Woman Indicted In LBI Double Murder Of Father, Girlfriend

SURF CITY, NJ — A Pennsylvania woman was indicted this week in connection with the deaths of her father and his girlfriend at their Surf City home, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday.

Sherry Lee Heffernan, 55, of Landenberg, was indicted by an Ocean County grand jury on two counts of murder in the deaths of John Enders and Francoise Pitoy in Surf City on or about Sept. 29, according to Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.

Heffernan was also indicted on charges of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose — specifically a handgun, unlawful possession of a weapon (handgun), possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose — specifically a knife, and unlawful possession of a weapon (knife).

Police found the couple dead in Enders' home on North 7th Street on Oct. 3 with multiple stab wounds, Billhimer said.

On Oct. 4, the Ocean County Medical Examiner performed a post-mortem examination of Enders and determined the cause of his death to be multiple stab wounds with severance of the right carotid artery and blunt force trauma; the manner of death was ruled to be a homicide.

A post-mortem examination of Pitoy performed on Oct. 5 determined the cause of her death to be multiple stab wounds and a gunshot wound to the face; the manner of her death was likewise ruled a homicide, Billhimer said. Based upon the gunshot wound to Pitoy, the medical examiner performed an additional examination of Enders and found that he had also suffered a gunshot wound to the face.

A cooperative investigation determined that Heffernan was responsible for the deaths of both Enders and Pitoy, Billhimer said.

On Oct. 4, Heffernan was taken into custody by the Pennsylvania State Police at her residence in Landenberg. On Oct. 20, Heffernan was returned to New Jersey and has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since that date.

Billhimer acknowledged the efforts of Chief Trial Attorney Michael Weatherstone who is handling the case on behalf of the State and commended the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Intelligence Squad, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Surf City Police Department, Long Beach Township Police Department, Stafford Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, Ocean County Motor Vehicle Services, Pennsylvania State Police, Collegeville (Pennsylvania) Police Department, Horsham Township (Pennsylvania) Police Department, Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney’s Office, Chester County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney’s Office, Maryland State Police, and North East (Maryland) Police Department, for their collective and cooperative assistance in this investigation.

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