroll Peters, alleging sexual assault, battery, and wrongful death. Although the wrongful death claim was dismissed due to the statute of limitations, a jury found him liable for assaulting her while she was unconscious after a night of drinking. The court awarded her estate $605,000 in damages, a decision later upheld by the Vermont Supreme Court. Carroll Peters pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder during his arraignment and is currently being held without bail. Lamoille County state's attorney Aliena Gerhard expressed her commitment to seeking justice for the family and the community, emphasizing the impact of this violent crime on the local area. The case's revival highlights the importance of cold case investigations in bringing closure to unresolved crimes. The lack of new evidence in the case raises questions about the legal process and the challenges of prosecuting cold cases. However, the determination of law enforcement and the community's desire for justice may lead to a significant development in this long-standing case.