Man Arrested in 1990 Cold-Case Homicide After DNA Match; Arrest Revives 2012 Disappearance Case

Authorities say Robert William "Bob" McCaffrey Jr., 54, was arrested last week in Manteo, North Carolina, and extradited to New Jersey after DNA re-analysis linked him to the 1990 killing of Lisa Marie McBride, court records show.

Court Appearance and Charges

McCaffrey appeared Monday in a Sussex County courtroom wearing an orange jumpsuit and restraints. Judge Janine Allen read formal charges that include murder, burglary and kidnapping. Prosecutors allege McCaffrey either caused McBride’s death or inflicted serious bodily injury that resulted in her death on or about June 23, 1990, in Vernon Township. His attorney entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.

Robert "Bob" McCaffrey Jr., who is charged in the 1990 killing of Lisa Marie McBride, appears in a booking photo after his arrest.(Fox News)

Evidence and Forensic Breakthrough

Investigators said a 2022 exhumation of McBride’s remains allowed for additional DNA testing. Material recovered from the original scene, including fragments from the victim’s headboard, was reanalyzed and produced an unknown male DNA profile that was entered into the national CODIS database. According to court documents, that profile was matched to McCaffrey in 2026.

Case Background

McBride, 27, was last seen returning to her Highland Lakes home in Vernon Township in the early morning hours of June 23, 1990. When she did not report for work, relatives discovered signs of a violent struggle: a cut telephone line, a damaged window screen and missing bedsheets. Four months later, a hunter found her remains in a wooded area of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Sandyston. An autopsy recorded an orbital fracture and other signs of external trauma; the death was ruled a homicide.

Lisa Marie McBride, 27, whose 1990 killing in New Jersey remained unsolved for decades before an arrest was made.

Witness Allegation and Investigative Notes

An affidavit filed in the case recounts a witness claim that McCaffrey admitted in the 1990s to killing McBride and said the motive was that she refused to go out with him. Authorities have described the arrest as a major breakthrough after decades of investigative work and advances in DNA technology.

Connection To Wife’s 2012 Disappearance

The arrest has renewed attention to the unresolved disappearance of McCaffrey’s wife, Marjorie "Gayle" McCaffrey, who vanished from West Ashley, South Carolina, in March 2012. Gayle was reported missing March 18, 2012, after McCaffrey told investigators the couple had a heated argument the night before; their two children, then ages four and ten, last saw their mother the night before she disappeared.

Marjorie "Gayle" McCaffrey, who was reported missing in South Carolina in 2012. Her disappearance remains unsolved.

Detectives later determined McCaffrey provided false information about key elements of the South Carolina investigation, including a purported farewell letter that was found to be fabricated. He was charged with obstruction of justice, convicted and later released in 2023. Gayle McCaffrey’s disappearance remains an active investigation and is being treated as a homicide.

Next Steps

Prosecutors moved to detain McCaffrey pending trial. A detention hearing is scheduled for April 27 at 9 a.m., and a pre-indictment conference is tentatively set for May 18. Agencies involved include the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police and Charleston County investigators.

Note: All allegations are drawn from court documents and statements by law enforcement. McCaffrey is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.