Half โฃa Century Later, New Hampshireโค Cold Caseโฃ Identifiesโค Ernest โคGable as Judith Lord‘s Killer
After nearly five decades, the 1975 โmurder of Judith Lord in Concord, New hampshire, has been solved, with investigators identifying her neighbor, Ernest โGable, as the perpetrator. Though Gable died in 1987, โauthorities announced they would have charged him with First Degree Murder had he still been alive.
Judith Lord, along with her husband Gregory and their son, moved into the Concord Gardens apartment โcomplex just threeโค months beforeโ her โขdeath, returning from a period where Gregory was stationed in โGermany. The couple’s relationship โquickly deteriorated, โคculminatingโค in an assaultโฃ by Gregory Lord on May โค4, 1975. He pleaded guilty to simple assault and was fined $100,subsequently movingโ out of the apartment,taking nearlyโ all their possessions with him,leaving judith,their son,a bed,and a โขcrib.
Despite โขbeing initially considered a suspect, Gregory Lord was clearedโ after his alibi was corroborated by his brother and grandmother. โขJudith Lord resigned โคfrom herโ job at a nearby โnursing home following the assault โคand found herself financially vulnerable.โ She cashed her finalโ paycheck โthe day before her murder and spent the evening socializing with neighbors.
According to testimony, Judith Lord hadโข expressed fear of both โher husband andโค Ernest Gable for some time, due to Gable’s “persistent and unwanted โขadvances.” โฃShe confided โin โขherโฃ sister that Gable โข”had made โคremarks to her about wanting to see her nude.” Witnesses later came forward detailing disturbing interactions,โค includingโ an incident where Gable knocked โฃon her door at 2 a.m. while his wife was away, askingโ if she “wanted to party with him.” Oneโฃ coworker recalled Lord saying Gable was “always botheringโฃ her and hanging around her doors and windows.”
On the night โขof may 20, 1975, Gable’s wife reported hearing Judith Lord in the showerโค shortly before midnight. around 12:50 a.m., neighbors reported hearing screaming from Lord’s apartment, followed by sounds believed to be intercourse.
Evidence collected at the scene,โฃ includingโ a purple and a damp white towel, contained DNA evidence. While the case remained unsolvedโ for decades, advancements inโข forensic technology allowed investigators to link Gableโข to the crime.
Attorney General John โFormella statedโ that if alive today, Gableโ would have been charged withโ First degree Murder for knowingly causing Lord’s death during aggravated felonious sexual assault, and for purposely causing her death by strangulation.
“It is my hope that this long-awaited conclusion will finallyโข bring peace and closure to Judy Lord’s family and the entire Concord โcommunity after nearly five โขdecades of delayed justice,” Formella said. “Thisโข resolution proves that โคno cold case is ever truly closed until the truth is found.”
