SURF CITY – A Pennsylvania woman has been indicted on two counts of Murder after killing her father and his girlfriend in their Surf City home, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
On October 3, officers from the Surf City Police Department were conducting a welfare check on residents who lived on North 7th Street. Inside, police discovered the bodies of John Enders, 87, of Surf City, and Francoise Pitoy, 75, of Manchester.
On October 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.
On October 5, a post-mortem examination of Pitoy determined the cause of her death to be multiple stab wounds as well as a gunshot wound to the face.
After seeing the gunshot wound on Pitoy, the Medical Examiner performed an additional examination of Enders and found that he also suffered a gunshot wound to the face.
Police ultimately determined that Sherry Lee Heffernan, 55, of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, who is Enders’ daughter, was responsible for their deaths.
Pennsylvania State Police arrested Heffernan on October 4 at her home and on October 20, she was returned to New Jersey where she’s been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since.
On December 22, Billhimer announced that Heffernan was indicted on two counts of Murder. She 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).
Billhimer acknowledged the diligent 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.
The charges referenced are merely accusations and the public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
