A Lakewood man has been charged with murdering his girlfriend after police found her body during a welfare check at her home in Leisure Village on Tuesday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Friday.
John Filistovich, 59, was charged with murder in connection with the death of Betty Perry, 60, of Lakewood, Billhimer said.
On May 30, around 12:15 p.m., Lakewood Township Police responded to a Thornbury Court home to conduct a welfare check on Perry, the news release said. Officers entered the residence and found her, deceased, on the bedroom floor.
An investigation found that Filistovich and Perry were dating and lived together, Billhimer said. In addition, investigators determined that Perry’s 2015 Hyundai Elantra was not at the residence.
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On the same day police found Perry’s body, Maryland State Troopers found Filistovich on the side of the road near Salisbury, Maryland, in Perry’s car, the prosecutor said. He was taken to a local medical facility in Salisbury and was charged with theft in connection with the unlawful taking of Perry’s vehicle.
On May 31, a post-mortem examination was conducted on Perry. Her death was ruled a homicide, and the cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation and blunt force injuries to her head, neck and chest, the news release said.
On June 1, Filistovich was released from the medical facility in Maryland and taken into custody, according to Billhimer. He was transferred to the Wicomico County Corrections Center in Salisbury, Maryland, and, upon his extradition to New Jersey, will be taken to the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Jenna Calderón covers breaking news and cold cases in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Before coming to the Press, she covered The Queen City for Cincinnati Magazine in Ohio. Contact her at 330-590-3903; [email protected]
