Murder charge dropped for now in NC cold case

SHELBY, N.C. — A murder charge has been dismissed in the 2003 death of a North Carolina woman, but prosecutors say will try again to get a grand jury indictment.

Multiple media outlets reported that the murder charge against 50-year-old Donald Eugene Borders of Cherryville was dropped this week after the Cleveland County grand jury delayed action on the case.

Borders was arrested last month in the 2003 death of 79-year-old Margaret Tessneer of Shelby.

District Attorney Rick Shaffer says his office is working with police on issues they think the grand jury may have had with the case and plan to resubmit it for an indictment.

Borders remains in jail on charges of rape and breaking and entering.

Tessneer is one of three women in the area found dead in similar circumstances in 2003.

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