Murder Charge In 25-Year-Old Cold Case

SPRINGFIELD, MA — Lisa Ziegert, a 24-year-old middle school teacher's aide, was abducted on April 15, 1992, early in the evening while working a second job at a greeting card and gift shop in Agawam. The next morning, she was reported missing when the clerk found the store open, the lights on and Ziegert's car parked nearby. Her belongings were inside.

Ziegert's body was found four days later in woods about four miles from the card shop. She had been stabbed and sexually assaulted.

On Monday, 25 years after her death, her case was finally solved.

"Today, I am informing the public that the search for Lisa’s assailant is over," Hampden County DA Anthony Gulluni said in a statement. "DNA testing and analysis has confirmed the identity of Lisa’s killer."

Gary Schara, 48, of West Springfield, was arrested in Connecticut and charged with Ziegert's abduction, rape and murder. He had been a person of interest since 1993.

"Through the determined and skilled work of many investigators, we have arrested the person responsible for the heinous acts committed against Lisa and the 25-year-long search for answer is over," Gulluni said.

State Troopers tried to notify Schara last Wednesday about investigators' decision to run DNA profiles against the evidence taken from Ziegert's body, but he wasn't home. Police left the information with someone at the residence.

On Thursday, someone close to Schara called State Police with information about the murder, including hand-written documents in which Schara reportedly admitted to the abduction, rape and murder of Ziegert.

Schara reportedly fled to Connecticut, and was apprehended at a medical facility after he attempted suicide. He waived extradition to Massachusetts, local news outlets reported. It was not immediately clear whether Schara has an attorney.

The district attorney said officials "have a sense of why he did it," but did not provide details about a possible motive.

Ziegert's mother, Dee Zieger, thanked investigators Monday for their determination in solving the case.

"It has always been about justice for Lisa," she said.

Photo via Hampden County DA

Materials from The Associated Press was used in this report