New Jersey State Police have identified a homicide victim found in Cumberland County in 1979 as a 20-year-old Baltimore man and are now seeking the public’s help to solve the decades-old case.
Lawrence Township, NJ – The New Jersey State Police are asking for the public’s assistance in a cold case homicide investigation after identifying human remains discovered nearly 46 years ago in Lawrence Township, Cumberland County. The victim has been identified as Robert L. Waith Jr. of Baltimore, Maryland.
Waith was 20 years old when he disappeared after leaving his Baltimore residence in August 1977. His family never learned what happened to him until investigators confirmed his identity this year through advances in forensic technology.
Investigation reopened with genetic genealogy
Authorities said skeletal remains of an unidentified man were discovered on Nov. 21, 1979, in a wooded area off Hall Avenue in Lawrence Township. Investigators determined the victim had been the victim of a homicide and estimated he died sometime between 1977 and 1979.
The New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation in 2024 and partnered with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use Investigative Genetic Genealogy. Those efforts ultimately identified the victim as Robert L. Waith Jr., whose whereabouts had remained unknown since his disappearance.
Detectives seeking information
With the victim now identified, detectives are working to determine the circumstances surrounding Waith’s death and identify those responsible. Investigators are asking anyone who knew Waith, had contact with him before his disappearance, or has information about the case to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit by email at ColdCase@njsp.gov or by calling 1-833-4NJCOLD (1-833-465-2653).
Key Points
- Robert L. Waith Jr. of Baltimore has been identified as the victim in a 1979 Cumberland County homicide.
- The case was reopened in 2024, and Investigative Genetic Genealogy helped identify the victim in partnership with the FBI.
- Detectives are seeking information from anyone who knew Waith or has details about his disappearance or death.
Related: New Jersey State Police, Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore