Murder of Mary Quigley - Aftermath

Aftermath

No immediate suspect was identified and the murder became a cold case for nearly 30 years. Quigley's friends and classmates kept up the pressure on law enforcement throughout the years, keeping the case alive. In 2005, Detective Sergeant Kazem resubmitted evidence from the Quigley homicide investigation to the Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory for DNA analysis. On December 27, 2006, the Crime Lab informed Sergeant Kazem that a computer database search of DNA profiles of known offenders identified a Santa Clara resident Richard Armand Archibeque, age 47 (DOB 01/26/59), and a classmate of Quigley's, as the suspect. Later that day, Archibeque was arrested by detectives for the murder of Mary Elizabeth Quigley.

Archibeque was convicted of first degree murder in San Jose, California on March 2, 2009. He was scheduled for sentencing on March 27, 2009, under 1977 guidelines and could receive 7 years to life. The defense claimed that Archibeque could have had consensual sex with Quigley, but none of Archibeque's semen was found in her underwear, which undermined this defense theory. The immediate crime scene remains pretty much unchanged to this day. A hole cut from the fence by the police where her sash was tied remained until recently, until the entire fence panel was removed and a small plaque placed there.

Quigley's friends and classmates have lobbied the City of Santa Clara for a memorial bench and plaque to be placed in her honor at War Memorial Playground, and to rename the park Mary Quigley Memorial Playground.