Sherry Lee Heffernan: Woman sentenced for killing father and his girlfriend after being removed from will
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised
TOMS RIVER, PENNSYLVANIA: A Pennsylvania realtor, convicted of stabbing her father and his girlfriend multiple times proclaimed her innocence at sentencing.
She expressed regret, stating she wished she had been the one killed instead, as per Law&Crime.
Sherry Lee Heffernan, now 57, received her sentence to spend the rest of her life behind bars on Friday in a New Jersey courtroom.
This was for the murders of John Enders aka Jack, 87, and Francoise Pitoy aka Frenchie, her father’s 75-year-old girlfriend of 19 years, at their residence in Surf City on September 29, 2021.
Sherry Heffernan wishes to be ‘killed’ instead of being blamed for deaths of loved ones
During the sentencing hearing, Sherry Heffernan's claim of innocence wasn't a recent revelation. According to reports, previously, she had asserted, "I am being framed."
However, at the sentencing, the convicted double murderer took it a step further, expressing her preference to be "killed" rather than being held responsible for the deaths of her loved ones.
In court, she articulated her deep sorrow, stating, "I really wish I was the one who was killed, that I was the one who died."
She described the pain of being falsely accused as "horrible."
Heffernan also emphasized the value of the victims, referring to them as "priceless people" whom she will "forever miss."
The prosecution argued that Sherry Heffernan murdered out of anger, particularly targeting her father after he declined to sell his million-dollar home, thereby excluding her from his will.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer reported, “This defendant will spend the rest of her life in prison. This is an appropriate sentence and we are hopeful that this brings some measure of closure to the family and friends of John and Francoise.”
Evidence found against Sherry Heffernan
In early March, a jury convicted Heffernan of the double murder, based on evidence showing her vehicle captured on video footage driving across the Long Beach Island Bridge in the early hours of September 29, 2021.
Subsequently, Heffernan proceeded on foot towards her father’s residence, carrying an orange bag and wearing clothing that appeared oversized for her.
She scaled a backyard fence and later returned with her vehicle over the same bridge.
Several days later, during a welfare check, authorities discovered both victims were shot in the mouth and stabbed multiple times at their residence on North 7th Street. Enders sustained 51 stab wounds, while Pitoy suffered 39.
What did the autopsy report claim?
According to the Ocean County Medical Examiner, the autopsy conducted for Mr Enders on October 4, 2021, determined his cause of death as multiple stab wounds resulting in the severance of the right carotid artery and blunt force trauma, ultimately ruling his death as a homicide.
A post-mortem examination for Ms Pitoy conducted on October 05, 2021, revealed the cause of her death to be multiple stab wounds alongside a gunshot wound to the face, also classified as a homicide.
Additionally, due to the discovery of a gunshot wound on Ms Pitoy, the Medical Examiner re-examined Mr Enders and found evidence of a gunshot wound to his face.
Who were Enders and Pitoy?
John Enders served in the US Air Force during the Korean War, while Franchoise Pitoy was fondly recalled by the Surf City Volunteer Fire Company as a cherished and jovial presence in the local community.
According to the February 2021 Facebook post, “It is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge the sudden passing of Surf City Women’s Auxiliary member ‘Frenchie’ Pitoy. Frenchie was an active and much loved member of our organization. Our hearts are broken as we remember the light, love and laughter that Frenchie brought to us. Continue to keep us and her family in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this very difficult time.”
