Leisure Village Slaying: Man Indicted On Murder Charge In Girlfriend's Death

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A Lakewood man has been indicted in the killing of his girlfriend at her home in May, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced.

John Filistovich, 60, was indicted Wednesday on charges of murder and theft in the May 30 death of Betty Perry, 60, of Lakewood, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Perry who was found dead on the bedroom floor in her home on Thornbury Court in Leisure Village when Lakewood police responded to a request by a social worker for a wellness check, authorities said. Filistovich, who lived with her, was missing as was Perry's 2015 Hyundai Elantra, they said.

There was a history of domestic violence calls to Perry's home, according to the probable cause affidavit, including one in August 2022 where Filistovich was arrested on a charge of violating a temporary restraining order, according to a police report.

It was not clear how long the two had been dating, how long Filistovich had been living with her, or whether there was a restraining order in place at the time Perry was killed.

Filistovich is accused of beating Perry and choking her, authorities have said. The autopsy by the Ocean County Medical Examiner found she had been beaten in the face and her nose broken, and marks on the right side of her neck indicated she had been choked, the affidavit said. She was bruised and had cuts and scraped up and down her body, according to the affidavit.

Authorities allege Filistovich vandalized the inside the the home before he left.

Filistovich was found about 7 a.m. on May 30 by Maryland State Troopers and appeared to be having a mental health episode, the affidavit said. He was taken to a hospital and Maryland authorities contacted Ocean County authorities, who had been preparing to request a search warrant to track three phone numbers, the affidavit said.

He was arrested when he was released from the hospital and taken to Wicomico County Corrections Center in Salisbury, Maryland. Filistovich was later extradited back to New Jersey and has been in the Ocean County Jail ever since.

Previous coverage:

• Man Accused Of Killing Girlfriend In Lakewood Had Prior Threats Arrest
• Man Charged In Leisure Village Killing Of Girlfriend Back In NJ
• Man Vandalized Home After Killing Girlfriend In Lakewood: Affidavit
• Man Ordered Held In Leisure Village Slaying Of Girlfriend