SURF CITY – After a nearly four week-long jury trial, a Pennsylvania woman has been found guilty of killing her father and his girlfriend in their Surf City home, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
Sherry Lee Heffernan, 57, of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, was found guilty of two counts of Murder in connection with the deaths of John Enders and Francoise Pitoy.
The jury concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that Heffernan purposely or knowingly caused the deaths of Enders and Pitoy. The jury also found Heffernan guilty 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).
In addition, the jury determined that Heffernan was guilty of using a handgun and a knife in the commission of the murders. Heffernan is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10 at which time she faces life in prison.
On October 3, 2021, 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, 2021, 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 following day, 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 Heffernan, 55, who is Enders’ daughter, was responsible for their deaths.
Pennsylvania State Police arrested Heffernan on October 4, 2021, at her home and on October 20, 2021, she was returned to New Jersey where she’s been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since.
Prosecutor Billhimer applauds the outstanding efforts of Chief Trial Attorney Michael Weatherstone and Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Kristin Pressman, who ably and skillfully tried the case on behalf of the State. The Prosecutor likewise extends his gratitude to 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 combined and collective efforts investigating and solving these heinous and senseless crimes – ultimately resulting in the guilty verdicts.
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