Lisa Marie McBride

Case Information:

Lisa Marie McBride was 27 years old when she vanished from the Highland Lakes section of Vernon Township, New Jersey on June 23, 1990. Her disappearance launched a decades‑long investigation that would eventually span multiple states and evolving forensic technology.

She spent the evening with friends in New York City, attending a concert at the Beacon Theatre before stopping at Big John’s Pub on Route 23. Witnesses described her as upbeat and social, speaking with friends and giving her number to several acquaintances.

Case Details:

Lisa left the bar around 1:15 a.m. and returned home alone at about 2:00 a.m., according to neighbors. When she failed to show up for work the next morning, her brother found her car in the driveway and troubling signs inside the house.

A bedroom lamp was still on, the bedding was missing, and the living room couch had been pulled several inches from the wall. Police later discovered the exterior phone line had been cut and a window screen sliced open, with a log propped beneath the window.

Timeline of Events:

A large search effort followed, involving the New Jersey State Police, the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, the FBI, and local agencies. Nearly 70,000 missing‑person posters were distributed across the U.S. and Canada.

On October 20, 1990, hunters discovered skeletal remains off Old Mine Road in Sandyston Township, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Dental records confirmed the remains were Lisa’s, and a fractured cheekbone suggested blunt force trauma.

Investigation:

More than 400 interviews and 850 leads were pursued, but the case stalled for years. When detectives reopened the file in 2019, they found a note indicating that Robert William McCaffrey Jr. had allegedly confessed in 1995 to killing Lisa after she refused to go out with him.

McCaffrey had been dishonorably discharged from the Navy in 1989 for impulse‑control issues and diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. He later moved to South Carolina, where his wife, Marjorie “Gayle” McCaffrey, disappeared in 2012 and was never found.

Community Response:

The community never forgot Lisa, and her case remained a painful reminder of unanswered questions. Her family continued to push for renewed attention as the years passed.

In 2022, investigators exhumed Lisa’s remains to obtain a clearer DNA sample. Advanced genotyping isolated an unknown male profile, which was entered into CODIS and matched to McCaffrey in February 2026.

Family Statements:

Lisa’s family has carried the weight of her disappearance for more than three decades. Her brother, who first found the troubling scene inside her home, remained committed to seeking justice.

Gayle McCaffrey’s family also reacted to the arrest, expressing shock that McCaffrey may have killed before and hope that this development might lead to answers in Gayle’s case.

Physical Appearance:

At the time she vanished, Lisa was 5’7″ and about 135 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a white shirt with a shoelace‑style black tie across the back.

She carried a medium black leather purse with a brass “Weesa” keychain, which was never recovered. Investigators believe these items may have been kept as trophies.

Current Status:

On April 10, 2026, McCaffrey was arrested in Manteo, North Carolina, after a traffic stop by Nags Head Police. A search of his home uncovered firearms, two black hatchets, and a laptop hidden in a crawl space.

He waived extradition and awaits transfer to New Jersey to face charges of murder, kidnapping, and burglary. Investigators continue searching for Lisa’s missing belongings and any additional evidence.

Contact Information:

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 383‑1570, the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit at 1‑833‑4NJ‑COLD, or email coldcase@njsp.gov. Tips may also be directed to Detective I Dominic Rubino at 609‑477‑2348.

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