Ex-Cop’s Guilty Verdict Puts Spotlight On NJ Domestic Violence Issues

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — An official guilty verdict has begun the healing process for the family of Christie Solaro-Formisano, who was murdered by her husband, and father of her children, three years ago.

Solaro-Formisano was found dead on July 14, 2019, after a report of shots fired in the Jefferson Township home she once shared with her estranged husband, Newark police lieutenant John Formisano.

On Monday night, jurors found Formisano guilty of murder and attempted murder of his estranged wife's new boyfriend, Timothy Simonson.

"It has been more than three years since the tragic murder of Christie Solaro-Formisano — a beloved mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend to many. Today’s verdict does not change the fact that Christie’s two young children will grow up without their loving mother, which will significantly impact them for the rest of their lives," Solaro-Formisano’s family said in a statement.

Formisano was also found guilty of official misconduct, weapons charges, obstructing apprehension and endangering a child's welfare. The Formisanos' two young children were at home when the shooting occurred.

"We are supportive of the decision reached today at the Morris County Courthouse that the person responsible for this senseless tragedy, who has inflicted so much pain and harm not just on Christie, but also on her two children, her extended family, her neighbors, and her friends, will be held fully accountable for his intentional criminal actions," the family said.

According to authorities, Formisano drove to the Mirror Place home in Jefferson Township late on July 14, 2019, after working a shift at the Newark Police Department.

When Formisano entered the house, he saw Solaro-Formisano and Simonson inside the main bedroom and began shooting, according to authorities. Solaro-Formisano fled the house and knocked on neighbors' doors for help, according to authorities.

Authorities said Formisano chased her down and shot her to death with his department-issued gun.

Honoring Her Memory

As a way to honor Solaro-Formisano’s memory, the family hopes to continue anti-domestic violence work and raise awareness for "the tragically high rate of domestic violence within the law enforcement community," according to a family spokesperson.

"There needs to be more investigative work and data released on this issue, and additional resources must be made available to partners that are in the precarious situation of having to report their abuser to their employer, which often leaves them with no recourse but silence," the family said,

Due to a lack of a centralized reporting system and definitive research, officials claim that there is no accurate way to measure how frequently officers abuse their domestic partners or how severely abusers are punished.

The law enforcement community has not tracked these cases consistently or rigorously, says the International Association of Chiefs of Police in a 2003 white paper on the subject. "The rate of domestic violence is estimated to be at least as common as that of the general population and limited research to date indicates the possibility of higher incidence of domestic violence among law enforcement professionals."

As the National Center for Women and Policing stated in a footnoted information sheet, despite the difficulty of gathering data on police domestic violence, two studies have found that at least 40 percent of police officer families experience domestic violence, compared to 10 percent of families in the general population.

"We seek to bring attention to this issue so that no one else experiences what Christie did on the horrific night of July 14, 2019. No one deserves to live in constant fear for themselves and their young children," Solaro-Formisano’s family said.