Justice Delayed but Not Denied: Cold Case Solved After 45 Years

A long-awaited resolution has finally come to a tragic case that shook the community of Concord, New Hampshire. In 1975, a young mother named Judith Lord was found dead in her apartment. The discovery was made by a staff member who went to collect unpaid rent and heard a baby crying inside. This heartbreaking scene marked the beginning of a complex investigation that would span decades. The investigation revealed that Judith had been through a violent struggle, sexually assaulted, and strangled. Her 20-month-old son was found safe in his crib, adding a layer of tragedy to the case. Forensic evidence, including hair and seminal fluid, was collected from the crime scene. Initially, three suspects were considered: Judith's estranged husband and two neighbors. However, her husband was quickly ruled out due to a solid alibi and lack of evidence linking him to the crime. The focus then shifted to one of the neighbors, Ernest Theodore Gable. Gable, who was 24 at the time, lived next door to Judith. Witnesses reported that Judith was afraid of Gable, and his fingerprints were found on the outside of her windows. Despite this, the investigation hit a snag when hair samples submitted to the FBI's Forensic Laboratory led to an incorrect conclusion. This flawed evidence created a significant hurdle for prosecutors, effectively halting the case for decades. The case was reopened years later, and modern DNA testing provided the breakthrough needed to solve the mystery. The seminal fluids found on towels were matched to Gable, confirming his involvement. The flawed hair comparison test results were finally addressed in 2015 when the FBI acknowledged the widespread issues with such tests. New forensic testing correctly identified the hairs as belonging to Gable, bringing the case to a close. Sadly, Gable was stabbed to death in Los Angeles in 1987, at the age of 36. If he were still alive, he would have faced charges of first-degree murder. The resolution of this case brings a sense of closure to Judith's family and the Concord community. It serves as a reminder that no case is ever truly closed until the truth is found. The dedication of the Concord Police Department and the Cold Case Unit has corrected a historic injustice, proving that justice, though delayed, is not always denied.