On March 9, 2022, the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, with the assistance of the New Jersey State Police and the Vernon Township Police Department, exhumed the remains of Lisa McBride from Restland Memorial Park in East Hanover.
The remains were transported to Par-Troy Funeral Home in Parsippany, and then to the Morris-Sussex Medical Examiner’s Office. At the Medical Examiner’s Office, the Sussex County Medical Examiner and a New Jersey State Police Anthropologist performed an examination and collected relevant evidence. Detectives delivered that evidence the next day to a forensic laboratory in Lorton, Virginia. McBride was reinterned at Restland shortly after the examination.
McBride was the victim of a homicide in 1990. McBride was reported missing on June 23, 1990 and her skeletal remains were found on October 20, 1990.
McBride completed work at Lakeland Bank in Newfoundland, New Jersey. That evening, she made arrangements to attend a concert in New York City with friends. Following the concert, the four friends traveled from New York City to Big John’s Pub, located in Newfoundland, New Jersey. They arrived at approximately 12:30 a.m. While at the pub, witnesses reported that McBride consumed three bottles of beer, talked to several people, and reportedly gave three old friends her telephone number.
Prior to leaving at 1:15 a.m., McBride had commented that she had to depart since she had to work the following morning. She arrived home at approximately 1:55 a.m., on Saturday, June 23. Neighbors observed her entering her driveway, exiting the vehicle, and walking into her residence. The neighbors stated they observed McBride enter her home at approximately 2:00 a.m. This was the last reported sighting of the victim.
On June 23, 1990, at approximately 7:30 a.m., one of McBride’s coworkers attempted to call the victim. The coworker called several times but received no answer. The coworker became concerned and notified the victim’s brother, Douglas McBride. Douglas got dressed and drove to Lisa’s home at approximately 10:00 a.m. He noticed that her car was in the driveway and assumed that she had merely obtained a ride from someone. He walked up to the porch, and used a spare key, which she kept under the steps, to enter the residence. As he entered, Douglas called the victim’s name, but received no response. He observed that the light on the bedroom dresser was on and that there were no sheets or blankets on the bed. He also noticed that the living room couch was pulled away from the wall approximately six inches. In addition, the kitchen light, which was near the refrigerator, was also on. Douglas McBride looked throughout the house but failed to locate his sister.
Vernon PD was notified and responded. A subsequent check of the residence revealed the telephone wire had been cut from outside the home. Also, a window screen was observed to have two slits enabling someone to reach in and gain access into the house. An intensive joint investigation, involving local, state and federal authorities, was initiated.
On Oct. 20, 1990, a hunter in the Delaware Water Gap National Park located the skeletal remains of a female. The remains were located in a wooded area off Old Mine Road, Sandyston Township, Sussex County, New Jersey. The hunter reported his discovery to the National Park Police, who contacted the New Jersey State Police Sussex Station and the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office. Detectives from the New Jersey State Police Major Crime Unit, Troop “B” Criminal Investigations Office, and Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation. Once the remains were removed, an autopsy was performed.
A dental examination was performed and the victim was subsequently identified as Lisa Marie McBride.
On Nov. 7, 1990, the remains of Lisa had been transported to the New Jersey State Medical Examiner’s Office in Newark for further examination and anthropological studies in an effort to estimate the time of death as well as cause of death. When found, the victim’s body was almost completely skeletonized. Lisa’s left cheekbone was fractured from what was believed to be blunt force trauma.
If anyone has relevant information about the disappearance of Lisa McBride, please contact Lt. Nicholas Elmo at the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, 973-383-1570.
Republished courtesy of Office of the Prosecutor, Sussex County.