Arrest Made in 1990 North Jersey Cold Case Killing of Lisa McBride

Robert William McCaffrey charged with murder, kidnapping, and burglary in 36-year-old case

Apr. 12, 2026 at 8:52am

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An extreme close-up of a broken piece of jewelry or torn fabric swatch, dramatically lit by a harsh flash against a dark background, conceptually representing a key piece of physical evidence in the Lisa McBride murder investigation.The arrest in this decades-old cold case murder brings some closure, but also exposes the persistence required to solve such tragic crimes.Manteo Today

A man wanted in a nearly 36-year-old cold case murder has been arrested in North Carolina, police in Vernon Township, New Jersey confirmed. Lisa McBride, 27, vanished from her small lake home in the Highland Lakes section of Vernon in June 1990, and her remains were found in woods near the Delaware River four months later. Robert William McCaffrey, 54, of Manteo, North Carolina was taken into custody on Friday night by a task force in Dare County, North Carolina and is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary.

Why it matters

The arrest in this decades-old cold case brings some closure to Lisa McBride's family, who had desperately kept the case in the public eye for years after her death. The investigation involved a 17-member task force and help from the FBI, highlighting the persistence of law enforcement in pursuing justice for victims even in the most challenging cases.

The details

Police did not say whether they believe McCaffrey knew McBride. Vernon Township Police, New Jersey State Police, and the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office coordinated with local authorities in North Carolina to arrest McCaffrey, who is being held in Dare County pending extradition. McBride was an executive secretary at Lakeland State Bank in West Milford and was also a dancer, amateur competitive shooter, and avid hiker.

  • Lisa McBride disappeared from her home in Vernon, New Jersey in June 1990.
  • Her remains were found in woods near the Delaware River four months later, in October 1990.
  • Robert William McCaffrey was arrested on Friday, April 12, 2026 in Dare County, North Carolina.

The players

Lisa McBride

A 27-year-old woman who disappeared from her home in Vernon, New Jersey in 1990. Her remains were found four months later.

Robert William McCaffrey

A 54-year-old man from Manteo, North Carolina who was arrested and charged with the first-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary of Lisa McBride.

George McBride

Lisa McBride's father, who desperately kept the case in the public eye for years after her killing.

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What they’re saying

“We're still handing the uncertainty. We still go on living. But we think of her on holidays, on birthdays -- every day really.”

— George McBride, Lisa McBride's father

What’s next

Police are asking anyone with information about the case to call the Detective Bureau at 973-764-6155 or email coldcase@vernonpolice.com.

The takeaway

This arrest in a decades-old cold case highlights the persistence of law enforcement in pursuing justice for victims, even in the most challenging circumstances, and the importance of keeping unsolved cases in the public eye to help bring closure to grieving families.