Eugene Teodor Gligor : “Man Arrested in Cold Case Murder of Leslie Preer – 23 Years Later”

The suspected former partner of a woman from Virginia is currently under arrest for the murder of her mother in 2001, a case that baffled Maryland authorities for over two decades.

Eugene Teodor Gligor, aged 44, has been taken into custody for the alleged killing of 50-year-old Leslie Jennings Preer, who was discovered dead inside her residence in Chevy Chase, Maryland, after failing to report for work on May 2, 2001, as stated by the Montgomery County Department of Police in a recent news release.

DNA evidence was retrieved from the crime scene back in 2001, as per the department. However, it was only in September 2022 that “blood evidence from the scene was sent to a lab for forensic genetic genealogical DNA analysis,” leading to the identification of Gligor as a potential suspect, the police department disclosed.

Following the collection of DNA samples from Gligor, detectives matched it with the DNA from the crime scene, resulting in a positive match on June 9, according to the department.

Subsequently, after securing a warrant on June 15, Gligor was apprehended by the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force in D.C. on June 18 and charged with first-degree murder, as detailed in the release.

‘A Day Full of Shock!’

It appears that Gligor had a connection to the Preer family, as per statements from Leslie Preer’s daughter, Lauren Preer, who revealed to Fox 5 that they were in a relationship during their teenage years.

Lauren Preer exclaimed, “A Day Full of Shock!” to Fox 5. “He was my former partner!”

Growing up in the same neighborhood as the Preers, Gligor’s and their families’ paths crossed, as per Lauren Preer’s account to the TV station.

Efforts to reach Lauren Preer by USA TODAY, who is believed to be residing in Fairfax, Virginia based on her social media profiles, have not yet yielded a response.

Encounter Between Lauren Preer and Eugene Gligor Last Year

Lauren Preer mentioned that she and Gligor unexpectedly met at a restaurant in D.C. last year, as reported by Fox 5.

“I’ve had conversations with him,” she disclosed to the TV station. “He didn’t exhibit any strange behavior, and it’s quite surreal how someone can maintain eye contact with you knowing they committed such a crime and act as if nothing happened,” she expressed.

Gligor is currently undergoing the extradition process from D.C. to Maryland, according to the authorities.

Leslie Preer’s Demise Initially Not Deemed a Homicide Until Two Days After Discovery

Leslie Preer’s lifeless body was found in an upstairs bedroom, as reported by the Washington Post back in 2001. She exhibited “apparent injuries to her body,” as per police statements in a May 2022 press release.

Sandy Preer, Leslie Preer’s spouse, last saw his wife around 7:45 a.m. on that fateful morning, as per a 911 call from May 2, 2001, as reported by the Post. The “suspicious scene” at the residence was discovered by him and Leslie Preer’s employer, based on the 2022 release.

Due to the absence of clear signs of forced entry, investigators were uncertain about the events that transpired in the Preer residence, as per the Post’s information from police. Moreover, the locality had a low crime rate, and law enforcement had never been summoned to the Preer household in the past, as reiterated by officials.

Leslie Preer’s demise was only officially classified as a homicide two days after the discovery of her body, subsequent to an autopsy conducted by the medical examiner’s office, as detailed by the outlet.