A Manitoba resident who confessed to the murder of a 23-year-old woman in a New Jersey cold case has been given a 10-year prison sentence following a controversial plea agreement that left the victim’s mother dissatisfied.
Robert Creter, aged 61, was sentenced by Somerset County Judge Angela Borkowski in New Jersey on July 23 after entering a guilty plea for the 1997 killing of Tammy Tignor. Creter was apprehended in Winnipeg in June 2024 and later extradited to New Jersey, where he admitted to first-degree murder.
During the court proceedings, Piper Bailey, Tignor’s mother, expressed her grief over the loss of her daughter, stating that Creter had taken her life unjustly. Bailey highlighted the 27 years of agony her family endured while the perpetrator remained at large.
The investigation revealed that the last person to see Tignor alive witnessed her entering an orange van in Newark, N.J., in the early hours of November 4, 1997. Advanced DNA testing linked Creter to the crime after Tignor’s body was discovered on a dirt road near Washington Valley Park, over 40 kilometers away from Newark.
Bailey criticized the 10-year sentence as inadequate for the severity of the crime, emphasizing her relentless pursuit of justice over the years. She demanded that Creter be incarcerated indefinitely, vowing to attend all his future parole hearings alongside Tignor’s friends and family.
Prosecutor Michael McLaughlin condemned Creter’s actions as multiple robberies, stealing Tignor’s life and denying New Jersey authorities the opportunity to prosecute him for nearly three decades. McLaughlin argued that the 10-year sentence failed to deliver true justice, given the irreplaceable loss caused by Creter’s actions.
In response to the case, Judge Borkowski expressed hope that Creter would not be released on parole in 8½ years due to concerns about his potential to reoffend. She suggested that closure might be found in the legal resolution of the case, even if emotional wounds persist for the victim’s loved ones.
Creter, a Canadian citizen and member of Canupawakpa Dakota Nation in Manitoba, extended an apology in court, acknowledging his regret and describing the crime as an impulsive and tragic mistake. He expressed remorse for the pain he caused and acknowledged the irreversible consequences of his actions.
Witnesses outside the courthouse shared their sentiments about the case, with Brian DeMartino expressing skepticism towards Creter’s apology and vowing to remember Tignor as a cherished individual. Another acquaintance, Rhonda Reagan, expressed relief upon learning the identity of her friend’s killer, ending years of uncertainty surrounding the case.