By: Yuritza Arroyo
Morris County authorities announced that a former Newark Lieutenant has been sentenced to 79 years in New Jersey State Prison for murdering his estranged wife.
According to Morris County officials, on October 3, a jury returned a verdict finding John Formisano, age 52, formerly of Jefferson Township, guilty of numerous charges following an eight-day trial.
Officials say, Formisiano was found guilty of first-degree Murder; first degree Attempted Murder, two counts of second-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, second-degree Official Misconduct, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and third-degree Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution.
The charges arise from an incident that occurred on July 14, 2019, in Jefferson Township.
According to Jefferson Police, at approximately 11:21 p.m., officers were dispatched to 1 Mirror Place for 9-1-1 calls of shots fired.
Police say, upon arrival, first responding officers located a deceased woman’s body lying on the front porch steps of 5 Mirror Place.
The deceased woman was identified as Christie Formisano, age 37, of Jefferson Township.
A second victim, a male (T.S.), age 40, was located with multiple gunshot wounds inside the residence of 1 Mirror Place. Two minor children were also located inside the home.
Officials said at approximately 2:00 a.m., the defendant was located in Livingston and was taken into custody by law enforcement.
The firearm used by the defendant was recovered in the trunk of the car the defendant was driving. The defendant, an Acting Lieutenant with the Newark Police Department, was off-duty at the time of the incident.
The first 65 years of the sentence are subject to the No Early Release Act.
Specifically, a judge imposed the following consecutive sentences: 50 years on the count of Murder; 15 years on the count of Attempted Murder; seven years on a count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child; and seven years on a count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Farmisiano is to pay restitution to the New Jersey Victim of Crimes Compensation Office and for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by the victims.
He is also ordered to have no contact with the adult male victim and no contact with the two minor children or their current guardian for a term of 180 days.