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Woman Found Guilty for Murdering Father and His Girlfriend in Ocean County
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said on Friday that a Pennsylvania woman had been found guilty on two counts of murder in relation to the stabbing and gunshot deaths of her father and his girlfriend.
After a jury trial that lasted over four weeks,
Sherry Lee Heffernan, 57, of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, was found guilty of John Enders' and Francoise Pitoy's deaths. She could spend the rest of her life behind bars.
Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer stated that the jury determined Heffernan was guilty of killing Enders and Pitoy with a knife and a firearm. She was also found guilty of having both the knife and the gun in her possession illegally and of possessing them for an unlawful purpose.
On October 3, 2021, Surf City police conducted a wellness check at a residence on North 7th Street, according to Billhimer. When their bodies were found, Enders, 87, of Surf City and Pitoy, 75, of Manchester, had already passed away.
After a post-mortem examination, it was determined that Enders had died from numerous stab wounds, blunt force trauma, and severance of the right carotid artery; homicide was the official cause of death. Authorities concluded that Pitoy died from several stab wounds and a gunshot wound to the face; her death was also considered to be a homicide.
Examiners reexamined Enders after seeing Pitoy's gunshot wound, and they discovered another gunshot wound on his face, according to Billhimer.
According to Billhimer, an investigation revealed that Pitoy and Enders, the owner of the Surf City residence, were romantically involved and that she frequently visited his home. According to Billhimer, the investigation also found that Enders' daughter Heffernan was accountable for Pitoy's and Enders' deaths.
Heffernan was arrested on October 4, 2021, at her home in Landensburg, Pennsylvania. On October 20, she was transferred to Ocean County Jail, where she has remained ever since.
The date of her sentence is May 10.