North Carolina authorities have announced the resolution of a cold case involving the abduction and murder of an East Carolina University student almost 45 years ago.
During a press conference held on Thursday, the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office identified Gary Lane Laframboise as the person accountable for the tragic demise of Tammy Sue Aldridge in 1979. It is important to note that Laframboise passed away in the year 2020.
The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office has provided an image of Tammy Sue Aldridge.
According to him, Aldridge experienced sexual assault while she was still alive, and medical examiners determined that her cause of death was strangulation.
Aldridge made two phone calls to her family while she was held captive, but unfortunately, those would be the last times they would hear from her.
Investigator Dan Denton stated that Aldridge reached out to her family to inform them of her safety and express her hope of returning home.
The discovery of Laframboise’s identity follows the failed prosecution of another individual in connection with Aldridge’s disappearance, leaving the case unresolved.
In 2020, after its reopening, investigators obtained a DNA sample from a family member of a person of interest. This crucial evidence led them to identify Laframboise as their primary suspect, according to Johnson.
Laframboise, who was approximately 19 or 20 years old at the time, resided just 4 1/2 miles away from the location where Aldridge’s body was found.
Johnson states that Laframboise faced an unrelated kidnapping charge just three months after Aldridge went missing. Laframboise admitted guilt in that case and was incarcerated from 1980 to 1982.
Aldridge’s family members expressed relief that the case has been closed, but they still have lingering questions. As reported by local CBS affiliate WFMY, they fondly remember Aldridge as a dedicated student who excelled academically, with aspirations of working with the elderly.
