Shivangi Sinha
In October 2021, police responded to a residence in Surf City, New Jersey, where they discovered John Enders and Francois Pitoy had been brutally stabbed and shot. Both had succumbed to their injuries, and the violent nature of the attack led investigators to suspect it was an act of overkill motivated by personal vendetta. In the following days, detectives closely examined the couple’s relationship, searching for a motive behind the crime. It wasn’t long before critical answers began to emerge. The case and the eventual capture of the perpetrator are explored in detail in ID’s episode of ‘People Magazine Investigates’ titled ‘Knives Out.’
John Enders and Francoise Pitoy Were Found a Few Days After They Had Been Killed
John “Jack” Enders was born in 1934 to John F. Enders Sr. and Frances Fetch Enders. Raised in Philadelphia alongside his brother, he was known for his inspiring determination from a young age. After graduating from Frankford High School in 1950, John enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served, including a tour in Korea. Following his military service, he pursued higher education at Penn State University, earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering. John went on to establish a successful career as a home builder, operating under the name Del-Jay Builders in the Bucks County area, where his business flourished.
John found love with Della E. Ferguson, and together, they built a happy life, raising two daughters, Terrie L. Swavely and Sherry Lee Heffernan. The couple worked hard to provide a comfortable and secure life for their family, cherishing the long years they spent together. In 2001, Della’s passing was a significant loss for John and their daughters, but they leaned on one another for support and managed to navigate through the challenging time. Seeking tranquility, John eventually settled in Surf City, New Jersey, where he enjoyed a peaceful life. In 2019, he met Francoise “Frenchy” Pitoy, who became a dear companion. Their relationship brought mutual comfort and happiness, and the two began living together, finding joy in each other’s company.
On the morning of October 3, 2021, Frenchy’s family contacted the police, expressing concern after being unable to reach her for several days. Officers conducted a welfare check at her home and discovered a gruesome scene—both Frenchy and John Enders had been brutally murdered. The crime scene revealed they had been both stabbed and shot, with autopsies confirming it as a double homicide. It was determined that the couple had been killed on September 29, 2021. John’s cause of death was identified as blunt force trauma, 51 stab wounds, a gunshot wound to the face, and a severed carotid artery. Frenchy suffered similarly violent injuries, with 39 stab wounds and a gunshot wound to the face. The shocking brutality of the murders spurred the police into action as they worked to identify the perpetrator behind the heinous crime.
Surveillance Footage of an RV Led the Police to John and Frenchy’s Killer
Reviewing the surveillance footage from the house, police observed an individual entering and exiting the property after arriving in a large RV. At the crime scene, investigators also discovered a bloody footprint and a blood-stained glove, further supporting the theory that the murders were premeditated and deliberate. Given the violent nature of the crime, authorities suspected that someone close to the couple might have been responsible. Interviews with neighbors revealed that John Enders frequently had disputes with one of his daughters, Sherry Lee Heffernan, which prompted the police to focus their investigation on her.
The investigation revealed that Sherry had recently been removed from John’s will, which coincided with a series of arguments between the two over the sale of his property on North 7th Street. At the time of the murders, the property was listed for $1.99 million. Sherry, a realtor, had expected to inherit the home. John had previously hired her as the listing agent, but after she failed to sell the house, he decided to remove her from the role and intended to sell it through another real estate agent. The police theorized that the combination of being excluded from the will and losing control over the sale of the valuable property could have been Sherry’s motive for killing her father and his partner, Frenchy.
Additional evidence strengthened the case against Sherry. She owned a 28-foot Winnebago RV, and the license plate matched the RV seen on surveillance footage leaving the house on the night of the murders. Investigators also discovered dried blood inside her RV, further implicating her in the crime. Moreover, the bloody footprint found at the crime scene matched her footprint. With this corroborating evidence, the police arrested her and charged her with murder.
Sherry Lee Heffernan is Serving a Life Sentence Today
During her trial in March 2024, Sherry Lee Heffernan took the stand, asserting that she had nothing but love for her father. Her defense team argued that there was no definitive evidence proving she was in the RV seen near the house on the night of the murders. Despite this claim, the jury found her guilty of two counts of murder along with weapons-related charges. She was sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole. She is currently incarcerated at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Union Township, New Jersey. Now 58 years old, she faces the reality of spending the rest of her life behind bars.
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