DNA evidence links man to 1990 New Jersey woman's murder

Police say new DNA testing identified Robert McCaffrey in connection with the 1990 death of Lisa Marie McBride; he was arrested in North Carolina and is being held pending extradition to New Jersey.

Police released new details about a long-unsolved 1990 case after investigators used modern DNA methods to identify a suspect. Officials say the remains of Lisa Marie McBride, who disappeared in June 1990 and whose remains were found later that year, were exhumed to obtain a definitive DNA sample. Advances in genotyping and database comparisons led to a match in February 2026. A multi-state task force arrested the man they identified and he is being held in North Carolina awaiting extradition to New Jersey. Known developments: - Authorities say modern DNA analysis and genotyping were essential to linking a suspect to the case. - Investigators exhumed McBride's remains in 2022 to obtain a definitive DNA sample for comparison. - A February 2026 CODIS match identified the DNA as belonging to Robert McCaffrey. - McCaffrey was arrested in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and is being held there pending extradition to New Jersey to face charges of murder, kidnapping and burglary. Summary: Police describe this as a DNA-driven break in a decades-old investigation, with officials reporting a match after exhumation and updated testing. The immediate next step reported is extradition to New Jersey so prosecutors can proceed with the announced charges.