Harry Nickerson
American criminal and murderer (1962–1993)

Harry Nickerson
Undated photograph of Nickerson[1][n 1]
Born
Harry Nile Nickerson

(1962-01-09)January 9, 1962
Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S.
DiedAugust 31, 1993(1993-08-31) (aged 31)
Santa Clara, California, U.S.[2]
Other names"Nicky"[3]

Harry Nile Nickerson (January 9, 1962 – August 31, 1993) was an American criminal and murderer from San Jose, California.[4]

On June 2, 2025, Nickerson was announced to have been the perpetrator of the 1978 murder of 26-year-old schoolteacher Diane Peterson, in which he was a prime suspect for decades.[5] The murder took place at Branham High School in San Jose.[6] He could not be convicted, as he committed suicide in 1993.[7]

Early life

Nickerson was born on January 9, 1962, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Doris Jean Lucas (d. 1993) and Glen William Nickerson (d. 2018).[8][9][10] He had an older brother named Glen William "Buddy" Nickerson Jr., an older sister named Glenna, and another brother named Richard.[9][11] According to retired San Jose police officer Richard Boone, the Nickersons were a notorious and violent family, adding: "We were always going out there on 415s, which was [code for] a family disturbance".[9]

Harry Nickerson dropped out of school in the eighth grade, choosing to lead a life of crime instead. He was also reported to have had a "mean temper".[9]

Murder of Diane Peterson

Diane Peterson, c. 1970s

Diane Peterson was an English teacher at Branham High School in San Jose, and was married with an infant son.[12][13] In 1978, she was scheduled to be laid off due to low enrollment at the school.[14]

On June 16, the day after school had concluded for the summer, Peterson was cleaning her classroom.[5] Shortly after noon, a student discovered Peterson lying unconscious in the hallway a short distance from her room, with a single stab wound to the chest.[12][15] Other contemporary reports claimed that she stumbled to the school's main corridor while shouting for help before collapsing.[12][16] She was pronounced dead en route to Good Samaritan Hospital.[13]

Investigation

1978–1984

According to initial reports, there was no physical evidence left at the crime scene. She had not been sexually assaulted,[3] and robbery was also ruled out as a motive, as her purse was left behind.[6][13]

On the day of her murder, seniors were boarding buses on the other side of the campus for a trip to Disneyland. One lead alleged that a young, stocky man with "broken teeth" was seen running from the grounds around the time Peterson was stabbed.[12]

In 1978, Nickerson was 16 years old.[17] He did not attend Branham but was considered a long-time suspect in the case.[1] Four days after the incident, he was arrested for an unrelated crime; after police speculated that he was involved in the killing, Nickerson "spontaneously accused the police of trying to 'pin' the murder on him" and "denied killing Diane and denied owning a knife".[1]

After the murder, an unnamed witness told police that Nickerson had confessed to the crime and that he was seen carrying a knife that had "Teacher Dear" written on it, but this was unable to be verified.[17] He also bore a resemblance to a composite sketch, which was based on eyewitness accounts.[4] In 1983, the parents of an ex-student told police that their son had witnessed Nickerson commit the murder, but the son denied this.[18] The following year, another witness came forward and told police that Nickerson had confessed to killing Peterson after she spotted him in the process of a drug deal.[19]

2023–2025

In 2023 and 2024, extensive examinations of DNA evidence left at the crime scene were unable to identify a suspect.[19]

In 2025, investigators learned that moments after the murder, Nickerson had confessed to a relative at their home that he was the perpetrator.[1][20] They interviewed the relative who was "emotional" and appeared to be "relieved after having kept [the] secret for almost 50 years".[4] Charges were not pressed against the woman, with the district attorney's office of Santa Clara County, California, adding that it was "reasonable to surmise it was [kept secret] out of fear of retaliation".[4]

On June 2, the office concluded that Nickerson was the murderer of Peterson.[1] Rob Baker, a prosecutor with the county's cold case unit, added that the relative "demonstrat[ed] unique knowledge about the crime that could have only come from someone who spoke with the killer".[7] The motive was not established, but detectives leaned towards a theory that she had witnessed a drug deal, due to comments from an alleged witness.[1]

Later crimes

From the 1970s onward, Nickerson was arrested for crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon.[21] He was suspected to have been involved in six armed robberies, and he stabbed a bouncer in 1981.[9]

On August 6, 1984, Nickerson attempted to rob the home of John C. Evans, a 29-year-old drug dealer in San Jose, with a sawed-off shotgun. After a struggle, Nickerson was shot and left paralyzed from the waist down.[9] Following his release from Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, he was charged with burglary, false imprisonment, and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.[4][11] Evans and the Nickersons had run in the same circles due to their lifestyles but eventually had a falling out prior to the robbery attempt.[9]

Nickerson's older brother Glen was arrested in September for allegedly entering the same home, handcuffing Evans and 30-year-old Mickie Lee King, and fatally shooting both of them in the back of the head.[11][22] Prosecutors claimed that it was revenge for what had happened to Harry the month prior.[22] He maintained that he was innocent and was released from prison in 2003 after the Santa Clara County district attorney's office decided to not pursue a new trial, following years of pressure from Glen Nickerson and his lawyers.[22]

Death

Nickerson was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on August 31, 1993, aged 31.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ Possibly a mug shot from June 20, 1978[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Larson, Amy (June 3, 2025). "Cold case solved: High school teacher's killer identified as 16-year-old boy". WJBF. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  2. ^ "Harry Nile Nickerson". United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files, 1936–2007. Retrieved January 4, 2026 – via FamilySearch.
  3. ^ a b Castañeda, Carlos E. (June 2, 2025). "Cold case murder of San Jose teacher solved after 47 years; teen killer had knife inscribed with "Teacher Dear"". CBS News. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f El-Bawab, Nadine (June 3, 2025). "Teen identified as killer in decades-old murder of teacher". ABC News. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Robledo, Anthony (June 4, 2025). "'Terrible and tragic mystery': Brutal 1978 murder solved after killer's relative confesses". The Record. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Teacher Slain in Classroom". Contra Costa Times. June 18, 1978. p. 9. Retrieved October 9, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b Stelloh, Tim (June 3, 2025). "California teen ID'd as suspect in teacher's 1978 fatal stabbing". NBC News. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  8. ^ "Harry Nile Nickerson". United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT). Retrieved October 9, 2025 – via FamilySearch.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Will (February 15, 2001). "Buddy And the System". Metro Silicon Valley. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  10. ^ "Glen William Nickerson". Legacy.com. August 28, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "San Jose man suspect in double-murder case". Peninsula Times Tribune. September 22, 1984. p. 12. Retrieved October 9, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c d "Police stymied in finding teacher's killer". Peninsula Times Tribune. June 19, 1978. p. 2. Retrieved October 9, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b c "No suspects in teacher's murder". San Francisco Examiner. June 17, 1978. p. 4. Retrieved October 9, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Teacher Is Stabbed in Classroom". Merced Sun-Star. June 17, 1978. p. 3. Retrieved October 9, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "DA Cold Case Unit, SJPD solve 1978 murder of high school teacher; Killer carried knife inscribed with "Teacher Dear"". Office of the District Attorney of Santa Clara County, California. June 2, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  16. ^ "Teacher Stabbed to Death". Los Angeles Times. June 17, 1978. p. 54. Retrieved October 9, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b Garcia, Karen (June 2, 2025). "Calif. teacher's killing was a mystery for 47 years. Disclosure from relative of student solves it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  18. ^ Cavallier, Andrea (June 3, 2025). "Nearly 50 years ago a teacher was fatally stabbed in a school hallway. A teen who had a knife inscribed with 'Teacher Dear' has been named as the killer". The Independent. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  19. ^ a b "16-year-old stabbed San Jose teacher to death in 1978, carried knife that read 'Teacher dear:' DA". KTVU. June 2, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  20. ^ Segura, Daniella (June 3, 2025). "Student found teacher dead near classroom in 1978, CA officials say. Now, closure". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  21. ^ Larson, Amy (June 2, 2025). "Cold Case: San Jose high school teacher's killer identified as 16-year-old boy". KRON-TV. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  22. ^ a b c Walsh, Diana (May 20, 2003). "Wary convict embraces freedom after 19 years". SFGate. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  • "Buddy And the System": A 2001 article on Glen William "Buddy" Nickerson Jr., which includes a photograph of Harry Nickerson in 1982
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