NJ Cold Case Break: Arrest in 1990 Murder After DNA Match, Troopers Say

• A 35-year-old murder case in New Jersey may have finally been cracked. Authorities say new DNA evidence led to the arrest of a suspect living in North Carolina.

Authorities have made an arrest in connection with the death of a North Jersey woman more than three decades ago.

North Carolina Man Charged With Murder

54-year-old Robert McCaffrey, Jr., of Manteo, NC, has been taken into custody and charged with murder, kidnapping, and burglary in the case involving Lisa McBride of Highland Lakes.

Timeline

The New Jersey State Police offered this timeline of events in a social media post:

On the morning of October 20th, 1990, a hunter discovered skeletal remains in a wooded area off Old Mine Road in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Sandyston Township, Sussex County. Due to the advanced decomposition of the body, the cause and manner of death could not be determined.

Through the use of dental records, it was confirmed to be Lisa Marie McBride, who went missing on June 22nd of that year.

In August 2020, investigators sent key evidence for advanced DNA testing. At the time, the DNA showed it came from a man, but it wasn’t detailed enough to be added to a national database; it could only be compared directly to specific individuals.

Over the next 5 years, detectives conducted extensive follow-ups to include comparing the profile against more than 50 individuals and numerous polygraphs.

In 2014, following an arrest in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Gayle McCaffrey, who remains missing, in Charleston County, SC, on March 18, 2012, McCaffrey’s DNA profile was entered into CODIS.

In 2022, as part of the ongoing investigation, McBride's remains were exhumed to obtain a definitive DNA sample for comparison, which troopers said was pivotal to investigative efforts.

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2026 Developments

In February of this year, authorities said, "a CODIS match identified the male DNA contributor as Robert William McCaffrey Jr. Subsequent investigative efforts confirmed that McCaffrey was living in Sussex County at the time of McBride’s disappearance."

This past Friday, the Nags Head Police Department in North Carolina conducted a traffic stop and McCaffrey was taken into custody.

A court-authorized residential search warrant resulted in the recovery of five firearms.

Authorities Seeking More Information

Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit tip line at (833) 4NJ-COLD. Anonymous tips are welcomed and encouraged.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com