Man arrested for murder of woman beaten to death in 1983

A man has been arrested for the murder of a woman who was beaten to death in 1983 in Northern California, authorities said.

Alfredo Carretero Jr., who was one of the original persons of interest in the case, was arrested this week at age 65 for the murder of Noelle Russo, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

On June 27, 1983, Russo was found naked and beaten to death in Rohnert Park, authorities said.

Over the years, police collected evidence, conducted interviews and "developed certain persons of interest," but no one was ever arrested, the sheriff's office said.

Detectives continued to work on the case, and from 2010 to 2023, pieces of evidence were submitted for DNA analysis, the sheriff's office said.

"Based on DNA and other evidence," Carretero was positively identified as a suspect, the sheriff's office announced Tuesday.

Carretero was arrested for murder on Monday and is being held without bail, the sheriff's office said. He's due back in court on Oct. 18.