A daughter has publicly revealed her anguish for the first time, claiming her father used her as a young child to lure her mother to a brutal death over four decades ago.
A Childhood Shattered by Suspicion
Yale epidemiology professor Alison Galvani was just five years old when her mother, Nancy Galvani, was killed in 1982. For most of her life, she has carried a devastating suspicion: that her own father, Patrick Galvani, exploited her to set up the murder.
Nancy's body was discovered in August 1982, found floating inside a sleeping bag near the San Mateo Bridge in Foster City, California. The location lies between San Francisco and San Jose.
Despite the case being reviewed multiple times, it remained a cold case for decades until a major breakthrough last month. On November 24, the Foster City Police Department announced the arrest of 81-year-old Patrick Galvani, who has now been charged with Nancy's murder.
A Daughter's Decades of Torment
In a recent, emotional interview with the Los Angeles Times, Alison Galvani expressed gratitude that officials were finally "pursuing justice for my mum." She praised their "extraordinary combination of compassion and resolve" in working to shine a light on the dark case.
The core of her lifelong trauma is the belief that her father used her as bait to lure her mother to the location where she was killed. This suspicion haunted her so profoundly that in 2008, she confronted Patrick Galvani directly, accusing him: "you killed my mother."
She alleges he responded, "It wasn't my fault."
Legal Battle and Contested Evidence
Patrick Galvani was a suspect early in the original investigation, but charges were initially dropped due to a perceived lack of usable evidence and witnesses. His lawyer at the time stated he had passed a polygraph test—a method widely questioned for its accuracy—and claimed Nancy lived with "mental illness."
His current attorney, Douglas Horngrad, maintains his client's innocence. "This murder charge was filed against him years ago and the case was dismissed for lack of evidence," Horngrad said. "As I understand it, the evidence is the same, and we believe the outcome will be the same. Mr. Galvani will be exonerated again."
However, prosecutors are now confident they have sufficient new evidence to secure a conviction. Nancy and Patrick Galvani were separated at the time of her death.
Patrick Galvani is currently being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 15.
