A man whose wife vanished several years ago is now charged with a murder case from decades ago in New Jersey. This case has gained attention because investigators claim he previously confessed to the crime, as per court documents.
Robert William “Bob” McCaffrey Jr., aged 54, was arrested last week in Manteo, North Carolina. He appeared in a New Jersey courtroom recently after being extradited and entered a not guilty plea regarding the 1990 murder of Lisa Marie McBride, according to the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office.
During the brief trial, which lasted less than five minutes, McCaffrey, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and restrained, displayed little emotion. Judge Janine Allen outlined the charges against him, including murder, robbery, and kidnapping. Prosecutors assert that McCaffrey purposely caused serious harm or death to McBride around June 23, 1990, in Vernon Township.
He’s also suspected of breaking into her home with the intent to commit a crime and unlawfully removing her with the intent to injure or instill fear in her. His attorney has officially entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Prosecutors are seeking to keep McCaffrey in custody leading up to trial. A detention hearing is set for April 27, and he will remain incarcerated until then. There’s also a pre-indictment conference tentatively scheduled for May 18, though the judge noted that the date might change.
The arrest is seen as a significant breakthrough in this cold case, largely due to advancements in DNA technology and numerous investigatory efforts. The affidavit states that McBride, who was 27 at the time, was last seen returning home on the early morning of June 23, 1990. When she failed to show up for work later that day, her relatives discovered signs of a violent struggle — things like cut phone lines and missing bed sheets — in her home.
A massive search involving her family, volunteers, and police ensued. Sadly, four months later, a hunter found her body in a wooded area within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. An autopsy indicated that she had suffered an orbital fracture, ruling her death as a homicide.
In 2022, authorities decided to exhume McBride’s body to conduct additional DNA tests, a step they deemed crucial for gaining clarity on unknown male DNA collected earlier. Evidence gathered from the crime scene was also reanalyzed and entered into the national CODIS database.
In 2026, this DNA finally matched McCaffrey, who had been living in Sussex County when McBride disappeared, according to court documents. Additionally, witnesses have claimed that McCaffrey admitted to killing McBride back in the 1990s, stating it occurred because she refused to leave the home.
Interestingly, this case has resurfaced in light of a separate investigation into McCaffrey’s wife, Marjorie “Gail” McCaffrey, who vanished in South Carolina in 2012. Her case has gone cold, and she has never been found.
Gail McCaffrey was reported missing from the couple’s home in March 2012 following a heated argument with Robert, who said he left only to come back later and find her gone, claiming she left on her own. Their two children were the last to see her that evening. Despite multiple searches and interviews, authorities could not locate her.
As the investigation progressed, detectives discovered that Robert had fabricated crucial details, including a purported farewell letter discovered to be a forgery. He was eventually charged with obstruction of justice, convicted, and served time before being released in 2023. The investigation into Gail’s disappearance is ongoing and is currently being treated as a homicide.
