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Sherry Lee Heffernan, of Landenberg, is accused of killing John Enders, 87, of Surf City, and Francoise Pitoy, 75, of Manchester, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Surf City Police Chief John N. Casella, Jr. said.
Surf City police found the bodies of Enders and Pitoy on Sunday around 4 p.m. at a North 7th Street home while conducting a welfare check, police said. The victims suffered multiple stab wounds, police said.
Heffernan was charged with two counts of murder and weapons offenses, the prosecutor said.
On Monday, 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 manner of death was ruled to be a homicide.
A post-mortem examination of Pitoy's body wias scheduled for Tuesday.
Tthe victims were involved in a dating relationship, Billhimer said. Enders was the primary owner the residence where the couple was killed, he said. Pitoy stayed with him at the residence regularly, he said.
The cooperative investigation ultimately determined that Heffernan, Enders’ daughter, "was responsible for the deaths of both Mr. Enders and Ms. Pitoy,”
Heffernan was taken into custody by the Pennsylvania State Police at her residence in Landenberg on Monday, authorities said.
“This truly was a team effort in terms of the depth and comprehensiveness of this investigation," Billhimer said in a Tuesday statement. "These detectives combed through the evidence. . . We were able to determine very early on in the investigation that there was no immediate danger to the public."
"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.
Billhimer and Surf City Police Chief Cassella 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, Pennsylvania State Police, Maryland State Police, Collegeville (Pennsylvania) Police Department,North East (Maryland) Police Department, and Ocean County Motor Vehicle Services, for their collective and cooperative assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Heffernan’s apprehension.
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