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Foster City man arrested in wife's cold case killing
Patrick Galvani was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon in San Mateo County Superior Court on one count of homicide. the 81-year-old is accused of killing his wife, Nancy in August of 1982. Her body was found in a sleeping bag floating in San Francisco Bay near the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge. If Galvani is convicted of all charges it would close a mystery that had haunted the community.
FOSTER CITY, Calif. - A 1982 cold case of a Foster City woman whose body was found floating in a sleeping bag in the San Francisco Bay has been solved, authorities announced.
Investigators say the alleged killer was her husband, who is now charged with her death.
Husband appears in court
What we know:
Patrick Galvani, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, appeared for arraignment Tuesday afternoon in San Mateo County Superior Court. He has been charged with murder in the death of his wife, 36-year-old Nancy Galvani.
"He’s 81 years old now, but Mr. Galvani, hopefully, will finally see justice occur for what we believe happened 43 years ago," San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
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Body found in sleeping bag with cinderblock
The backstory:
In August 1982, Nancy Galvani’s body was found in the bay near the San Mateo Bridge. Detectives said she had been placed in a sleeping bag with a cinderblock attached.
Prosecutors say that in the days leading up to her death, Nancy said that her husband had threatened to kill her, prompting her to file for divorce.
"Foster City is such an incredibly safe community. So when we have tragedy like this happen, it’s always something that is in the background," Mayor Stacy Jimenez said.
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Earlier case dropped
Dig deeper:
At the time of the crime, Patrick Galvani was arrested as the prime suspect. But then–District Attorney Keith Sorenson dropped the case, believing he could not secure a conviction.
Wagstaffe, who worked in the office at the time, recalled debates over how to proceed.
"There were a couple of witnesses who we felt were crucial to the case, and they had moved away," he said. "You know what it was like in that room? Disappointment, I would say. Because we all sort of realized this is the right decision."
New witnesses come forward decades later
Investigators recently reconnected with several witnesses who are now willing to testify.
"These witnesses that we have located have remarkable memories. That’s the part that is so amazing," Wagstaffe said.
Defense maintains innocence
What they're saying:
Galvani has consistently denied killing his wife.
His attorney, Douglas Horngrad, said in a statement to KTVU: "Mr. Galvani is innocent. This murder charge was filed against him years ago, and the case was dismissed for lack of evidence. As I understand it, the evidence is the same, and we believe the outcome will be the same. Mr. Galvani will be exonerated again."
Galvani’s arraignment was continued until December 5.
The Source: Information for this story comes from San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe along with the defense team of Patrick Galvani.