Yale Professor’s Father Charged in Decades-Old Cold Case Murder

The daughter of a woman found dead in a sleeping bag floating near the San Mateo Bridge more than four decades ago is finally speaking out — after her father, now 81, was charged with the brutal killing.

Dr. Alison Galvani, a Yale epidemiology professor, was only five when her mother, Nancy Galvani, vanished in 1982. Her father, Patrick Galvani, was arrested last month in San Francisco and booked into the San Mateo County Jail on murder charges, according to the Foster City Police Department.

Investigators say Nancy’s body was discovered in August 1982, zipped inside a sleeping bag and floating in the waters off Foster City — a scene police described as “chilling and deliberate.” Despite several reviews over the years, the case went cold until what officials called “recent developments” allowed them to move forward.

Authorities have not said what new evidence led to the arrest, but prosecutors insist this time the case is solid.

“We believe we finally have enough to convict,” San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe told reporters. “It’s been a long road, but we intend to see justice done for Nancy.”

Patrick Galvani had long been a person of interest. In 1982, he told investigators that his wife was struggling with mental illness, denied involvement, and reportedly passed a polygraph test. At the time, Nancy had filed for divorce, obtained a restraining order, and moved from their Pacific Heights home to a small residential hotel in San Francisco.

Police say Patrick asked Nancy to pick up their daughter one day early — a change in the couple’s custody schedule. Nancy never made it home. Her yellow Buick was later found in Patrick’s garage.

For Alison, the discovery confirmed her worst fears.
“I’ve always believed my father used me as bait to lure my mother to her death,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “That thought has haunted me my entire life.”

Now 48, Galvani said the trauma has followed her into adulthood. She recalled dreading her wedding day — fearing her father’s presence more than cherishing the moment. “I asked him to walk ahead of me,” she said, “so I wouldn’t have to touch him.”

During a 2008 visit, she says she finally confronted him: “You killed my mother.” His alleged reply: “It wasn’t my fault.”

Patrick’s current attorney, Douglas Horngrad, maintains his client’s innocence. “This case was dismissed decades ago for lack of evidence,” Horngrad said. “Nothing has changed. Mr. Galvani will be exonerated again.”

But investigators disagree. Sources close to the case suggest advances in DNA testing and witness reinterviews may have played a key role in reviving the murder charge.

Nancy’s killing joins a growing list of cold cases across the country being solved with modern forensic tools — cases once considered lost to time.

Galvani, now a renowned scientist who helped shape Yale’s pandemic modeling during COVID-19, said she’s grateful the truth is finally emerging. “With compassion and resolve, investigators are shining light on even the darkest of cases,” she said.

Patrick Galvani remains held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 15.