Woman Charged In Killing Of Manchester Woman, Boyfriend: Official

SURF CITY, NJ — The daughter of a Surf City man has been charged with murder in the killings of the man and a Manchester Township woman who was his girlfriend, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Tuesday.

Sherry Lee Heffernan, 55, of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, the daughter of John Enders, 87, has been charged in the killings of Enders and Francoise Pitoy, 75, of Manchester, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Surf City Police Chief John N. Casella Jr. said in a joint announcement.

Enders and Pitoy were found dead in Enders' home on North 7th Street about 4 p.m. Sunday after police were called to do a welfare check. Surf City police found the bodies of Enders and Pitoy; both had "multiple obvious stab wounds," Billhimer said.

An autopsy conducted Monday on Enders determined the stabbing severed his right carotid artery; his cause of death was ruled due to the stab wounds and blunt force trauma, Billhimer said.

Pitoy's autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday, he said.

Detectives learned Enders and Pitoy were in a relationship and that she stayed at Enders' home regularly, and Billhimer said the investigation ultimately determined Heffernan had stabbed them to death. The slayings are believed to have happened on Saturday, he said.

Heffernan was arrested Monday at her home, Billhimer said, and has been charged with two counts of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. She is being extradited to New Jersey and will be held in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing, he said.

"This truly was a team effort in terms of the depth and comprehensiveness of this investigation," Billhimer said. "These detectives combed through the evidence to ultimately determine that Heffernan did, in fact, cause the deaths of Mr. Enders and Ms. Pitoy."

"We were able to determine very early on in the investigation that there was no immediate danger to the public," he said. "From there, these detectives went to work doing their absolute best to solve these horrific crimes. Every law enforcement officer involved this investigation has my profound gratitude."

Billhimer said the following agencies cooperated in the investigation: the Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Economic Crime Unit, Intelligence Squad, and High Tech Crime Unit; the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office and its Crime Scene Investigation Unit; Surf City Police Department; Long Beach Township Police Department; Stafford Township Police Department; New Jersey State Police; Pennsylvania State Police; Maryland State Police; the Collegeville (Pennsylvania) Police Department; the North East (Maryland) Police Department, and Ocean County Motor Vehicle Services.

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