Police arrested Eugene Gligor for the 2001 murder of Leslie Preer, a case that had remained unsolved for over two decades, shocking the Chevy Chase, Maryland, community. Gligor has now pleaded guilty. The breakthrough came through advanced DNA technology and forensic genetic genealogy, marking a significant milestone in cold case investigations.
What happened to Leslie Preer?
On May 2, 2001, 50-year-old Leslie Preer was found dead in her Chevy Chase, Maryland, home after failing to report to work. There were signs of a violent struggle, with evidence of blunt force trauma and strangulation. Despite collecting DNA evidence from the crime scene, investigators were unable to identify a suspect at the time, and the case went cold, CBS News reported.
In 2022, Montgomery County investigators revisited the case, utilizing forensic genetic genealogy, a method that analyzes DNA to find familial matches. This approach led them to a distant relative of the suspect living in Romania.
By constructing a family tree, investigators identified Gligor, 45, as a potential suspect. Surveillance confirmed his identity, and a discarded water bottle provided the DNA sample that matched the crime scene evidence. Gligor was arrested on June 18, 2024, at his Washington, D.C., apartment.
Gligor was a familiar face
Gligor was not a stranger to the Preer family; he had dated Leslie Preer’s daughter, Lauren, during their teenage years. A potential motive has not yet been reported.
Despite their past relationship, Lauren never suspected Gligor’s involvement in her mother’s death. She recounted a chance encounter with him at a D.C. restaurant years later, where he acted as if nothing had happened.
Laren told Fox News, “I’ve spoken to him. He didn’t seem weird, and how you could look someone in the eye and know that you committed this crime and act like nothing happened is pretty unreal.”
Initially charged with first-degree murder, Gligor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on May 7, 2025. Prosecutors cited the lack of evidence for premeditation as the reason for accepting the plea. He now faces up to 30 years in prison, the maximum sentence for second-degree murder under Maryland law. His sentencing is scheduled for August 28, 2025.
This case marks the first time in Maryland’s history that familial DNA was used to solve a cold case murder. The technique, which gained prominence in cases like the Golden State Killer, involves analyzing DNA to find relatives of the suspect, thereby narrowing down potential matches. In Gligor’s case, this method was instrumental in identifying him as the perpetrator.
Published: May 8, 2025 02:15 pm