Murder of Mary Quigley by Richard Archibeque highlighted on Evil In Santa Clara

Mary Quigley and Richard Archibeque photo
Mary Quigley was murdered by Richard Archibeque, who was brought to justice three decades after the killing. Pic credit: Santa Clara Police Department/Family

Evil In Santa Clara on Investigation Discovery highlights the case of 17-year-old Mary Quigley, a high school senior who was murdered by Richard Archibeque.

On the night of September 9, 1977, Quigley went to a beer party at a house on the corner of Monroe and Market Streets. Her friend told her that he would take her home, but he ended up leaving without her. Witnesses said they saw the teen leave the party on foot around midnight — she was never seen alive again. She was supposedly on her way to a friend’s house, but she never made it.

The following day, a groundskeeper discovered Quigley’s nude body hanging from a chain-link fence by her neck with her own jacket at War Memorial Park, about 300 miles away from where she was last seen. Santa Clara police said she had been raped and strangled to death.

Debris found on Quigley’s body suggested that she had been dragged to the fence before her death.

Quigley’s murder went unsolved for three decades until 2005 when investigators submitted evidence to the Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory for DNA analysis. That’s when Archibeque, who was Quigley’s classmate, was identified as the suspect.

Investigators said Archibeque was in the state’s DNA registry because he was found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl and had to register as a sex offender. For three decades, Archibeque was a free man who went on to get married, divorced, and raised a daughter, who was 17 at the time of his arrest.

He charged with first-degree murder. After a 21/2-week trial, Archibeque was convicted of murdering Quigley.

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Archibeque was sentenced to seven years to life in prison.

Evil In Santa Clara airs at 11:00 pm on Investigation Discovery.

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