N.J. Cops Make Cold Case Arrest 15 Years After East Orange Woman’s Murder

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Police have made a cold case arrest in connection with the 2001 murder of an East Orange woman, authorities announced Friday.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Calvin Johnson, 49, of Newark, has been charged with the murder of Andrea Ligons, 31, of East Orange, who was found strangled to death in the basement of her North Arlington Avenue apartment building 15 years ago on Nov. 8.

Johnson, who also uses the name Tione Johnson and Thomas Williams, has been indicted for Ligons’ murder. His bail was set at $750,000, authorities stated.

“Forensic evidence” later linked Johnson to the unsolved homicide, prosecutors said.

“In Essex County, a homicide case is never closed until after we have made an arrest and the case has been prosecuted,” Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray said. “We were able to bring these charges, nearly 15 years after the homicide occurred, because of the outstanding work of our cold case team.”

Johnson is currently being held in state prison on an unrelated charge, prosecutors said.