Naman Shrestha
When a wife and mother named Leslie Preer was killed in her house in Chevy Chase, Maryland, in the spring of 2001, shockwaves were sent across the entire community. Her loved ones had to wait for justice for more than two decades until the detectives apprehended the killer using an advanced DNA technology. The investigation revealed a dark truth that connected the killer to the Preer family. All the intricate details of the case and the investigation that ensued are extensively covered in the episode titled ‘First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder’ of ABC’s ’20/20.’
Leslie Preer Was Found Dead in Her House by Her Husband and Employer
Leslie Ann Jennings Preer was born on October 5, 1952, into a loving and caring household of William Elwood Jennings Jr. and Miriam Pullen Jennings in Rhode Island. Growing up, she was supported by her family and encouraged to pursue her dreams. After completing her education, she tied the knot with the love of her life, Carl Eugene “Sandy” Preer III, on October 26, 1974, in a beautiful venue in Escambia, Florida, surrounded by their loved ones. In the following years, the couple welcomed a daughter named Lauren into the world, making their bond stronger than ever. The devoted wife and doting mother, along with her family, moved to a house in the 4800 block of Drummond Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland, at some point.
When she failed to show up for work on the morning of May 2, 2001, her employer notified her family members, including Carl and Lauren. Concerned about her well-being, her employer and Carl headed down to the residence and came across a gruesome crime scene. When the authorities were called to the site, they found Leslie dead in the house’s upstairs bathroom shower. Upon inspecting the property, the detectives found blood traces on the walls, male DNA samples, and several pieces of furniture toppled over. The medical examiner conducted the autopsy, which revealed that the cause of her death was strangulation and multiple blunt force trauma to her head. The 48-year-old woman had also sustained bruising on her arms, legs, and torso. Without wasting any time, a homicide investigation was launched.
DNA Technology Helped Police to Apprehend Leslie Preer’s Killer
During the investigation, Leslie Preer’s husband, Sandy, was suspected of being involved in the crime. However, when his DNA didn’t match the DNA blood samples found at the scene, he was eliminated as a suspect. For about two decades, the case remained cold until it was reopened in September 2022. While going through the case file, the detectives dug deeper into a tip that suggested that a man named Eugene Teodor Gligor might be involved. As it turned out, the suspect had dated Leslie’s daughter, Lauren, in their teenage years, and their families lived in the same neighborhood.
In order to be sure of his guilt, in June 2024, the investigators followed Eugene to the Dulles International Airport, where they collected an empty water bottle from which he had drunk during a secondary screening at US Customs. Meanwhile, given the advent of new DNA technology, the detectives used the DNA found at the crime scene to create a family tree of the killer and determined that it came from an unknown male. When the authorities ran Eugene’s DNA, which was collected from the bottle, against the DNA found at the crime scene, it resulted in a match.
Later that same month, on June 21, 2024, he was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the 2001 killing of Leslie Preer. For confirmation, the detectives tested his DNA once again after his arrest. Although Eugene’s DNA was recovered from multiple areas across Leslie’s house, the most critical piece of evidence turned out to be the DNA found under her fingernails, which she managed to get while trying to fight off her attacker.
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The Killer Was Brought to Justice After More Than Two Decades
Less than a year later, in May 2025, Eugene Teodor Gligor, who was being held without bond, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in a Montgomery County courtroom. Facing a maximum of 30 years in prison, his sentencing hearing took place on August 28. The prosecution presented several graphic photos of the crime scene during the hearing and pointed to multiple signs of a struggle. Before he was sentenced, the killer took the stand and extended his apology to Leslie’s family and loved ones. He claimed that he had been going through “blackouts” in the days leading up to the crime.
According to him, he couldn’t remember what transpired after he entered Leslie’s residence on the fateful morning of May 2, 2001. Eugene also claimed that he had been under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at the time. He stated, “Leslie always was very kind to me.” After his remorseful statements were over, the judge sentenced him to 22 years in prison, after which he was to serve five years of supervised probation. The killer was also ordered not to contact the Preer family and seek a mental health evaluation and treatment.
