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Arrest made in 1997 Somerset County cold case

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, NJ (Somerset County) – A 60-year-old Canadian man has been arrested and charged in connection with the 1997 murder of Tammy Tignor, whose body was found in Somerset County 27 years ago, according to Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald.

Robert A. Creter, 60, of Winnipeg, Canada, was charged with first-degree murder on May 18, 2023. On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, he was extradited to the United States from Canada by the United States Marshals Service, McDonald siad.

Upon his arrival in New Jersey, detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit took custody of Creter. He was then transported to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office for processing and later lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing, McDonald said.

The murder of Tamara “Tammy” Tignor, 23, of Newark, was first reported on November 4, 1997, when a Bridgewater Township resident called 9-1-1 after discovering a deceased female on a dirt access road near Washington Valley Park. The body was later identified as Tignor’s, and an autopsy confirmed that the cause of death was homicide, McDonald said.

For years, the investigation into Tignor’s death remained unsolved. However, in January 2023, as part of the Garden State Cold Case Network and the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Grant, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office detectives and New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit detectives reviewed the case. They determined that evidence from the investigation could be resubmitted for DNA testing, which led to a match with Creter in April 2023, McDonald said.

Creter, who relocated to Winnipeg, Canada in 2002, was identified as a suspect through this new DNA match. Further investigation into Creter’s connection to Tignor’s death led to his arrest, McDonald said.

“The arrest of a suspect in this decades-old case is a testament to the unwavering dedication of law enforcement to seek justice, no matter how much time has passed,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “The Garden State Cold Case Network and the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Grant have been invaluable tools in revisiting unsolved cases, utilizing advanced technology and investigative techniques to bring new hope to victims’ families. This achievement highlights the power of collaboration among local, state, and federal partners to bring closure to those who have waited far too long for answers.”

Prosecutor McDonald expressed gratitude to the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit, the New Jersey State Police Laboratory Office of Forensic Science, the U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, and others for their assistance in this investigation.

He also thanked the detectives from the Bridgewater Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office for their tireless work in solving this case.

Anyone with information related to the homicide is urged to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office at 908-231-7100 or the Bridgewater Township Police Department at 908-722-4111. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the STOPit app (available on Google Play or the Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ) or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All information will be kept confidential.

Jay Edwards

Born and raised in Northwest NJ, Jay has a degree in Communications and has had a life-long interest in local radio and various styles of music. Jay has held numerous jobs over the years such as stunt car driver, bartender, voice-over artist, traffic reporter (award winning), NY Yankee maintenance crewmember and peanut farm worker. His hobbies include mountain climbing, snowmobiling, cooking, performing stand-up comedy and he is an avid squirrel watcher. Jay has been a guest on America’s Morning Headquarters,program on The Weather Channel, and was interviewed by Sam Champion.

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