p oli C e B lotter Lakewood Man Charged With Girlfriend’s Murder

By Chris Lundy

LAKEWOOD – A township man who allegedly murdered his girlfriend was caught in another state, police said.

John Filistovich, 59, lived at a Thornbury Court home in Lakewood with his girlfriend, Betty Perry, 60.

A concerned citizen asked police to do a wellness check on her. Police found her body in the home on May 30 at around 12:15 p.m. The autopsy revealed blunt force injuries to the head, neck and chest along with asphyxiation.

Her car, a 2015 Hyundai Elantra, was missing, police said. It was located by Maryland State Troopers who found Filistovich on the side of the road near Salisbury, Maryland. He was taken into custody, and first placed in a medical facility before being transferred to the Ocean County Jail.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer thanked the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department, Lakewood Detective Bureau, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, Maryland State Police and Salisbury (Maryland) Police Department, for their collective and cooperative assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Filistovich’s apprehension. Charges are merely accusations until proven in a court of law.

The Secret Gardens Of Brick Tour & Tea

BRICK – The 20th anniversary of “The Secret Gardens of Brick Tour & Tea” will be held on July 11 starting at 10 a.m. Tour seven gardens of Brick homeowners then return to the Robert Anstett Cultural Arts Center for refreshments, music, arts display, gift raffle plant sale, plus crafters and vendors.

Tickets are $20 and are on sale now at the following locations: Added Touch Florist, Flower Bar, Tiny Greenhouse, Brick, Dwulet’s Nursery & Farm Market Lakewood, Purple Iris Flower Shop Pt . Pleasant, Shore River Gardens Manasquan